To start with the link to the build is here but the battle I have with this rail really needs a story all itself.
Wood work was no big deal. well it was but in comparison to the rail it was easy.
To start I could only get a piece of foam that was smaller than the rail. If you’re a tl;dr guy here’s the tip. Always get a piece of foam bigger than your rail. Its been said more than once on this forum and you can take it to the bank - its more than 200% more trouble using glue to stick foam together.
To start with can’t get any good materials in this part of the world commercially. The commercial places only sell 2 way stretch vinyl. And the choices of foam are very limited and Very expensive. So I went to an upholsterer and got what’s really 2 and a half way stretch vinyl. But it is MUCH better than 2 way. It gives on the non-stretchy axis about half as much stretch as the other axis.
So I cut the foam but stuffed the first time I dropped the rail onto the foam. With contact adhesive and foam you get 1 go to get it right. So I fixed the bit on the side i stuffed that first by gluing on the extra piece and moved onto the other part of the rail
this is the fix for the side bit
Glued it together and stuck it to the wood. I should have taken a photo here but I didn’t.
Anyway starting the vinyl I noticed a huge bump where the stuck together seam was!?!? I was warned about this but it wouldn’t happen to me right?!?!.
Anyway another top tip. Do not use the contact that you brush on stick foam together! It makes a huge bump on the vinyl.
Undo 25 staples… ( I didn’t know at this time that there were many more staples to remove in the future…) and decided on a fix. I think this is about the most difficult way to fix this problem But I’m hoping it has the best result.
First go to the hardware store and get some expensive spray on contact glue.
2 I cut out more foam so you cut the seam out. this is really easy just lay a bit on top of the foam you want to cut out. Do them at the same time that they will be a perfect match.
wish i had a pickie but nup...
3 spray glue stick back together.
3 a Repeat earlier steps for the bit I stuffed earlier on the side
When this dried it was better but there is still a raised bit.
4 Go to store get dryer sheets, wash some clothes then put them in the dryer with the sheets. Get stopped by wife saying it’s a hot day you stupid man just hang them out. Then explain for 10 mins what you’re doing then continue on. Get the sheets out of the dryer and I found they were very crinkled. So I ironed them flat then glued them over the offending glued foam. I did a test to see if there were any noticeable dents in the vinyl by stretching the vinyl over the seams and there were smaller dents "Yay" but goddamit they were still there?!?!?
Then I had what I think is a great thought! I still have the foam for the playing surface.
5 So I got it out and glued it on top of the foam. This made a noticeable difference. Almost invisible.
Anyway I have done the first staples on the outside of the rail. There’s more to go but its shaping up pretty well. Notwithstanding the stuffups!
and here it is
and here is the bump
and again...
and the other side
there are a few staples still to take out to make it perfect but there it is...
more later
Wood work was no big deal. well it was but in comparison to the rail it was easy.
To start I could only get a piece of foam that was smaller than the rail. If you’re a tl;dr guy here’s the tip. Always get a piece of foam bigger than your rail. Its been said more than once on this forum and you can take it to the bank - its more than 200% more trouble using glue to stick foam together.
To start with can’t get any good materials in this part of the world commercially. The commercial places only sell 2 way stretch vinyl. And the choices of foam are very limited and Very expensive. So I went to an upholsterer and got what’s really 2 and a half way stretch vinyl. But it is MUCH better than 2 way. It gives on the non-stretchy axis about half as much stretch as the other axis.
So I cut the foam but stuffed the first time I dropped the rail onto the foam. With contact adhesive and foam you get 1 go to get it right. So I fixed the bit on the side i stuffed that first by gluing on the extra piece and moved onto the other part of the rail
this is the fix for the side bit
Glued it together and stuck it to the wood. I should have taken a photo here but I didn’t.
Anyway starting the vinyl I noticed a huge bump where the stuck together seam was!?!? I was warned about this but it wouldn’t happen to me right?!?!.
Anyway another top tip. Do not use the contact that you brush on stick foam together! It makes a huge bump on the vinyl.
Undo 25 staples… ( I didn’t know at this time that there were many more staples to remove in the future…) and decided on a fix. I think this is about the most difficult way to fix this problem But I’m hoping it has the best result.
First go to the hardware store and get some expensive spray on contact glue.
2 I cut out more foam so you cut the seam out. this is really easy just lay a bit on top of the foam you want to cut out. Do them at the same time that they will be a perfect match.
wish i had a pickie but nup...
3 spray glue stick back together.
3 a Repeat earlier steps for the bit I stuffed earlier on the side
When this dried it was better but there is still a raised bit.
4 Go to store get dryer sheets, wash some clothes then put them in the dryer with the sheets. Get stopped by wife saying it’s a hot day you stupid man just hang them out. Then explain for 10 mins what you’re doing then continue on. Get the sheets out of the dryer and I found they were very crinkled. So I ironed them flat then glued them over the offending glued foam. I did a test to see if there were any noticeable dents in the vinyl by stretching the vinyl over the seams and there were smaller dents "Yay" but goddamit they were still there?!?!?
Then I had what I think is a great thought! I still have the foam for the playing surface.
5 So I got it out and glued it on top of the foam. This made a noticeable difference. Almost invisible.
Anyway I have done the first staples on the outside of the rail. There’s more to go but its shaping up pretty well. Notwithstanding the stuffups!
and here it is
and here is the bump
and again...
and the other side
there are a few staples still to take out to make it perfect but there it is...
more later