Well today I wanted to give you guys a little tip on getting a grain pattern into you next leather or vinyl repair using the “Wet Grain Method“. This little trick can be used with just about any air dry or heat cured compound on leather or vinyl and really could probably be used on plastic but never really tried it yet.

This process has saved me a couple of times and has enhanced some of my repairs and made them basically disappear. It’s kinda a last resort to getting it right.

After your repair is mended, smooth, and level take your compound and lay a thin to medium coat over the area needing to be grained. Next step requires a product from Viper Products called Wet Grain Slicker. What this does is puts a slick coating over your grain pad so that when you press the grain pad into the wet compound it won’t stick. Now what you’ll do is take a drop or two of the Slicker and place it on the grain side of your pad, rub it around so that the whole pad is covered, you don’t want it really wet just slick you may have to wipe a little off with a paper towel. Next lay your pad carefully over the compound and press it firmly with your palm. Be careful not to move the pad when you press or you will lose the effect. This part is kinda tricky, remove the pad slowly and carefully so not to mess up the grain. Once you’ve removed the pad take your heat gun and cure the compound, if it’s leather make sure to cure slowly with low heat. Sand lightly but to much you remove your grain, just enough to remove some of the high spots left from removing the pad. There you go, a grain pattern.

I use this on leather quite a bit with Viper’s Leather Extreme fill. I’ll use my finger to smooth the compound around the area I want a grain into and at times it may take a couple of attempts to achieve the look I want, but it’s been a life saver for sure.

Sometimes you’ll have to lay a coat of dye over the area to see if it blends or if another attempt is needed. Just remember to clean thoroughly between sanding and seal the area before your dye with a swipe of Grip Base on a wet paper towel.

This trick of the Wet Grain Method does take a little practice to get it right, but when you master it it can save you from a not so perfect job. Always keep your repairs level and as small as possible to achieve optimum results.

Well I hope this helps in your next Automotive Interior Repair job on leather and vinyl and fell free to leave a comment for me on this and let me know how it works out for you.

Talk to ya soon,

Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

Getting a vinyl or leather repair level and smooth can be tricky with the different foams and backing materials. By using an iron can better your chance of getting that repair level and smooth without bulging or pushing in the vinyl which can happen with doing your repairs with a heat gun and pressing your grain pad with your hand to achieve your grain.

Now one thing to remember when doing repairs on leather and on vinyl is the difference in the Heat applied.

Low Heat for Leather ONLY!

Never use a high heat on a piece of leather or you will pucker and harden it, basically ruining the piece. I try to never go over 300 degrees on any leather repair. Most all your leather repair compounds that are heat cured will cure out at 250 degrees. So no high heat on leather!

Vinyl on the other hand can handle in some cases, and I say this sparingly because it depends on the type, a lot more heat. Some seat vinyl you can usually get by with heat as high as 500+ degrees where as some door panel vinyl low heat only 300 and below. This vinyl is thinner and is sometimes backed with a foam instead of a fabric and high heat will make a small hole really big really quick giving you an even bigger hole to repair. You almost treat the thinner vinyls as you would leather.

Determination is vital though, you can usually tell by feel and sight. The fabric backed vinyl is usually thicker and used on seats and some door panels where as the foam backed vinyl is thinner feeling almost a plastic feel to it used mostly on door panels, console lids, and some dashes.

Most high heat vinyl repair compounds cure out at 350-400 degrees. One compound that is pretty much the standard is Vinyl Hyde. It’s been around for years, although through the years some have improved on it’s formula and have come up with some really great compounds.

Now the iron I use is a small hobby iron, it’s actually an iron designed for shrink wrapping small hobby aircraft, but it works great for vinyl and leather repairs. It has a temperature range from 100 to 400 degrees, which is perfect for curing all vinyl and leather compounds. It’s small enough to get into where I need it but not to small I’m there all day trying to cure out my compounds on a large repair. I’ve seen those little bitty round irons and really to me there just a waist of time for a professional, I guess in some small repairs they could work but if your serious about doing real vinyl and leather repairs then you really need a good iron to do your repairs correctly.

When doing an iron repair your going to need some supplies to make a good permanent repair.

What I mean is, compound and your iron won’t always work for every repair.

If it’s a really small area with no chance for stress then maybe but with most repairs there will be stress and by adding a couple of components to your larger stress prone areas can mean the difference between a permanent repair and a repair that is just well substandard.

The two components that I’m talking about here are your under patch material and a product called mini mesh. The under patch may not always be used due to the fact that not all cracks in vinyl go all the way through. But your mini mesh will really help in making your repair last. What this stuff is, is an extremely thin fiberglass mesh that gives your repairs a stronger hold and eliminates the weak spots in the vinyl or leather your repairing. When doing an all the way through cut or crack in leather and vinyl the under patch and over patch will sandwich the area giving you a repair that will close to disappear and will be almost impenetrable.

The under patch material I use is actually a heat activated glue back canvas type cloth that I cut to fit a 1/4″ larger then the repair area. I then insert it upside down in the underside of the repair so that the adhesive is facing up to glue the area together, giving you the bond from underneath.

