rgs944

I am using a very thin leather so I do not think I need to skive. As suggested by someone here I am trying to get the holes a little bigger. I am using a sanding disk to create a little more (just in case) room. It is a 80 grit wheel on a dremel tool.

garylewa

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Is that working for you? This is what I was inquiring about in a previous post. Please advise.

-Thanks, Gary

rgs944

I think it is going to work fine. We are just finishing the sewing of the pod this morning so I will know more in a day or two. I might have some pics to put up later.

rgs944

Pics of sewn pod cover. I went with a single seam as Jerry suggested for ease and I think it will hide mistakes better. Our home machine worked well for sowing the lamb hide once we found the right thread.

Dean_Fuller

Looking good.

rgs944

Thank you Dean, I am nervous about the finished product but I guess anything will be better than a cracked pod. Could you possibly post some pics of the aluminum ring Jerry talks about?

rgs944

Here is what I came up with. Overall I think it turned out as expected. I knew going in this was going to be a very tough project to get right. I am very glad I took it on though. I realize a pro one would look a lot better but this one has its advantages too. Those being low cost and the satisfaction of saying I did it my self thanks to Jerry's patterns . Now I need to work on forming the hole *****.

Dean_Fuller

If you wanted you could stretch it...looks like the top could pull back to get the top seam straight across the front face. The sides where you have some wrinkles that are gathered ...looks like you could pull that out through the instrument panel opening. OR BETTER yet...pull it out at the closest switch hole. What glue did you end up using? You could pull it loose and and play with it a little to get it fitting better....or not. Like you said...looks better than a cracked up pod....I REALLY think you could get it closer to what you want. You have gone this far...and it looks like you are on the right track....keep going. You have gone further than I have. I would say a good first try.

Don't be afraid to pull the cover back off ....you can aways add glue and if you do it right away...the glue will stay tacky for awhile. I would doubt ANYONE can get this perfect the first try. Hope you don't mind my honest input. As good as it is...I can tell you can make it better.

fraggle

Warning: When you make the pod look good,you'll want to do the dash.

Then you'll need to do the glove box door. And the center console.

It's a slippery slope.

Anyone else have some examples or tips and tricks for the team here? I just installed my Rob Budd pod and dash, so I kind of cheated here, but I'm really curious how these will come out.

Dean_Fuller

Here are some shots of the POD Jerry sent for Garrett's car. Its a work of art. Notice the seam locations. I think this is where the seams should be if you are using Jerry's pattern. If they are off it will wrinkle.

Jerry Feather

I am concerned that you did not take the full 3/8 inch seam allowance because your sewn up cover looks a lot looser on the pod before you have glued it on than mine looks in post 79 above. I have been sitting here looking over at my pod waiting to stretch and glue the cover on for about 2 or 3 weeks and I have been thinking that we are going to have a difficult time getting that cover to stretch enough to fully cover the pod. Nevertheless, we have covered three before and with essentially the same patterns and it seems to fit.

Yours looks like it is too big. Also, I wonder if you followed my suggestion in regard to the plain seams and glued the seam allowance butterfly like on the underside? Your seams look kind of lumpy like maybe you didn't do that.

It took Doug and I, mostly Doug, of course, about 2 hours today to get the cover glued onto the pod. Here is a picture of the final product. I'll show the sequence pictures later maybe after the game.

Jerry Feather

Dean_Fuller

It may be "too loose" because the hide is thinner than cow leather....I still think you could pull it off and refit it better. Again don't be afraid to pull it loose and work the wrinkles out. I think it can still look good though. I have been working on Garrett's dash ...hope to have some pics soon on it. The pod may be the hardest piece to cover in the entire car. Jerry just makes it look simple.

rgs944

I have been working with it and I think I got it descent looking. I personally think it looks better in person than the pictures make it appear. As far as the seam butterfly, I believe I know what you are referring to Jerry. I tried to get it all to lay down in the same direction but I did screw up on that one spot on the right side. I might be able to get it to lay down correctly yet. I will keep working it. I am not sure about doing the center consel yet but I will sure be doing the dash and glove box. I have cracks there too and they look to be the easier projects. Now that I have some experience I think the overall project will turn out good for me and will be something I can enjoy. A big thank you especially to Jerry but also to everyone following this thread and giving advice.

Jerry Feather

In this set of five pictures Doug has sprayed the pod and the inside of the cover with his yellow contact cement. I have also shown a picture of his can of glue for reference.

I asked Doug about the availability of this kind of glue in spray cans and he didn't say whether or not it was available, but he did say not to use spray can glue, no matter what the color because is will not hold up. He said when it gets to about 110 degreed F is will release, and this is true even with what is called high temp.

After the glue has dried for about 20 minutes or more Doug has started to locate the cover starting with the center mark on the main seam of the cover which he is carefully placing on the center mark on the pod top front crown of that edge. The placement of the seam along this crown is critical both to the fit of the cover and to the looks of the finished product.

Jerry Feather

This set of five pictures Doug is continuing to locate the main seam along the crown of the main edge and is working a little of the cover over the pod surfaces as he goes, but not too much. In the last picture, before he has too much surface stuck down he is also locating the center seam of the cover exactly in the center of the "nose" of the pod which points toward the steering wheel. The centering of this seam is also critical, and from there he can work away from seam that to work more surface area covering.