The Fabric saloon I am recovering was fitted with a brass waist band. Unfortunately only the door fittings came with the vehicle - it was part stripped down when I got it.
I want to fit pin beading around the car - the doors and other straight sections should be relatively easy but I am concerned about the back section which has to bend in two planes.
Has anyone any tips or experience about fitting this awkward section?
Regards
Nick Anderton

Hello Nick, a good tip is to remove the pin that will be right on each rear corner, it removes the very real risk of an elongated hole and hence possibility of a leak.
I trial fitted mine before I covered the car, I then put some fine nails in the holes just sticking out enough to poke through the fabric, removed them so you can see the hole, then refitting the beading into them and hammer home using a softwood block
I can see why you are worried as it's a bit of a daunting prospect when you have just finished the fabric and you fear you might spoil the whole thing. Hope this helps Ian M

Hi Ian

Thanks for the help.

When you have marked your new holes with the small nails, I guess you have to careful when stretching the fabric around the sides and over the nails, so as not to snag and possibly tear the fabric.

To assist bending smoothly, I have experimented by cutting several slots on the inner edge of the beading where it is being curved. This seams to avoid the twisting that happened with my first trial bend. The beading would have to be covered afterwards to avoid creases.

Regards
Nick

Hi Nick I think I used some very fine escutcheon pins with smooth heads (this was early 70s!). Nothing was sticking out more of a case of just enough to feel where they were, my method wasn't a great idea but I couldn't think of any other way to do it.
Alarm bells ringing when you say you are having trouble bending the bead, what are you using? Ian M

I suggest that you make a reversible template to ensure that the bead follows the same curves around each rear corner. The view from behind my brother's otherwise lovely RK is spoiled by its asymmetric beading!

Location: Herefordshire, with an "E" not a "T".

Yes good plan Martin, I made a card template from the centre line at the back around to where it straightened out on the sides and as you say reversed it.
If you have a 'good eye' things like that will drive you mad until you give in and fix it, unfortunately you only get one chance with this job.

Ian and Martin
Thanks very much for you excellent ideas which I will undoubtedly follow.

Ian
I was trying Aluminium 10mm beading from Paul Beck. Maybe I'm spoiling the ship for a hap'th of tar, so I should buy his lead filled brass beading.
Having put in fine nails into the beading holes, did you then cover with fabric, rub over the area where the nails showed through, puncture the taught fabric and remove the small nails through the fabric?

Regards
Nick

Nick your understanding of the method for giving birth to the escutcheon pins through the fabric is correct.
You say you were going to use aluminium beading which I expect if annealed would be relatively simple to bend, less so for the lead filled brass covered variety.
Your stated method of weakening the brass edge when bending in the vertical plane will work, and the slits invisible under the vinyl when covered. The brass beading has the advantage of a hard shell which resists the soldered in pins from popping out and marking the soft vinyl cover. My concern however is if you drill holes in the aluminium beading then use pins prefitted from the outside, then cover in fabric, then tap the beading on with a soft hammer.
The pins will work loose and eventually tear through!
If I,ve misunderstood your method feel free to ignore, cheers Russell

Location: oz