Other supplies that you will need to help in the process is a pair of small scissors, needle nose tweezers, a pallet knife, a chilling block, Teflon mat, a matching grain pad, and your matching water based dye mixed to perfection in your favorite spray gun.

The first thing to do is to clean and prep the area thoroughly with your prepping solution and a scotch brite pad, this will remove any contaminants and scuff the area for dye. If sanding of the area is needed then do that now. Remembering to clean again after wards, the cleaner the better when doing any type of repair.

I next do one thing that gives you a great bond for your dye during the process of the repair and that is I wipe a layer of Grip Base primer over the area. This is a water based adhesion promoter that gives the dyes and compounds something a bit more to stick to. On leather it will seal the leather helping with oil migration. I will also use this throughout my repair process if I sand the area or with leather repair when I add air dry compounds. Grip Base primer is a must when doing any repair with water based dyes.

If your working with a tear all the way through insert a piece of your under patch material with your needle nose tweezers making sure it’s in contact with all the area under the split at least a 1/4″ all the way around. Once in place using your pallet knife or even your finger spread a liberal amount of vinyl or leather repair compound over the area and even under between the under patch and the leather or vinyl.

Next you’ll take your Teflon mat and lay it over the area. This is used to heat the area making it nice and smooth while not letting the compound stick to your iron while heating.

Just lightly lay the iron over the area, you can slide it around during the curing process to make sure all the compound gets totally cured out. In some of the larger areas moving the iron around with a little more pressure will also help to smooth the area out.

Once your cured don’t just rip the mat off, let it cool a bit or even use your chill block or even a wet towel. If your not cool you’ll peel the compound up too, not so much with the mat as with your grain pad but getting in the habit of using your chill bar will save you some big headaches.

Your next step is adding your mini mesh. With this you will cut a rounded shape of mesh at least a 1/4″ to a 1/2″ larger then the repair area. Spread a thin layer of compound over the repair then lay the mini mesh directly over the uncured compound. Take your pallet knife and slide it over the mesh smoothing it right in with the compound. The smoother the better, clean the edges up with you finger if needed.

Take your Teflon mat and lay it over the area and repeat the curing process, this will create your impenetrable repair.

At this time I will spray a dry coat of dye over the area to see where I’m at in my repair and also to sandwich my dye into my repair. Remember your working in thin layers.

Now it’s time to put the grain back into the repair to finish it off.

With your pallet knife spread a thin layer of compound over the area, then take your matching grain pad and carefully lay it over the area. With your iron, pressing a little harder, cure the area out. Now sliding your iron around doesn’t really work with the grain pads as easily as the Teflon mat so watch out cause the pad could move so pick up the iron to move it around if needed.

Chill the pad with your chill bar. This part is very important, if not cool the pad WILL stick and peel your compound right up, so chill before you peel.

Once chilled, peel off the pad slowly and see where your at. Sometimes I’ll sand the area slightly to remove some of the rough areas. I’ll then clean and spray some more dye over the area to again see where my repair is. This process may need to be repeated to achieve the results you want.

At times I will also combine my iron repair with my heat gun to finish the repair off. The iron at times will give you a little more pronounced grain and just doesn’t get things as smooth and well just doesn’t always finish it like I like it so I’ll lay another thin layer of compound over the area and cure and grain the last coat with my heat gun. This all depends on the type of vinyl I’m working with too.

Lastly I’ll lay a couple of more layers of dye then topcoat with an appropriate sheen of topcoat.

One other thing to keep in mind when doing the iron repair on Leather. Use a combination of low heat compounds to start the repair but finish it off with your air dry compounds. This minimizes the heat being used on the leather which can dry it out more then needed.

When done your repair should look great and hold for years to come.

Always keep in mind your temperature when working with leather and take your time like with all repairs, patience is money.

Well I hope this helps you out on your next vinyl or leather repair with an iron and please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment or drop me and email anytime.

Talk to ya soon,

Mike – The Interior Guy

Things have been going really good though and I have to say I am really confident that Bob will do just fine when he returns to South Dakota. He has really improved on every aspect in this business over the past 2 weeks, but I also have to say one thing and this really isn’t a brag, but it has been how he has been trained and the products we use. When I started I didn’t have half of what he has gotten or the products that we have in today’s market. I had to basically learn most of what I know today by trial and error, reading on the internet, asking a ton of questions of my suppliers, and the products I had were well let’s say not anywhere near what I use today.

These past few days I have basically stood by and watched while he has done the repairs. I’ve only stepped in when he has really needed it, but really he has done the repairs. He has done an amazing job and I am really proud to call him “my” trainee. Yes there are a few things yet he still has to learn but a lot of that will come with experience and practice. This is something that doesn’t come over night, it takes practice and time.

We have covered a lot of what he will come across in the repair world from leather repairs and vinyl repairs to carpet dyeing and cloth repair, granted there will be things I know he will come across that I haven’t taught him but with the limited time we have had I just can’t show him every little thing. But with the things we have covered I have confidence in him that he will do just fine. He really has the drive and the ability to figure things out on his own, which is something that is needed in this business to survive.

