Leather Repair - How To Repair Torn Leather Seat

There are so many different types of automotive leather seat repair, all with different situations and applications. There are holes, scratches, gouges, cuts, scrapes, worn or cracked, and just down right grungy looking leather seats. I think I got them all covered, well in this article we're going to talk about how to repair a small hole in a leather seat lean back, for those of you who don't know what a lean back is well it's the upper part of the seat.

Now when I say small this can apply for a tear up to 1 1/2" to 2", probably might go a little bigger, but lets not push it, if it needs to go to the upholstery shop for an insert then that would be better then a crappy looking leather repair on something that probably wouldn't hold anyways. When in doubt, insert it.

Prepping a seat is the key to success in any leather repair, and a lasting leather dye job. So, prep the whole lean back, and while your at it just clean the whole seat, why not, but you don't have to, with your prepping solution removing all grease, dirt, and grime. You need a clean surface and a well prepped area to work with. When I prep, I use a solution of rubbing alcohol, acetone, ammonia, and a small amount of TSP substitute, with water in a spray bottle. Spray the seat with the solution and scrub with a scotch brite pad to scuff the leather seat for leather dye adhesion and remove any grime that's on the seat, then wipe clean with a clean lint free towel. Once your clean, apply a grip base primer to the seat, I usually in most cases will dye the entire lean back when I do a repair or the entire seat, but sometimes it's not necessary, so you may not need to prime the whole seat, but do clean the seat good this cuts down on the amount of leather dye used and the ending result will be a premium leather repair.

Now to the hole. Lets say it's in a V shape, just for example. Like where you've gott'n out of the seat with something in your back pocket, ouch! I know the feeling, back in college I had a 1986 Mustang SVO, very rare and nice car (man I miss that car) and I got out to go to class with a pen in my back pocket and ripped about a 2" V shape in the seat, I about puked right there, and of course at the time I didn't know anything about leather repair. But now I do and here it is.

Sand the area around the tear with a 240 grit sandpaper, this gives a little more for the low heat compound to grip to. Take a piece of underpatch material and slide the under patch under the tear with a pair of tweezers, allowing about a 1/2" on the inside all the way around. I usually cut my patches in a circular shape, it makes it a little easier to slide under. You can use different types of under patches, I like the kind that is coated on one side with a heat activated glue.

Now take a drop of leather glue and spread a thin coat on the patch on the underside of the leather repair area. If the leather will lay down smoothly and match up then great, but sometimes it just won't. In this case we will use combo of the glue and your low cure leather repair compound and smooth a small amount over the patch then lay the leather down. Spread a small amount of low heat compound over the area and smooth it out with your pallet knife, remembering to keeping your area as small as possible, the smaller the better. Now heat the area with your heat gun, hold the heat gun out away from the leather repair and slowly move it into the repair area, this will give you just a little more control of the heat, you don't want to burn and shrink the leather. The idea is to cure the compound and get it to adhere before you cook the leather, it's a skill thing, practice makes perfect. Once the compound is cured immediately press the grain pad in your palm onto the repair, don't press to hard, but firm.

At this time using a wet paper towel apply a small amount of grip base to the repair area and dye with your color matched water based leather dye. Dry thin coats of dye, not wet. Then reapply and smooth out another thin coat of compound. Heat again and grain then dye, get the idea, what you are doing is building the repair up. Thin coats of compound applied and cured then reapplied, are much better then one thick coat. Once you have it built up and looking nice, blend the repair into the rest of the seat if needed, by applying thin coats of leather dye to finish it off. Drying between coats of dye with a hairdryer, and one great tip is rubbing the leather dye with your hands to force the dye into the creases of the leather helps a ton, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. I say that but I'm allergic to rubber gloves, it bites, so I come home every day with dye all over my hands, it's a pain, but I love the work and the job looks better with a little bit of love rubbed on those leather seat repairs. After the dye is cured, apply a top coat of satin or dull leather clear top coat mixed with a bit of slip additive added for the soft feel. Dry the seat thoroughly, then apply your leather conditioner to finish and give the seat the juice it needs and a great feel and look for you.

Now there are so many other variations to this fix, sometimes I will have to use an air dry leather repair compound over the top of the low heat compound to smooth out the leather repair. Sanding it with a 400 grit sandpaper until it looks right. You can also turn your air down on your paint gun until little droplets are coming out to give it a textured look, drying between coats. Texture coatings, can be used, but if you do it right the gun effect works great. When I do a leather repair I won't give up until it looks perfect. Patience is a virtue, right. Don't get in a hurry, this will only frustrate you more and then you really got issues.

Leather repair is a craft and profession. The dyes and compounds I use are top quality and are made to last. Giving you a lasting leather seat repair, and comfort knowing you have a leather repair that will last and look great for years to come.

I hope this was some help to you, in the coming months there will be more articles like this one but on different situations on leather repair, liked I talked about in the first. There are so many different ways that a leather seat can be damaged, we spend a lot of time in our cars and well "sh$$ happens", right. So check back to see my next article on automotive leather seat repairs. If you have anything you would like to ask feel free to shoot me some comments on Leather Repair - How To Repair Torn Leather Seat.

About the author:
Mike Warren
http://theinteriorguyllc.com
The Interior Guy, LLC., Automotive Interior Repair
I've been in the business for a long time and know a lot of the ends and outs of repairing interiors, from leather and vinyl repair to plastic repair and dyeing of all interior trim parts including carpet and cloth. Need some advice or a tip to fix your autos interior, I've put together some really helpful material with some great products I recommend and use in my repairs. Visit theinteriorguyllc.com for more articles just like this one.

Who Qualifies For Medicare?

Who qualifies for Medicare? All American citizens and permanent residents over age 65 qualify for Part A Medicare if they meet one of the following requirements:

Eligible for or receiving Social Security benefits
Eligible for or receiving Railroad Retirement benefits
You worked in a government job for a minimum amount of time during which payments were made into Medicare on your behalf.
Your living, diseased, or divorced spouse met any of the above criteria
 

If you are over 65 and don't meet one of those "who qualifies for Medicare" criteria, you can still access the health plan by paying a premium for it.

Additionally, there are people who qualifies for Medicare who are under 65. for instance, people with end stage renal disease or Lou Gehrig's disease also qualify.

Anyone who qualifies for Part A Medicare also automatically qualifies for Part B Medicare. You should be aware however that while Part A is free, there is a monthly premium for Part B. People who do not qualify for Part A can still pay for Part B under certain conditions.

Part A medicare is the original plan and is still operated by the government. It covers hospital services. Part B is medical insurance for seniors and covers doctor's visits, outpatient care and the like. 

If you qualify for Part A and Part B, you will also qualify for Parts C and D. Part C replaces parts A and B with a more comprehensive insurance plan including prescription drug benefits at a more expensive price. Part D provides prescription drug benefits to people on Parts A and B.

This article sought to answer the question, "Who qualifies for Medicare?"

Have other Questions About Medicare [http://www.MedicaidMedicare.org]? Go over to [http://www.MedicaidMedicare.org] to get all of the information you need about the federal government's Medicare program.

How To Replace Front Wheel Bearings - You Can Do That

Recently the right front wheel bearing went bad on my 2002 Mazda 626. Apparently my oldest daughter hit a large pot hole bending the wheel and damaging the wheel bearing. I noticed a slight hum in the front end with a slight shutter as well, I thought that the tires needed to be balances and rotated, so I took it into the shop to be checked out. Well to my surprise I was told the bad news and what was worse was the amount they wanted to charge - over $500 to fix bearing and to replace the wheel. That is when I decided to do it myself.

Below I will help you by listing the tools you will need and steps on how to get it done.

Things you will need:

Large adjustable wrench

Channelocks

Bearing race driver tool

Various size punches

Socket and ratchet set

Assorted wrenches

A rags or two

New wheel bearings

Wheel bearing grease

New cotter pin

New grease seals

Wheel blocks

Safety glasses

A jack and a pair of jack stands

Even if the bearings are not making a noise it is always a good idea to have them inspected every 30,000 miles. I have it done when my breaks are replaced.

Okay let's get started.

Get all of your tools and supplies together before you begin and allow plenty of time to do the job.

Please take note that these are general instructions and consult the appropriate repair manual for your vehicle.

Always think safety first whenever you're working around machinery. Wear safety classes to protect your eyes and beware of hot objects, sharp items and hazardous materials. It is very, very important to never work on a car that is only supported by a jack, always place a sturdy foundation under the vehicle to prevent it from falling on you.

From this point on cleanliness is important. You do not want any dirt, sand or metal chips inside the hub.

1. Remove your disc brake calipers and caliper bridge to remove the rotor.

2. Remove the bearing cap. This is a press fit and to remove it grab it with your channelocks and work it back and forth until it pops off. Be careful not to crush it.

3. Once the cap is off you will see a cotter pin, remove the cotter pin and remove the retainer ring. If your vehicle has a castellated nut, you will not have a retaining ring.

4. Using your channelocks or adjustable wrench, remove the nut from the spindle.

5. Next remove the outer wheel bearing and washer.

6. Slide the rotor or drum off the spindle.

7. Remove the grease seal and take out the inner wheel bearing.

8. Wipe all the old grease from inside the hub.

9. Remove the bearing races from the hub.

10. Take a punch with a flat narrow tip and place it on the back of the race.

11. Tap the race out, alternating from side to side so it comes out evenly and doesn't get cocked in the hub.

12. Once it's out, flip the rotor or drum over and do the same for the other race.

13. Clean the inside of the hub with some rags.

14. Make sure the spindle is clean as well.

That's all there is to it. Like I mentioned earlier take your time and you will not get frustrated, good luck with your project.

