Canvas weight for sewing? Top Gun

[waynes world]

Hi all

I am now at last on with having a go at making the canopy for the boat. I will be using Top Gun canvas and as it has a weight of 375gsm and i would rather practice on the same weight canvas.

But, if i got a roll end of canvas from the local awning company will that be the same as Top Gun canvas to sew if it is the same weight?

I mite be thinking to much into this but i would rather check first as i can get roll ends cheap for practice.


Thanks All

Wayne

oh yes my table i just made for the job

Had to clear out the back room though for it. that took long enough.

 

[Saltram31]

Top Gun is polyester,so maybe get a similar fabric to test on. Jeans needles 18/110 work well with polyester. Keep the foot pressure button fully pushed in to prevent the fabric from lifting, as the needle withdraws.

 

[lw395]

You can do a lot of practice stitching on a small area of the fabric you intend to use.
But there's no harm in practising with any stout fabric.
My experience is that if the machine is properly set up, nothing is a problem until you come to seams where more than 2 layers of fabric come into play.
Get a service manual for the machine and check the timing.
Your bench looks good, what is the machine?

 

[Plum]

Hi all

I am now at last on with having a go at making the canopy for the boat. I will be using Top Gun canvas and as it has a weight of 375gsm and i would rather practice on the same weight canvas.

But, if i got a roll end of canvas from the local awning company will that be the same as Top Gun canvas to sew if it is the same weight?

I mite be thinking to much into this but i would rather check first as i can get roll ends cheap for practice.


Thanks All

Wayne

oh yes my table i just made for the job

Had to clear out the back room though for it. that took long enough.

Impressive sewing bench! Topgun is my fabric of choice. Have been using it to make boat/sail covers for myself for 13 years. There are two weights of topgun. Basically, the lighter weight has the coating on one side only and is called "Topgun 1S". I use the heavier version for all except window covers. Topgun does not fray when cut so you can make an edge seam with a single wide fold with two lines of stitching spaced so you can fix a brass eyelet between the stitching. One of my covers i made 4 years ago is like this and is still perfect although the older ones were done with a three layer seam. If your machine struggles then just use a single fold two layer seam. As for practice material, i have yet to find anything that is representative. Get a few supliers to send you some free samples. Even a 4inch square will be enough to test on your machine.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[waynes world]

Top Gun is polyester,so maybe get a similar fabric to test on. Jeans needles 18/110 work well with polyester. Keep the foot pressure button fully pushed in to prevent the fabric from lifting, as the needle withdraws.

You can do a lot of practice stitching on a small area of the fabric you intend to use.
But there's no harm in practising with any stout fabric.
My experience is that if the machine is properly set up, nothing is a problem until you come to seams where more than 2 layers of fabric come into play.
Get a service manual for the machine and check the timing.
Your bench looks good, what is the machine?

Hi Skat and L3395

I want to make a cover for a small trailer so that is going to be good practice. I have had a go on an awning canvas but I am unsure of the weight of it and now non left to weigh a sqm. I got it as a roll end for a tenner for 8m which was good i though. Thats was infact to make the trailer cover but once i got into sewing I got carried away.

The could get through six layers easy, but as aid unsure of the weight but proper awning canvas. I have a service manual for the machine which is a 1970`s Reads Sailmaker.
.

Impressive sewing bench! Topgun is my fabric of choice. Have been using it to make boat/sail covers for myself for 13 years. There are two weights of topgun. Basically, the lighter weight has the coating on one side only and is called "Topgun 1S". I use the heavier version for all except window covers. Topgun does not fray when cut so you can make an edge seam with a single wide fold with two lines of stitching spaced so you can fix a brass eyelet between the stitching. One of my covers i made 4 years ago is like this and is still perfect although the older ones were done with a three layer seam. If your machine struggles then just use a single fold two layer seam. As for practice material, i have yet to find anything that is representative. Get a few supliers to send you some free samples. Even a 4inch square will be enough to test on your machine.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

Morning Plum

I chose Top Gun for the fact it doesnt fray, and to tight to buy a hot knife. And as good as Sunbrella. I have been sent samples on a few occasions and all a few inch square is all I got sent. They didnt last long due to need setting up the machine and then more. As the machine coped with six folds in the canvas i tried as said above it should be ok with three folds of To Gun I guess then. I will pop into the awning company this week and see what weights they ave on roll ends and get stuck in then.

I will show some runs i turn out and see what you think. From what i can remember it was the under stitch I struggled at first with it, i couldnt get the under stitch to tighten up.

Thanks all

Have a good day

Wayne

 

[TQA]

Make sure you have the best UV resistant thread you can buy. [ V-92 ? ]

Otherwise it falls apart after a couple of years in the sun. Ask me how I know this.

 

[waynes world]

@ lw395

the machine

Make sure you have the best UV resistant thread you can buy. [ V-92 ? ]

Otherwise it falls apart after a couple of years in the sun. Ask me how I know this.

Go on then, how do you know this.......or is it a sore subject still after all the work involved. I would go dolally if that happened on this job. Sort of nervously excited to try it as never done anything like this before.

Exactly what i have got here, the V92 thread, i have blue and black but i believe i need white to save on discolouration.

 

[ip485]

Make sure you have the best UV resistant thread you can buy. [ V-92 ? ]

There is a load of work in a good canopy. With this quality material it should still be good in 10 years. Even in the UK, never mind the Med or the tropics, it is the thread that will go way before, even good V-92. I do everything now in Tenara. It isnt cheap (but it is compared with time and effort redoing the stitching) and it is a little more temperental but I would recommed getting accustom to using Tenara. I find it works fine with my Sailrite. Oh, and it will definitely last longer than the canvas, even the best quality.

 

[Plum]

@ lw395

Go on then, how do you know this.......or is it a sore subject still after all the work involved. I would go dolally if that happened on this job. Sort of nervously excited to try it as never done anything like this before.

Exactly what i have got here, the V92 thread, i have blue and black but i believe i need white to save on discolouration.

I have been using Dabond Bonded Polyester V92 thread for 11 years and the cover I made then has had 24/365 exposure (Essex, UK) since then and the stitching is showing no signs of giving up soon. I use black for everything as I don't mind having *contrasting" stitching.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Malish]

Worth treating yourself to a walking foot for your machine, I find it to be a great help.

 

[ip485]

I have been using Dabond Bonded Polyester V92 thread for 11 years and the cover I made then has had 24/365 exposure (Essex, UK) since then and the stitching is showing no signs of giving up soon. I use black for everything as I don't mind having *contrasting" stitching.

Yes, but does the sun shine very much in Essex.

Seriously, I think it works ok in the UK, but any where south and even the best V92 will suffer.

 

[Poignard]

I like the workbench!

 

[KellysEye]

>Make sure you have the best UV resistant thread you can buy. [ V-92 ? ]

Jane used Dabond UV resistant thread to make all our canvas.

 

[waynes world]

I like the workbench!

Thanks, mite seal it yet with PVA, it is a little low near the knee so i have some block to get a few inchs higher.



Well dont worry about thread being used, I will use the best as said. I am still saving on spending on the project but in certain places it cant be done.

I have just been working on the frame so that will be made first once finished the design and mean time sewing practice then get cracking.

Oh yes i called the awning company today and they have a roll end in for practice and trailer cover. I will a dd more to my built thread as and when.

thanks all

Wayne