I would like to invite you to my Automotive Interior Repair Training program if your serious about starting a new career and making a new life for yourself. Just drop me an email with your phone number and I’ll be sure to give you a call about the details.

Talk to ya soon,

Mike “TIG”

Today he really got his feet wet and did his first vinyl repair and did great. He’s still a little green but that’s expected, he’s never done this before. This week we’re really going to work on his techniques and really get in there and do the work, and I do mean do it too. I’m basically just there for support this week because he’s the one who’s going to be doing the repairs.

Last week I think he was getting a little worried about things and he thought I wasn’t going to let him do the work. But that’s what my training program is all about is teaching the correct way of doing things and also hands on. The first week I just wanted to get him familiar with the products on how and when to use them, the steps of doing the repairs, and how to mix the dyes including colors and adding the different additives to make the dyes work properly. I just wanted to make sure he was going to be able to do the work before I just let him go. This week is all about getting in there and doing repairs so when he gets back home he will feel comfortable with the repairs and not have any problems with just getting in there and doing them.

Last Friday we did a couple of jobs that were really good teaching tools. One was a Dodge Durango that we had a steering wheel repair, the front leather seats needed reconditioned and it also had a few cigarette burns in the carpet which we hadn’t worked on yet. This was also a good one for the wear lines that occur on the edge of the seat. Believe it or not the passenger seat was worse then the drivers. The wear had almost gone all the way through so we repaired it with Viper’s Deep Crack Compound which is a high performance low heat compound designed to not shrink when heated and is also sandable, a big plus when doing leather repairs.

The next job we headed to on Friday was an 1981 Chevy Corvette. A little jewel of a car that just needed a little TLC, and we were there to give it. This was a good one to show him what happens to a steering wheel when the foam under the leather breaks down. I wasn’t able to make the steering wheel look as good as I wanted to because the the deteriorated foam but I got it really close. We also dyed the carpet and dyed a few miscellaneous plastic pieces around the inside that the original dye had worn off. Both of which we hadn’t worked on yet. When we got done the customer was really happy with the outcome, unfortunately I wasn’t completely satisfied but sometimes that happens when your as anal as I am.

Today, in spite of the heat, we got a lot done. Like I said before Bob did most of the work with me watching over his shoulder. There were a couple of jobs I had to take over but mostly he did it, including mixing the dyes to match to doing the repairs from start to finish.

I really have confidence in him that he will really succeed when he gets home. He’s done his research, listened well, and has taken to the Automotive Interior Restoration like a champ!

Well I’ll write more tomorrow on what’s going on with my Automotive Interior Restoration Training, but now I need to go out and pay some attention to a paint gun that is in dyer need of a cleaning.

If your looking for a new career or needing to improve your skills in the Automotive Interior Repair business then make sure you look me up.

Talk to ya soon…Mike “TIG”

I’ve been running into some repairs lately that just don’t make a lot of since to me. Super glue cracks when flexed, right, so why would you use it in a situation where it can be flexed. What I’m talking about are vehicles that have been previously done by someone else and have been traded back into the dealer and the repairs have gone bad. I see this a lot and it drives me crazy.Vinyl repairs on seats done with super glue! This is one place that super glue really doesn’t have it’s place. I know it works well, and looks good when done, but it does not last and it almost ruins the chance for another repair to be done again, correctly.

Here’s a Chevy Truck that I did the other day that had been repaired in the seat belt pocket. This is a problem area in the Chevy seats. The vinyl splits easily in this area due to the seat belt rubbing on the vinyl constantly. This is a frequent fix for me, but not an area where I would use super glue. I’ve seen a few of these lately where someone has used super glue to repair the vinyl and all it has done has made a mess. It leaves the vinyl rock hard and splits out every time. My Tahoe was repaired about 4 years ago by myself using vinyl repair compound and is still holding, looks a little worn from use but still holding.

I know it’s quick and easy to use super glue but come on, I thought we were in this business to help people out and make a living at it. Not pinch the vinyl together with a little glue and call it good…and charge for it. I’m here to say you won’t be doing anybody a favor by using the quick fix. Yeah you my make a buck the first time but believe me they won’t be back, unless it’s to complain.

The easiest way to repair these is to pull the vinyl out with your fingers and hold the vinyl out while doing the repair. It may take a little quick maneuvering and some coordination, but by doing it this way, you will have a lasting repair and one that you can be proud of. It’s really not that hard to do it this way, it gets a little hot sometimes, but very doable. Just pull the vinyl out, lay your vinyl repair compound on, heat and grain. Dye and repeat, building the area up until it’s level and smooth. Putting the grain into the vinyl in this situation is where your coordination comes in, being able to hold the vinyl with one hand, heat and grain all at the same time with the other hand. It is difficult but I do it on a daily basis, so you just kinda have to get your own system down. But once you do you will find it takes no time to do a conventional vinyl repair and a repair that will last for years to come. In fact I think a vinyl repair holds up better then the vinyl itself.