Dennis Watson - Just helping others succeed.

Zeoh.com Free Classifieds Web Site =>http://www.zeoh.com/

You Can Do That Web Blog =>http://www.you-can-do-that.blogspot.com/

Architectural Plans For Commercial Buildings

When you are ready to create a new commercial building for your business, you want it to be an expression of what your business is about - a part of your brand. Besides being just the place where your business happens to be located, your commercial building can say a lot more about you, and communicate the impression that you want your customers to have about you.

Quality commercial building plans need to include unique design features that will make your building stand out from the competition. With the right appeal, it can actually add to the attractiveness of your business and make people take notice as they drive by. Such an appeal can add to your bottom line and increase the number of your customers and your success rate - even before your doors ever open.

The process of getting the right architectural plans for your commercial building starts out with obtaining a set of complete blueprints for your building. Architectural drawings will need to be made for each aspect of the building.

This will include:

•Foundation plans
•Floor plans
•Exterior views
•Framing plans
•Electrical plans
•HVAC plans
•Plumbing plans
•Sectional Plans
•Roof plans
•Site plans
•And a few more as needed.

Besides needing the basic plans and a great exterior, you will also need commercial design plans for the interior of the building. This should also be given much thought because the building layout is important in making your visitors feel at home - and wanting to come back. The appeal needs to be inside and outside.

Adding into your commercial building plans the needed sizes and features for those with disabilities will further ensure that your customers are happy with your new building design. This may benefit both your visitors and possibly some employees, as well. Having these features will also enable your building to resell faster, too, because little upgrading will be required if that need should ever arise.

Once the architectural plans are complete, you can take a set of presentation drawings to potential lenders. They will need to see what you are planning on doing and these drawings from your architect or designer will be able to sell them on the idea. Most likely, you will want to take an isometric drawing and a floor plan.

Depending on where you live, your architectural plans for your new commercial building will need to be examined by the local planning commission. This group, as well as the building inspectors, will look over your plans and make sure that everything fits either into the local plans for the future, and for any potential problems with the design.

Selecting a contractor is the final major step in the procedure. You will want to find one that is familiar with commercial building construction and also has a solid reputation. It is also very important that you have the contractor agree to follow the architectural blueprints as given.

Being a business owner who has decided to build a building for their business can be facing a very daunting task. Why not hire a design professional to help you with your new building? Tim Davis is a fully trained Architectural Designer with over twenty years experience who would be more than happy to help you with your plans. His website is at http://buildingdrawings.8m.com.

Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes Review

At only 23.5 pounds, the Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes makes for easy transportation for both the chair and the person using it. Its frame is made of a lightweight aluminum to provide a sturdy and durable means of getting around. It's also powder color coated in either red or blue and the seat is made from a lightweight, equally durable nylon upholstery material that provides both security and comfort of use. It also has standard padded armrests and a seatbelt built into its structure for additional safety.

The Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes takes advantage of the benefits that its lightweight frame provides. Aside from its design that makes using the wheelchair smooth and hassle-free, it also simplifies travel by making it easier to get around on the steepest of ramps while providing assistance with the manual hand brake if you need it. Aesthetically, a lightweight wheelchair like this one also makes for a cooler, sleeker, more stylish accessory than its old-fashioned, heavyweight predecessors.

The rear handles of the Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes can easily be folded down to provide for easy transport. The composite wheels at the back have dual-sealed precision bearings that improve the chairs mobility. These wheels also require almost no maintenance at all.

What Are Customers Saying?

The reviews for the Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes are mostly positive with the majority of the reviewers saying that they would recommend this chair to their friends and family. Its capacity of up to 300 pounds of weight opens it to a wider range of wheelchair users who have found it to be an efficient, comfortable, and convenient addition to their everyday lives. Its tires are just the right size to allow easy entrance through small areas that usually cause trouble for old-fashioned wheelchairs with bigger tires. The braking mechanism works well and provides assistance in controlling the chair's speed even on downhill slopes. It also requires very little assembly of its parts.

Since the Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes is lightweight and has supporting foot pegs on the back of it, one user claims having no trouble at all popping wheelies over gaps, curbs, and doorstops. One downside of this wheelchair is the size of its back pocket, which could be bigger to accommodate bigger items. The price, however, is more reasonable than renting out a chair for a few months. One user found the handlebars convenient for hanging purses without hitting the wheels in contrast to older models with bigger tires. The color of the frames also provide for a fresh and stylish look in contrast to the dull ones you see in the hospital.

