Jump to content
180sx

How to smooth out wrinkles from bunching up?? - pics included

Recommended Posts

Hey, new to leather craft. Just finished reupholstering a steering wheel for my car for the first time ever. Very hard to do, to get it perfectly measured and the pattern cut out properly, and to do it without a sewing machine. Anyways, after wasting nearly a whole half hide of perforated leather, i finally got a product I was happy with. This is my last issue, the leather, in the corner bunches up and creates these wrinkles, that I'd like to remove if possible, the leather isnt very thick, id say 2mm or so, but here are the pictures anyways. Just wondering if there is a way to massage the leather somehow so its not as wrinkly/bunched up, i tried poling a needle in the perforations to offset the bunching up, but it didnt do much.

ZL1vnf8.jpg

fzrofjr.jpg

uyT42Xu.jpg

 

imgur gallery link for photos:  http://imgur.com/a/8pL5V

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Once the cover is in place I don't know of any solution because the material is already there. The closest you might get is with a combination of heat, moisture, and pressure. A hot washcloth held in the corners and pressed down with a bone folder/fingers might help. It will likely smooth out some with the heat of the sun and pressure from fingers (over time, that is).

Before the material is applied the only way I know is to use a stretchy enough material to lay the inside edge smooth and pull the outside longer. However, since this is perforated leather that could throw off the perforation pattern some. My mentor always reminds me that the "inside of a doughtnut is shorter than the outside of a doughnut". In this case you are trying to get the same amount of material over both distances. To aid in stretching there are liquids/sprays called "shoe stretch" that will make leather stretch (while wet, then stays extended while dry), and that could be of help in future projects.

I wish I knew of a better answer for you. Nice work, by the way. I'd be proud of it as-is.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

An old upholstery trick is to very carefully use a heat gun on the wrinkled area (for thin leather only). The leather will shrink to mold around the steering wheel. Then apply some leather dressing. Because different parts of a hide are more stretchy than some, nearly all complicated upholstery jobs need to apply this technique.

Cheers, Lois

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...