Now of course this one had been done before with super glue so there was a rock hard area I had to work around. On this one my first layer of vinyl repair compound was applied with my finger and thick, then I worked it up and rounded it out to make it look natural. It took me a little longer to do but my goal was to give a little cushion to the super glue that lay underneath, hoping to give my customer a lasting repair. Unfortunately I couldn’t really warranty such a repair, because of the rock hard chunk of super glue underneath, but I have confidence in my repairs and I think this one will last.

As you can see by the picture it is very much a doable vinyl repair with vinyl repair compound and the use of super glue isn’t needed what so ever.

Now I know there are situations where super glue can be your friend when it comes to vinyl repairs. I use it in many other places rather then vinyl and leather seats.

Door panels are a perfect example of a vinyl repair being done with super glue. Now only on edges and where there isn’t going to be any flex. Using it on an armrest probably wouldn’t be advisable. But on the edge of the armrest, go for it,as long as there’s not going to be a lot of flex. Doing a regular vinyl repair with heat on an edge is difficult on some vinyls and can create more of a problem so using super glue in these situations can save time and yield a better repair.

Knowing where and when to use super glue in vinyl repairs I think comes with experience, but hopefully I gave you a little enlightenment on your use of super glue on vinyl. Feel free to share your comments or questions on your vinyl repairs and the use of super glue to achieve a repair.

If a heat gun breaks down while your doing a repair it can cost you time and money in the long run. So buying a cheap heat gun and thinking your saving money is a bad move believe me. I went through that phase of thinking buying a cheap gun just to get me by would work, well after running back and forth to the hardware store every other week or even sooner I figured it was not saving me anything, all it was doing was causing me frustration and more money each time I was down. So I figured it was time to break down and get with the big boys and buy the right equipment for the right job.

There are so many options out there to choose from. I’m going to try to give you a few pointers in the use of your heat guns and give you some choices to choose from.

First and foremost there is something that I’ve learned that will save your heat gun and make your heating element last ten times longer, now this is a feature that is not available on most of the less expensive models, its what is called the “cool down” time. The cool down time is crucial in cooling the element gradually so not to burn it out. What this is is when you turn the heat off on the gun, you can switch it to where cool air blows through cooling the element slowly. This little trick will make your heat gun last a lot longer, believe me. In fact I won’t buy a gun unless it can be switched to cool air. I used to go through elements like crazy and then being the man I was didn’t think to look at the manual, but one day in the shop going through some paper work I happen to read a little about the heat gun I was using and came across a part that talked about the cool down stage and how when you get done with the unit to let it sit and run on the cool air cycle for about a minute before it’s to be shut down. They gave no real reason for this, you know most instruction manuals, anyways it made since. You know how if things that are really hot and don’t get a chance to cool down right, then they sometimes take on a different shape, form or even molecular structure. So I tried it and it really worked, really it was kinda a “duh” thing but just one more thing to help from having down time. No more buying elements on a regular basis.

Depending on the heat gun you use and really this can go for all the guns is to be careful not to drop it. On the inside if you haven’t ever seen the heating element, is a coil of wire wrapped around a ceramic piece and this stuff is kinda delicate. If you break the ceramic too bad then the gun will burn itself up. It has to do with the heat transfer or something like that, but they will break if you drop them to many times. We all get in a hurry sometimes and tools get to fly’n but this one is just a little more delicate then most so you gotta be a little more delicate with this one.

Laying your heat gun down while doing a repair can be a challenge, because you can’t really keep turning your heat gun off and on just to lay it down for a second to get more compound on the repair or shoot a little dye on the repair area. So finding a gun that either stands up on it’s own or finding something to lay the gun on without burning something else and creating another repair. I do a lot of new limo’s and when I’m inside there’s no room for error, and if my gun falls over onto a seat or burns a spot in the carpet then I’m….well let’s just not go there. I use a piece of cardboard to set my gun on and really pay attention to where the blast is going. I’ll even hold the gun between my legs so I don’t have to set it down if needed. Just anything to keep a very bad thing happening.

I’ve used both types of heat guns that either stand up on there own or not. The ones that have the stand, well they’re handy but I see why they have the stands because they’re so big and heavy. One thing to keep in mind is the weight of a gun too, it’s kinda hard holding a heavy heat gun up to doing a repair. But I like my big gun the elements are easy to change and I like the way I can set it down easily. It heats well and does have a cool down mode. But like I said it is heavy and a lot of times I will use my lighter weight heat gun. It’s easier to handle and the one I have has a digital read out so I know what temp I’m at for each job.

The digital read out is nice, I have total control of temperature. There’s a couple of heat guns I would recommend if your looking for control with your heat. One is the Steinel IntelliTemp and the other is the Wagner Digital heat guns. Both are great guns, the Steinel is of course a more commercial grade type of gun, made to last in extreme work environments. The Wagner I’d say is more lower end commercial model but probably won’t last as long. I’m using the Wagner right now, I’m still kinda in that cheap a@# mode but the gun works pretty good. I bought it in a pinch when my big gun went down and I couldn’t get a part right away and happen to find it on the damaged shelf, the only thing wrong with it was the spout had a dent in it, yes I know I’m a cheap a@#. The read out isn’t exactly a LCD read out but you do have control over your temperature range. The Steinel will probably be my next purchase due to the durability and the LCD read out is nice, but so far so good the Wagners doin the trick.

Now one other little device you do need to go along from with your heat gun for doing a vinyl repair and even leather repairs is a reducer tip. What this will do will concentrate the heat to a smaller area giving you more control in your smaller repairs and reducing the “halo effect”. That is one thing that I didn’t like with the Wagner is that it did not come with a reducer tip. Luckily I had one made for my other gun. It’s a long 1/4″ tube welded to a piece that slides down over the end of the heat gun. But I will tell you if you use one of these make sure it is on there before you start your repair, if it falls off in the car when it’s hot it will burn the car and You when you go to grab it in a frantic, been there, it hurts.

One last little tip when using your heat gun. If your dyeing an entire seat don’t use your heat gun to dry the dye. Buy a hairdryer! This will save time and your gun too. When your dyeing a lot of over spray is floating around and gets recirculated back through the gun. It will clog the gun up and ruin it. Using a hairdryer will save your gun from this and they blow harder anyway which dries the dyes quicker. You don’t run the risk of melting or bubbling your dyes like with a heat gun.

So the biggest things to look for when purchasing your next heat gun is variable heat settings, a cool down mode, accessibility to parts like elements, and really in my opinion is weight, the lighter guns are just a little easier to use. Don’t forget your reducer tip too, it will come in handy.

Hope this helps in your repairs with the few tips on the use of your heat gun and heating your repairs.

Heres you a few choices for heat guns and accessories:

Steinel SNL34850 IntelliTemp Heat Gun with LCD Temperature Display – 2010ESTEINEL heat guns have built a reputation for using state of the art technology to maximize precision and durability. Our new generation of heat guns incorporates exciting new features responding directly to ever increasing global requirements for rigorous, formalized quality control. Microprocessor controlled heat gun with LCD display enabling temperature selection in 10 degrees Fahrenheit increments. STEINEL’s exclusive DuraTherm heating element ensures long life and even heat. Temperature: Continuously variable 120 – 1150 degrees Fahrenheit Airflow: 3.6 / 10.6 / 17.6 CFM Switch: 1) Cool Air (120 degrees Fahrenheit / 3.6 CFM), 2) Var Temp/10.6 CFM, 3) Var Temp/17.6 CFM Output: 1500 watts Voltage: 120 VAC / 60 Hz Weight: 30 oz Warranty: Full One Year Accessories Accepts a full range of nozzles and accessories.

Wagner Digital Heat Gun, Model# HT3500Digital touchpad with LED indicators. Great for paint removal, loosening rusted bolts, thawing pipes and more. Watts: 1,500, BTU Output: 5,100, Heat Settings: 12, Temperature Capacity (F): 250 – 1,350 2 fan speeds Cool setting cools down gun and automatically shuts off Ergonomic handle with hanging eyelet

Milwaukee Variable Temperature Heat Gun with Digital Temp Display, Model# 8988-20Required CFM: 7.06, 8.83, 15.89, Heat Settings: Variable, Temperature Capacity (F): 90 – 1,100 Independent controls for temperature and air flows Digiatal display for temperature settings Three controlled air volumes allow you to match the air speed to your application Removable air filter keeps debris out Ceramic encapsulated heating element for maximum tool life One hand operation with lightweight and easy grip handle Upright stationary use with pads on back cap and lower handle

9Mm Reduction Nozzle For Steinel Electronic Heat Guns? Provides a precisely concentrated stream of hot air. Used for welding or soldering. ? Can be used as a base for specialized attachments such as the SNL07091 Plastic Welding Attachement. ? Precision formed from high-grade, polished stainless steel for superior performance and reliability. ? Note: For use on Steinel electronic heat guns only.By Steinel.

Master Appliance 750-1000deg Heavy Duty Heat Gun 120v 14.5am (Sold Individually)CASE PACK: Sold Individually DETAILS: Powerful high speed universal motor Sturdy die cast housing Adjustable non-slip stand Use to bend plastics, cure adhesives, dry parts, heat parts, shrink tubing and packaging, strip paint and more *Operating Temp. = 750 deg F Min , 1000 deg F Max *Voltage = 120.00 VAC *Frequency = 60.0 Hz *Amps = 14.50 A *Watts = 1740.00 W *Flow = 23.0 CFM *Velocity = 3000 ft/min *Fan Speed = Single *Length = 9 in *Width = 5.200 in *Height = 10.100 in *Outlet Size = 1 in *Cord Length = 6 ft *Control Type = Variable Temperature, Switch (3 Pos-Off/On/Heat) *Handle Type = Pistol Grip *Type = Heat Gun *Wt. = 3.70 lb UL listed UPC: 635705101099

Bosch 1942 Heat GunThe Bosch Heat Gun features: *14.3 Amps, 750-1000F *Powerful blower Provides a high volume of air needed for industrial applications *Air intake regulator Adjusts the temperature to the requirements of the job *Cool air setting For cooling tool and for no-heat applications, adds versatility *Insulated nozzle Protects operator, provides a cool exterior temperature *Padded, adjustable stand Allows stationary use with multi-position holder *Multiple uses Strip paint, shrink tubing or packaging, heat liquids, loosen fittings, soften caulking and surface finishes, thaw pipes *Range of accessories Adapts tool for specific uses in building trades, industrial applications, and laboratory work Includes: *Heat Gun – 1942

The official name is an Enhanced Air Flow Flameless Heat Tool, and is exclusively available first through Viper Products. Check out these specs.

