Isenglass and Sunbrella stitching

[foggysail]

AU Contrarie! My huge flybridge enclosure--- though a minor work of art-- started falling apart after just 5 years in the Florida sun. I had to pay $700 dollars to get it restitched with TENARA … Tenara is also much stronger. So for an additional cost of about$40 by the previous owner I had to pay $700!!!Plus the work of removing transporting and re-installing. My previous boat's Sunbrella fabric lasted 15 years , with Tenara thread of course !!!!

Canvas life is tougher when exposed the bright sunlight every day without a break. Here in Massachusetts our boats for the most part .....at least mine..... gets hauled late October and launched again early May. As to how fabric and vinyl life is defined, it most times becomes a personal issue. Thread failure is real, not subjective.

My brown sunbrella looked worse than an old pair of dock shoes after 10 years, panels' vinyl lost their luster long before 10 years causing me to replace many before before I installed a second hardtop and replaced all the canvas (navy blue) about 3 years ago. My canvas panels remain installed during the winter where they are protected under shrink wrap to endure the winter months.

I tried using Gore Tex thread years ago, at that time I don't recall it being called Tenara then, I remember it only as Gore Tex. My reason for not using it as I mentioned earlier was I believe it was only available is a 120-122 size. Sewing thread that thick is almost the same as sewing string. I see now it is available in a size equivalent to 92. When it comes to sewing, size matters.

 

[Cigatoo]

Spend some time with the Sailrite videos. There are many.

 

[Capitaine R]

Spend some time with the Sailrite videos. There are many.

Yes sir, we have watch several of those videos, they are very well done. We are watching the basic, starter videos for now. Very informative. One thing we have learned the hard way(skipping Stiches) is when you are using the tenara thread you need to drop down to a smaller size needle. Our machine came with a bunch of needles but they are all size 20, a 16 or 14 is needed with Tenara thread.

 

[Comodave]

But remember watching the people at Sailrite do the sewing will make you sick because they make it look so easy...

 

[Comodave]

Tenara thread used to be called Gore Tex.

 

[foggysail]

Words that one of my engineering professors used frequently when he handed out examinations still ring in my ears......’’Gentle men, now is the time to put away your cook books and cook!’’

That attitude should be considered by those wishing to do their own canvas work. Purchase an industrial style sewing machine with a walking foot......new/used, any brand should work and start sewing. Advanced physics courses not necessary, just patience. I do second Sailrite’s video recommendations and their machines for those preferring a proven product.

Mine is a Juki overkill. Space......I wish I had the work space suggested as necessary by some. My table mounted machine rests comfortably in my home office behind my desk chair, It shares my meager office space with a credenza, office table, desk and chair, computer, printer, filing cabinet and finally a good size shredder. I lay patterns and canvas out ( with Wifey’s permission) on our kitchen floor for cutting which I then carry to my machine for sewing.

I had zero experience prior to my first project nor was I even aware of Sailrite’s fine videos. My first enclosure made for our boat came out pretty good. The second done for a friend was better. I replaced my first with 10 years of wear with one I believe is as good as any done by professionals. So my recommendation is for guys to be adventurous! It certainly is not rocket science. And I know most who start will finish their project, just go for it.

 

[Capitaine R]

We are still having no luck with the Tenara thread even with the smaller needle. We are having no problems with the v92 thread. We decided to make one of the sunshade panels with the v92 and even though it is just a basic square window panel we were happy it came out looking pretty good, not perfect, but good for the first ever sewing project.

 

[ghost]

Skip stitches? Tension? Unbalanced stitches only on one side?

 

[geoleo]

a stitch

"a stitch in time saves nine"...………..

 

[Capitaine R]

The tension seems to be right on the stitches that are produced in between the skips, So now I have read you need a smaller needle that is a Serv7 design for the Tenara thread. So I have ordered a package of them to see if it fixes the problem.

 

[ghost]

Slightly smaller needle, and be fanatic about getting it aligned right. Get a bright light if you don’t already have one.

 

[Tom.B]

I have done a few sewing projects and my opinion is that Tenara thread is a bit of a waste of time and money. Why sew with thread that is more difficult to work with, way more expensive, and has a life span longer than the fabric you are sewing? If or when the poly thread fails (the regular stuff), the fabric has just about reached to end of its life too. However, if you are the do-it-yourself boater, restitching up any failure spots is a breeze. Setting up for Tenara isn’t as easy as changing a needle gauge. For the best results, the geometry of the hook and needle relationship has to be adjusted, thus rendering you machine, if you only have one, useless for standard thread. Anyway, that’s my opinion. It is worth what y’all paid for it.

 

[Capitaine R]

Having no experience sewing anything I already purchased the Tenara thread and the needles are only 5 bucks. So we will try it when we get the needles and if it doesn't work we will go back to the v92. Right now we are just cutting everything out waiting for the needles, but we have a lot to cut out.

 

[ghost]

Sailrite has another lifetime thread that is easier to sew with if you can’t make the Tenara work to your satisfaction. I have not tried it, but they recommend it.

 

[Capitaine R]

We finally recieved our new needles 16&14 serv 7. We tried the 16 first and it worked pretty good but not perfect. We then tried the 14 and it worked perfect with the Tenara thread. No more skipped stitches and they had perfect knot placement. We made no other adjustment and we were able to sew up the first 8 window covers with no problems.
The serv7 needle is the answer due to it having a special humped scarf that makes a bigger loop in the thread so the hook can grab it. [emoji16]

 

[Comodave]

Glad you got it working. You will be much better off in the long run with the Tenara.

 

[Greatlaker221]

Profilen is the other lifetime thread Sailrite sells. $75 a spool! Tenara does not work well with rotary hook machines like the LS-1 and the LSZ-1.

Profilen on the other hand works great. If you read all the fine print on Sailrite’s website they tell you the difference. I missed it too and spent days trying to get Tenera to work. Sailrite’s Fabricator machine is not rotary hook and will work with Tenera.

The portable machines can sew with out electricity and are designed to travel. They do not offer precise stitch control nor have the most powerful motors. That is why it is so hard to operate the foot petal. The Fabricator solves those problems but is not portable.

 

[Capitaine R]

Profilen is the other lifetime thread Sailrite sells. $75 a spool! Tenara does not work well with rotary hook machines like the LS-1 and the LSZ-1.

Profilen on the other hand works great. If you read all the fine print on Sailrite’s website they tell you the difference. I missed it too and spent days trying to get Tenera to work. Sailrite’s Fabricator machine is not rotary hook and will work with Tenera.

The portable machines can sew with out electricity and are designed to travel. They do not offer precise stitch control nor have the most powerful motors. That is why it is so hard to operate the foot petal. The Fabricator solves those problems but is not portable.

We are using the Sailrite LSZ1 with the Tenara thread and are still having no problems with skipped stitches and The stitches look perfectly symmetrical. The size 14 serv 7 needle made all the difference. Hopefully we will continue to have great results, but we will post if anything changes. We still have 5 more window covers to make and then we will tackle some cushion recovering.

 

[Capitaine R]

We saved this part of the project for last just due to the size. But the windshield cover is done, except for a little trimming of the binding and we may add a few more snaps to the original ones.

Next we plan to sew up some sunbrella to make some covers for the hatches and teak grab bars.




https://youtu.be/AUYEUkOfh4U

 

[Comodave]

The windshield cover looks very nice, good work.

 

[chc]

Needle bar length & timing?

 

[Bacchus]

Go to Sailrite how to videos and look it up.
Video worth 10,000 words.

Needle bar length & timing?