The Medline Transport Wheelchair With Brakes provides reliable help for people having problems with getting around while giving them enough leeway for control in the comfort and safety of a sturdy, durable, and stylish wheelchair. It is highly recommended for people who want to provide their loved ones with a little help without completely taking away their control.

We absolutely recommend that you read more about Lightweight Wheelchairs before deciding which one is best for you. Another wheelchair that we are a big fan of is the Nova Wheelchair.

Home Modification Tips for Wheelchair Accessibility

At any point in your life you or someone in your family may need the assistance of a wheelchair to get around. You probably don't have a home that is wheelchair accessible, but if the need arises you will need to make the changes. There are lots of tips that will help you make your home wheelchair accessible.

One idea is to add stair lifts. This is simply a mechanism that allows you to lift a person up the stairs. It's similar to an elevator in the fact that it is powered by electricity, but it simply goes up and down the stairwell you already have. That means there are not as many design changes you need to make in your home and those incapacitated can get up and down the stairs with little assistance.

Another option is wheelchair lifts. If someone in your home is in a wheelchair then a wheelchair lift is very likely a necessity. It will allow for the individual to get around on their own somewhat as well as be able to get up and down stairs in their wheelchair. A wheelchair lift really makes the home an easier place to be and increases the disabled individual's mobility significantly.

Vertical lifts are another option and they are very similar to the other two. Vertical lifts simply lift vertical. So, it is pretty obvious what a vertical lift does. What you need in your home will depend significantly upon whether or not the situation will change or it is permanent as well as how much room you have in your home to make the changes. For example you may choose a wheelchair lift over a vertical lift if it provides a better service to the individual in the wheelchair. Simply evaluate your home, space, and budget as well as the needs of the disabled individual to determine what will work best. The good news is that you can design your home and make modifications for an individual in a wheelchair.

Keep in mind as well that a ramp outside your home is important and will help anyone in a wheelchair enter and exit the home easily and without assistance. There are a lot of things to keep in mind like widening the passageways so a wheelchair can fit and easily turn and keeping things at a lower height so an individual in a wheelchair can reach them. However, once you make the changes in your home you will become accustomed to them and the disabled individual will learn to live a new lifestyle.

Caitlina Fuller is a freelance writer. There are lots of tips that will help you make your home wheelchair accessible. One idea is to add stair lifts. This is simply a mechanism that allows you to lift a person up the stairs. Vertical lifts are another option and they are very similar to the other two. Vertical lifts simply lift vertical. So, it is pretty obvious what a vertical lift does.

Wheelchair Lifts for Vans - How to Choose One For Your Van

Just because you are wheelchair-bound doesn't mean you have to stay home all the time. Wheelchair accessible vans allow handicapped individuals to go from place to place. However, loading and unloading a wheelchair can be difficult as well as uncomfortable. That's why wheelchair lifts for vans are often used to transport wheelchairs easily.

If you use a wheelchair but want to drive yourself around, you can drive a van equipped with a wheelchair lift. Vans can be fitted out with different kinds of wheelchair lifts.

Platform Wheelchair Lifts

A platform lift has a large, flat surface the same size as a wheelchair. The platform, with the wheelchair on it, is raised to the floor level of the van. Platform lifts can be solid or folding. They can also be automatic or semi-automatic. A fully automatic lift will fold, unfold, lower and raise the platform by operating a switch. A semi-automatic platform lift has to be manually folded and unfolded.

Rotary Wheelchair Lifts

The rotary wheelchair lift is sometimes called a "swing-out" lift. It has a platform that folds or telescopes. This type of lift does not raise flat to the level of the van's floor. Instead, the platform with the wheelchair on it rotates into the van. The wheelchair is transported by moving it up and down, and swinging it inside or outside. This is often used in minivans and vans.

Lifts can also be semiautomatic or automatic. Semiautomatic lifts are partly operated by hand while automatic lifts use power to perform all its functions.

Choosing a Wheelchair Lift for Your Van

Selecting a lift for your van depends on a number of factors. One important consideration is the lift features. The features to look for will depend on who will use the lift and how often. Some basic features to consider are the platform dimensions, safety feature to prevent the platform from rising if the wheelchair is not positioned properly, handheld controls, warnings and alerts when conditions are not safe, etc. Not all these features may be available, so you should decide which ones are most useful and important to you.

Operating the lift is another important thing to consider. Lifts can be controlled electrically, hydraulically or manually. They may use handheld controls, on-lift controls, or remote control. Manual controls are good as back up. In general, lifts with less features and functionalities are simpler to operate.

Choose a wheelchair lift for your van that is easy to install. You must know exactly how the lift is to be installed, the possible locations to install it, and the amount of space it will take up. The services of a qualified technician may be needed.

Learn more about buying a wheel chair van and check out top wheel chair ramps by visiting our website today!