Viper X-7 Heat Tool

Self-igniting, butane-powered flameless heat tool
with fan assisted air flow

	Eliminates scorching and burning damage to vinyl and other substrates
	Ideal for pinpoint repairs on vinyl, leather, and plastic and much more…
	Variable temperature 302F to 572F (150C to 300C) with fan
	Enhanced air flow volume is 4 times greater with fan
	Variable temperature 482F to 932F (250C to 500C) without fan
	Butane-powered and completely portable/cordless, for use where no electrical outlets are available
	Built-in battery-powered motor uses 4 standard AA batteries (not included)
	Built-in LED light provides lighting in dark locations

	Built-in stand is convenient for safety and hands-free use
	Use with or without enhanced air flow and with or without shrink attachment
	Ergonomic handle makes tool easy to use over an extended period of time

What I thought was cool was the control of your heat. With the fan on you get a nice low temperature for doing low heat compounds like on a leather seat. In fact today I was able to repair a hole in a drivers leather seat bolster on a GMC Envoy, a low heat repair. I just turned the flow down and fan on. I also fixed a small hole in an armrest of a Chevy Suburban, a high heat repair, this was a small crack, close to the seam. With this little heat gun I was able to pinpoint my heat and make the repair without damaging the seam, which as you know I hate messing up the seam on a vinyl repair. This time I turned the flow up and used the fan on some of it, and when I needed a little more heat I turned the fan off, and there it was. I just couldn’t go wrong with heat control.

There’s also a little led light for those unlit areas we sometimes get ourselves into. My idea for this tool is on some of the repairs I have to do on Limousines, with very low light situations.

You’ve got to have this little tool, it is a must if you do vinyl repairs. I’ve used regular ultra torches before, but didn’t have the control like this one. Normally there’s a flame you have to deal with and damage to the vinyl happens really fast with not a lot of control. Basically you burn your repair instead of melting it. With the Viper X-7 you have heat control with no flame.

Now it’s not going to replace my big heat gun for doing larger vinyl repairs, but what a great compliment.

So anyways here it is, and here’s where you can get it – Viper X-7 – Now don’t forget your promo code IG1100 for a discount.

Vinyl repairs require so many different temperatures to achieve the desired results. Heating your repair with a the right tool will get you your desired results with your automotive interior repairs.

I started my day with a repair on a GMC Yukon, this was a referral from one of my dealers. Nice starting your day off with a pretty major repair, this seat was in pretty bad shape. I did a vinyl repair on the armrest and the seat side, and a small leather repair on the top of the lower bolster, where a small hole was starting. Then dyed the entire leather seat to finish it off. The armrest vinyl repair was kinda a booger but the seat side I had to do something I really don’t like to do and that is covering up a seam. But this one I had to, the vinyl was split all the way along the stitching. I can sometimes with thin coats of compound work around this, but this time I couldn’t. One little trick I found to give the look of stitching holes after your repair is done is to take a black permanent marker with a fine point and draw dots where the stitch holes were, lay a couple of thin coats of your leather dye to take the sheen out of the ink, this gives the illusion of stitching and really looks pretty good when your done.

Now on to cloth repair – cigarette burn repair, this is a repair that is a somewhat of a temporary repair. I always make this known before I do this type of repair and especially to retail customers. This repair is a cover-up to permanent damage. If the customer wants the cigarette burn to go away, then replacement of the cloth is the only way. So techs be up front and honest before doing this type of repair. Or you will get a phone call from a pissed off customer. I’ve had dealers tell the customers that this would fix their cloth seat, and have had to feel the wrath afterwards.

The way that the cloth is repaired is with glue and velour fibers colored to match laid over the top of the damaged area. The way it is applied and the areas it done to limits the repair to how long it will last. Basically when you sit on your seat and your butt rubs over the cigarette burn that was just repaired, it rubs the fibers off and eventually your left with a spot, now it’s a colored spot but spot non the less. You can see where it was repaired. Now if you have a hole all the way through to the foam this can be a good temporary fix to keep little fingers from poking it and making it bigger or even tear the cloth seat completely.

This is kinda an article for the techs, I don’t see a do it yourself on this one.

The biggest tip I can give is to keep your repair area as small as possible, don’t spread your flock all over the seat. I’ve seen some cigarette burn repairs that I’ve just had to laugh at, the burn wasn’t bigger then a pencil eraser and the flock went out about 3″ to 4″ out from the burn and on top of that didn’t hardly match. The least the guy could have done was used a good color match. Getting your color right, as I always preach, is crucial to any repair looking right or just looking repaired. If your color is right and you keep the repair as small as possible will give you a better chance of hiding the damage.

