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Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 8:18 pm
by rustytoolss
I bought my canvas from HF back in August16 (9x12) actually about 8'8"x12'. Anyway I just opened the package. The canvas looks very nice. But it is really 2 pieces seamed together. I was afraid this might happen.
I really hate to cut the large piece apart to remove the seam...but then again,....I really don't like the look of the seam on the outside of my trailer body.
I only bought the HF canvas because of tight budget needs. Has anyone done the canvas work and left the factory seam in there HF canvas ? If so , did it cause any problems ? Did you have problems when applying the TB2 with the factory seam still in the canvas ?
I'm not sure at this point if I'm going to remove the factory seam, or leave it in ??.. Give me your thoughts :NC

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:38 pm
by ghcoe
How big is your trailer. Mine is 8'4" long and 4'2" tall, there was plenty of canvas to cover without having a seam. I did have to place it just right though for the sides. I also used a stitch ripper to open up the end seams for extra length. All the HF 12x9 canvas will have a seam near the middle.

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:05 am
by GPW
Rusty , as we recall Louella (Eagle ) originally covered her Foamie trailer ( which I think is the first one built here after the discussion started. ) with HF canvas and positioned her seams to run along the roof , and it looked good ... Seams are not so bad , it’s Where you put em' ...

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:34 am
by GPW
Went back in the Big thread (page 48) and found ths pic ... 2011

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:05 am
by ghcoe
GPW wrote:Went back in the Big thread (page 48) and found ths pic ... 2011


Looks like a racing stripe! :thumbsup:

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:20 am
by Pmullen503
I made my seams by butting two pieces edge to edge and then placing a 4 inch wide strip over the seam. Flatter than the sewn seam and I made sure it was straight, right down the center of the roof. It looks OK.

If I had it to do over I would have bought more wide canvas. That would have added only a few percent to the total cost of the trailer.

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:54 pm
by rustytoolss
ghcoe wrote:How big is your trailer. Mine is 8'4" long and 4'2" tall, there was plenty of canvas to cover without having a seam. I did have to place it just right though for the sides. I also used a stitch ripper to open up the end seams for extra length. All the HF 12x9 canvas will have a seam near the middle.

George, my TTT is 74" tall, 74" wide,116" long (body exterior sizes). So the only way I can put this HF canvas (without cutting the seam loose) , is with the seam going vertically up the side of the walls. It might not look so bad ;) . I feel better knowing that others have left the seam in, and it was no big deal. ;)

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 1:14 pm
by ghcoe
I guess it depends on how big a seam you want. If interested I showed how to do a seam, I did it twice on my roof/front canvas since the canvas was too short to make a full run. The info is nearly half way down here. http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=5 ... m#p1146811.

DSCF3758.JPG
Seam
DSCF3758.JPG (163.27 KiB) Viewed 950 times

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 5:57 pm
by GPW
Gosh,if you're counting that , my poor trailer has more seams than a basketball ... :duh:

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:34 pm
by rustytoolss
that was close...you could have said a soccer ball ;)

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:04 pm
by rustytoolss
ghcoe wrote:I guess it depends on how big a seam you want. If interested I showed how to do a seam, I did it twice on my roof/front canvas since the canvas was too short to make a full run. The info is nearly half way down here. http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=5 ... m#p1146811.

DSCF3758.JPG

I think your missing what I'm asking about... just leaving the factory sewn seam together (were 2 pieces of canvas were sewn together at the canvas factory), and not cutting it apart. And gluing the canvas to the foam with the full factory seam . I get what you did in your build. Just asking about doing it differently. So that I can avoid cutting apart the canvas . :thinking:

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:36 pm
by Don L.
Well, I cut out all the seams on mine, and overlapped the sections of canvas by 4-6"s or so, but it's bigger and would have been numerous.
I also had numerous windows and stuff where the seams would have met the window trim, where the seam would have had to run under and would have been more obvious.

I don't think you have to cut them out, just that you would want to place them where they might look better. It looked like a seam might shed water better depending on which way it is oriented.
I ironed down all my overlaps to help lessen the appearance of them too.

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:17 pm
by rustytoolss
ghcoe wrote:How big is your trailer. Mine is 8'4" long and 4'2" tall, there was plenty of canvas to cover without having a seam. I did have to place it just right though for the sides. I also used a stitch ripper to open up the end seams for extra length. All the HF 12x9 canvas will have a seam near the middle.

Thanks for the information about the "Stich Ripper" . Said something to my wife...she said, well yeah! how else would you do that ??? :shock:
Like I would know that! :?
Really I'm surprised she knew that :o ...she never sews anything...must have used one in "home eck in High school" :lol:

Re: Harbor freight Canvas..seams

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:21 pm
by rustytoolss
Don L. wrote:Well, I cut out all the seams on mine, and overlapped the sections of canvas by 4-6"s or so, but it's bigger and would have been numerous.
I also had numerous windows and stuff where the seams would have met the window trim, where the seam would have had to run under and would have been more obvious.

I don't think you have to cut them out, just that you would want to place them where they might look better. It looked like a seam might shed water better depending on which way it is oriented.
I ironed down all my overlaps to help lessen the appearance of them too.

After looking at where the seams could end up. (windows/cargo doors etc) I decided to remove all the stiching. I'm sure I "ll be happier with the end results. :thumbsup: