Author Topic: A little UPH Tech. - TRIM PANELS (Read 23845 times)

JakesBackyard · « **on:** March 19, 2007 3:47 pm »

Most of you like to do all the work you can when building your cars. So hereâ€™s a pic by pic of how I make trim panels for cars. The basic technique works for making almost any trim panel - doors, qtrs., kick, pkg. tray, trunk, etc. I even use the clear vinyl for making carpet panels on the floor and seat panels from scratch.

Hang with me...this will take about 8 posts.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2007 3:59 pm »

Here's the door I'm making a panel for. I know it is made of a material that many of you dislike. Get over it. The process is the same. It's what I was working on at the time.

I guess this is going to take more than 8 posts as it will only let me put one pic in ea. post. So hang in there.

Thanks

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2007 4:05 pm »

This door has no attachment holes in it yet. It has a latch handle stem and a suicide latch handle stem. No armrest holes or anything else. Now is the time to drill clip attachment holes and any other holes for mounting armrests, etc. The clip holes should be 4 to 6 inches apart. I am using a 21/64 drill bit to drill the holes. To avoid going too far with the drill, I put a piece of rubber tubing on the bit so only a ½" or so of the bit sticks out. I don't want to drill into the outer skin.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2007 4:08 pm »

Here are the clips I use. They are all from W&E fasteners which can be purchased from Fargo Bumper or Dakota Bumper in Fargo. The middle two are the most common.

# 1212 - flat spring steel - 19/64 hole - when using thin panel board or metal panels.

#1213 - old Ford/Chrys. Clip - 21/64 hole - most used.

#2560 - Ford/Chrys. Clip - 21/64 hole - for thick base material or if there is a raised area around the edge of the door so the clip needs a longer reach. This is the clip used on this door.

#2105 - xmas tree plastic clip - 17/64 hole - the best one I have found to turn into the panel and not have too deep of a clip. Works good into wood base.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2007 4:16 pm »

So now all the clip holes are drilled and ready for making the panel pattern. I use 4 mil clear vinyl. You can get it at MAC's or many craft stores. The sticky back Collision Wrap from 3M works good too, but is way too spendy. Spray a light strip of adhesive around the edge of the door and a couple strips out in the middle. I use 3M #77. Just so it's a light duty adhesive. Not the good stuff. You want to get the vinyl off easily. Now cut off enough of the clear vinyl to cover the door with a little excess all around. Smooth it out onto the door, lifting up and resmoothing to get out any wrinkles. I cut a small slit to slip over the handle stems. Don't cut out a hole. It's hard to see the vinyl in the pic, but it's there.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2007 4:21 pm »

Now use a black sharpie to mark the centers of all the clip holes and around each handle stem. Trace the outside edge of the door remembering that what you will cover the panel with takes up to another 1/8" around the outer edge. Be as exact as possible. This is where attention to detail pays in the end. Here is the finished vinyl on the door. Now out on a white paper on the table. It's good to write "R" or "L" on the vinyl so you don't happen to flip it over the wrong way. Note that all the markings show up on the white backround.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2007 4:27 pm »

Now get out a piece of panel board. It is available from most upholsterers or at MAC's. Make sure you get the waterproof (black on both sides) thicker one. It is available in 32" x 48" which is big enough for most panels. There is also a larger size available. Make sure it is the thicker (about 1/8"), as the thinner ones are not waterproof and will warp up fast.

Spray a light mist of the adhesive on the back side of the clear vinyl pattern and smooth out onto the panel board. Mark the clip holes with a light hit of the hammer on a scratch awl. It's just a mark to know where the center of the clip hole is. Now use a hole punch (various sizes used) to mark and eventually punch holes for the handle stems. Handle stem holes should be made larger than the stem enabling the panel to be shifted a little if necessary. Use a utility knife to trace around the outer edge, following the sharpie line carefully. Just a light cut to basically mark the outer edge for now.

Peal off the clear vinyl. If you are doing a panel with a roll down window, save the vinyl, trim off excess beyond the clips, and glue it on the door as a vapor barrier.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2007 4:30 pm »

Now trim the edge of the panel on the mark made with the utility knife. It takes two to three cuts with the knife to get through it or grab a jig saw and use a fine toothed blade to cut around that first mark made. 80 grit sand paper can be used to smooth out any rough spots.

Punch holes for the clips with a 3/8 to ½ inch hole punch. If you are using a metal trim clip, the holes need to be ½ inch away from the scratch awl mark because the clips are offset. If using the plastic xmas tree clips the holes are punched on the center mark and made oblong with a second punchout to enable twisting the clip into the panel.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2007 4:33 pm »

It's about done. Put in all the clips and test fit the panel. If I'm using the plastic clips, I only use a few to initially check the fit. They are tougher to get out and break easy. Just check to make sure all the holes line up. Now is the time to check the fit of all handle stems, (I'm marking one a little larger with a pencil) and make sure the outer edge is where it should be.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2007 4:35 pm »

Here it is all mounted and ready to cover. I make and mount all the side panels and then draw out my patterns for uph. with chalk.

One more post to come.

JakesBackyard · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2007 4:37 pm »

Here it is upholstered, but that's another story. Check out the UPH101 on the HAMB for a good story on sewing pleats. This one is tuck and roll (you can't see the stitching). Maybe next time I'll show how to turn just pleats into tuck and roll.

Hopefully you may have picked up a tip or two here. Til next time - I'm out in the backyard.

Jake

Tom · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2007 4:43 pm »

Who needs the HAMB......... we GOT JAKE!!! Thanks for the thread Jake!!

ATTN MODERATOR, should this be moved to Tech??

CJHacker · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2007 10:24 pm »

Done. Even created a nice new section just for interior! :-)

31Rodder · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2007 12:16 am »

Thanks,

sixinarow · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2007 1:16 am »

Would MACs carry foam for seats? I saw on another thread that Stitches is selling materials but where else are materials available around FM?