Glues to use are really up to you and what your used to. I use a solvent based glue on all my cloth repairs. The reason for this is time, the water based seems to take to long to dry, and durability. I’ve used some of the water based glues and the repairs just don’t seem to last as long. Not sure if I used the wrong stuff or what, but I like the solvent based better. I use Fabric Tac for my base glue and Elmer’s Craft Bond Spray Glue for my flocking glue. It’s worked well so far. Now I always topcoat with a velour topcoat to give it a soft feel, this is a must. Other wise your seat will be sticky.

A couple of tools that I keep on hand that help to imitate the grooves and textures in the velour seat is a razor blade and a sewing stitch marking wheel. The razor blade I use for the lines say in Ford truck seats, they have lines in the velour and with a razor blade you can put those lines back in the fibers you’ve put down. The stitch wheel I use for texture like in headliners or thick napped velour.

Color pencils and markers are another tool that helps a lot on some of those patterns in the cloth seats. I’ve found the Prang pencils work the best. They are soft enough that when moistened with water, or spit, which ever you prefer, to draw some of the patterns back in. Markers can work to but they are sometimes to bright and just really jump out at you, so kinda experiment and see where the best place to use these tools.

One patterned seat that is pretty easy to fix is the Dodge multi-colored seats, you know the ones in the truck and in some of the cars too. The sides are a darker gray, and the faces have about 10 different colors. But man you can make a cigarette burn pretty much disappear.

Another one thats pretty easy is the Cadillac headliners and post covers. The light titanium matches perfectly, I usually don’t have to tint it at all and you can hide the areas pretty well. The headliner material they use has a thicker nap to it, so repairs hide nicely.

Another thing to keep on hand is automotive carpet padding, the wool stuff. I use this for filling in the cigarette burn holes that are all the way through. All you have to do is cut a little off and stuff it in with your tweezers, it fills nicely and is soft enough to feel natural. One thing to keep in mind when putting a filler in the hole is not to get to much so that the cloth pooches up, keep it level. You can trim the carpet padding pretty easily. Give yourself enough room for your glue and flock.

Now as far as the material that has come out on the new vehicles on the market today, well, it kinda sucks, to be real honest. It’s that tightly woven stuff that stains like crazy, and as far as repairing it, well good luck. I’ve had some success but not really happy with some of them. You can’t really imitate the cloth nicely. The headliners I think are the worst, but really its all hard to make things hide. One thing I’ve found is to take your can of spray glue or a bottle and roll it over the repair to smooth it out, seems to hide things better. You can use your stitch marker sometimes too, to help with the pattern in the material, like headliners.

Your atomizer is basically your tool that makes the cigarette repair work. It puffs the velour fibers out onto the repair area to give you the best lay of the material to make a repair area almost disappear before your eyes. I use the one with the glass jar and squeeze ball, but I did get one of the plastic ones the other day and can’t get the damn thing to work right. Not sure if I’m working it right or I just got a broke one. My supplier sold me on it, he said it was the bomb, so of course I bought it. If any of you have any suggestions let me know on how to use the thing. But I like my glass one, it’s the one I learned on, so of course it’s my favorite. I’ve never used an electrostatic gun, I never really thought I needed such an expense for such a temporary fix. But I’ve heard of guys having pretty good luck with them though. One thing with your atomizer is humidity, they will clog up if theres too much humidity in the air. Blowing them out a little with your blow gun helps to clear them out, just blowing them out with your mouth will only ad to the problem of moister. But doing a cigarette burn repair in a humid environment can be very frustrating, it just doesn’t work sometimes. So doing a cigarette burn repair on a rainy day is sometime not gonna happen.

Well I hope to have a better day tomorrow, and hope things go well for you too. Cigarette burn repair can be a good temporary fix and a profitable one too, but always keep in mind to get your color right and keep your repair area SMALL.

Due to the exposer to old mother nature, these materials become dried out and crack over time leaving you with a crack in your dash. Left unattended this small crack can and will get larger.

There are measures that can be taken to prevent the dash from getting cracked in the first place. Now I know your dash is already cracked and your wanting to know how to fix it, but this will prevent further cracks and keep your car cooler and looking nicer, and well…. for further reference.

One way to prevent this is to use a sunshade. This will not only protect your automotive dash from the sun but also keep your vehicle cooler keeping the plastic pieces cooler and less likely to warp and then crack.

Another way to prevent the materials from drying on your dash is to condition them with a good vinyl conditioner-protectant. Now I know I’ve always said to not put the slimy stuff on your interior pieces and parts … But if your vehicle is exposed to the sun on a constant basis, then I would recommend you use a vinyl conditioner. Now I’m not going to say that any old vinyl conditioner will work, because it won’t. Tire shine is not vinyl conditioner! This is probably one of the biggest mistakes made, and I do a lot of repair because of it. Tire shine contains solvents, which as you know from previous articles, it doesn’t mix well with the water based dyes being used on todays cars. What it does is lifts the dye from the surface, causing it to peel. So no tire shine…What I recommend to my customers is a product made from a leather conditioning producer that I feel from some of the research I’ve done is safe and should work very well, it’s made by Lexol and it’s called Vinylex. Designed by the guys that really know their stuff when it comes to interior conditioning and protecting.

