Sewing repairs

[Novice21]

Have been on the boat fiddling all afternoon, again. We managed to get the main sail off, and to evict the giant wasps which were hibernating there, and in so doing have discovered two tears in the sail-cover. So the question is this: do I really need to pay someone to repair this, or can I sew it up myself? Will the chandlery have the things which I'd need?

 

[pcatterall]

Small hole or patch... large needle and strong thread. You can buy sail menders kits and should carry one in your spares kit.

 

[FullCircle]

I've got a bit of mid blue canvas in Canewdon you can have a bit of. I think we will also have the thread to go with it. This is what we made on our front room floor with a standard Toyota machine.....

Send me a PM if you want.

 

[Searush]

Never mind a PM. I'm about to sew the letters on my dodgers.

What needle did you use & what settings? SWMBO is very nervous about me wrecking her machine. I did some sail repairs & modifications on a previous one & she never got it to work properly again!

 

[FullCircle]

Well, SWMBO has given the following pearls.
She used a Canvas needle recommended for her machine, which we bought from the (really good) Sewing Machine centre in Southend.
The vinyl was not an issue, and neither really was the single layer of mid weight canvas that we used.
Stitch used was arrived at by a bit of slow practice on some spare bits we had lying around, but in any case was not done at high speed.
It doesnt get more techie than that I am afraid.

We now have an industrial Singer from WWII which was refurbished. It made Army webbing, so would make sails for a square rigger!

 

[dickh]

DIY is easy with a domestic sewing machine - use a large needle(90 or 110), a TEFLON foot, the correct polyester thread and practice on scraps first. Use a zig-zag stitch of about 4 to 5 mm size.

 

[Searush]

Thanks all, Bits of scraps may be a problem as the dodgers are ready made. I think I will pop by a local tent repairer (too far from the coast for a sailmaker)

 

[fishermantwo]

I just use an old Singer pedal job with jeans needles. Lubricated with modern lubricants its a brilliant bit of British engineering. Straight stitching only, but used with the largest stitches does a great job.

 

[Ruffles]

[ QUOTE ]
Never mind a PM. I'm about to sew the letters on my dodgers.

What needle did you use & what settings? SWMBO is very nervous about me wrecking her machine. I did some sail repairs & modifications on a previous one & she never got it to work properly again!

[/ QUOTE ]
Without a roller foot you may find the letters tend to stick to the foot causing them to move against the canvas. I found I had to use grease proof paper over the top.

 

[bigwow]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Never mind a PM. I'm about to sew the letters on my dodgers.

What needle did you use & what settings? SWMBO is very nervous about me wrecking her machine. I did some sail repairs & modifications on a previous one & she never got it to work properly again!

[/ QUOTE ]
Without a roller foot you may find the letters tend to stick to the foot causing them to move against the canvas. I found I had to use grease proof paper over the top.

[/ QUOTE ]


Stick them on first using spray trim adhesive.

 

[Novice21]

Erm... I was going to do it by hand... is this impossible?!

 

[Ruffles]

[ QUOTE ]
Erm... I was going to do it by hand... is this impossible?!

[/ QUOTE ]
Sounds hard work. Machine stitching is much stronger because the stitching is even.

BTW is the sail cover acrylic canvas? When my spray hood tore it became apparent fairly quickly that the fabric was knackered. Sunlight takes its toll eventually.

 

[damo]

No, cos that's how they used to do it!

I stitched on tabling for reefing patches, when there were up to 6 layers of sail cloth, plus webbing. I used a 2mm drill to pilot the holes, then a sailors palm and waxed thread. Quite time consuming, but dead cheap /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Searush]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Never mind a PM. I'm about to sew the letters on my dodgers.

What needle did you use & what settings? SWMBO is very nervous about me wrecking her machine. I did some sail repairs & modifications on a previous one & she never got it to work properly again!

[/ QUOTE ]
Without a roller foot you may find the letters tend to stick to the foot causing them to move against the canvas. I found I had to use grease proof paper over the top.

[/ QUOTE ]


Stick them on first using spray trim adhesive.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheers, I was planning to use PVA adhesive as tailer's tacking is not really practical.

BTW apologies to original poster for thread theft. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[john_morris_uk]

[ QUOTE ]
We managed to get the main sail off, and to evict the giant wasps which were hibernating there,

[/ QUOTE ] Giant wasps sound like 'queen wasps' overwintering. Kill one of those and you are reducing the wasp population next year by thousands. I think that queen wasps can still sting you so be careful.

 

[Novice21]

I wanted to kill them, but HWMBO wouldn't let me. I reckon they'll die of cold now they've been chucked on the floor, though.

 

[srp]

Hawkwhouse stock the right sort of thread. I also use 110 size needles and a fairly old Frister Rossman machine (car boot sale, £5, and built like a tank).
Stitching heavy stuff can cause the timing of the machine to slip, resulting in the needle having a fight with the bobbin mechanism - I had to have my machine looked at last year which cost me £40, but it now runs like a Rolls Royce, better than ever it had before.
The most useful thing I've made with it is a boom tent, but I've also done a little sail for the dinghy and a few sail covers. Saved me a fortune.

 

[ex-Gladys]

[ QUOTE ]

Stitching heavy stuff can cause the timing of the machine to slip, resulting in the needle having a fight with the bobbin mechanism - I had to have my machine looked at last year which cost me £40, but it now runs like a Rolls Royce, better than ever it had before.


[/ QUOTE ]

It's worth learning to do the timing yourself, as it takes only seconds to do... It's all about the needle down stroke "integrating" with the bobbin carrier rotation. Old Singers are a doddle in particular. If the timing is moving it sounds like the machine isn't really man enough for the material. the other thing on a machine that is mis timed (busting needles) is to check that the right needles for the machine are being used.