The last and final tip to keeping your automotive interior, including your dash, looking it’s best and lasting longer is window tint. Now in some states you need to be careful with the tinting laws to make sure you don’t get it too dark, plus you need to think of your safety too. I have tint on our family Tahoe and I kinda wish I would have gone a little lighter, at night it’s really hard to see, my Tahoe stays nice and cool, but it’s a pain in the butt at night. I have to roll the window down sometimes just to see. So keep it light and you will be impressed with the results, plus it looks cool.

Now on with the fix for that crack in your dash.

Depending on where the crack is and how big it is will depend on how to fix it and how expensive the repair will be. If the crack is bigger then 2″-3″ and curled up on the edges, the repair will probably not look that great. There is a limit to the size of crack that can be repaired, too big and it probably won’t hold and will look like crap. If the crack is too big, replace the dash pad, don’t try to fix it. Another thing is location, if the crack is up close to the windshield then it’s almost impossible to do a repair without removing the windshield, which can be costly. So with that said you be the judge.

The first thing I do before I start any repair is to mix my color, this insures that at least the color will be right.

Next I inspect the crack in the dash, if the edges are curled up then you will need to trim that off with a razor blade or Xacto knife. The goal here is to get the area as level as you can. Now when doing so cut at a 45 degree angle and don’t bring the ends to a point, what I mean by this is trim all the way around the crack rounding off the ends of the crack, this will insure that the crack will stop and not crack further after your repair.

Of course your next step is prepping the repair area, use your prep solution with a scotch brite pad and clean the area thoroughly. You might need to clean the entire dash depending on where and how large the crack is.

Now it’s time to determine what fix you going to use.

If the crack is smaller then an 1/2″ I usually grab the super glue and do a super glue repair. I do this by spreading the glue in the crack then sanding it smooth with a 240 grit sandpaper, texture with your water based spray grain, then dye.

But there are times when your vinyl repair compound will need to be used, after all this is vinyl. The low cure usually works best because high heat tends to warp the repair area. This is where your patience comes in when doing your repairs. Thin layers of compound work best, curing and dying between coats until the area is level and smooth. You can texture while layering your compound with your grain pads. One little trick I use to help level the repair when using a grain pad is a little rubber squeegee about 3″x5″, it’s what body shops use to squeegee the water off the painted surface when they wet sand. This little thing works great, when you use your hand to imprint your grain into your repair, your hand kinda molds around the area and doesn’t leave a level area but with the rubber squeegee it gives you a little more backing when you go to imprint. Now graining your repair can be tricky, the low cure compound doesn’t grain that well, but if all else fails make sure the repair is level, this is your best hide. If that is achieved then texture with your spray grain.

One last trick up my sleeve is the use of a great product from Urethane Supply Co. This is a two part epoxy like substance that is specifically designed for padded dashes and the name says it all, Padded Dash Filler.
This stuff is the bomb, when it comes to dash repair. Mixes like Bondo and is even applied like bondo, but its flexible. It’s just what the doctor ordered when it comes to dash repair. If the crack is larger then 1″ this is the stuff to use.

Now this product will require you to trim the area and then sand around the area about 1″ to 2″ out with a heavier grit sandpaper like a 180 grit, this gives it something to bite too. Trim down into the foam a little to, so that you make like a little groove for the compound to lay in.

Mix your compound on a small piece of tile, I like using small tile pieces, they clean up easily and are easier to hold when mixing and applying. Now when you get the product they send you the red catalyst, try the blue, it seems to set up a little quicker. The blue you can get at any automotive parts shop. But the red works just as good just takes it a little longer, time is money in my business.

Apply your compound liberally over the repair area, don’t worry about getting your first coat really smooth, all you need is to get it covered, you’ll be sanding it smooth later. Let it set up for a while, depending on the weather will depend on how long this stuff takes. You can speed it up a little with a heat gun but don’t melt it just give it a little boost.

Once hardened start sanding, I usually start with a 180 grit to knock off the big chunks then progressively move my way up to a finer grit like 240 and then to 400.

One coat won’t be sufficient, I promise, this is another layer thing. Sanding between coats. Each coat you apply you will need to make smoother. Again what your trying to achieve is a smooth level repair.

After all is smooth and level, grain with a spray grain then dye.

As far as texture goes, I use two types of spray grain. One is a water based spray grain and the other is Sems Texture Coat. In fact the Sems Texture Coat almost matches the some of the Pontiac dashes to a tee. Now the Sems Texture coat is a solvent based, but I haven’t had a problem with it peeling up against the water based dyes on the dash, so kudos to Sems.

One other trick I have found with the the Sems Texture Coat is after sprayed if you let it flash out a little but not dry completely, you can take your grain pad and imprint your grain into the texture coat, pretty cool huh.

Dash repair is an art and a craft, just like all automotive interior repairs. If the steps are followed right and patience is used in your repairs you success will be good.

Hope this helps in your dash repair adventure. One thing to always keep in mind is to keep your repair as level as possible, this is your best hide.

One little trick that we keep in our bag of pixie dust, is the art of texturizing a repair.

If you look in your automotive interior you see many different textures on the surfaces of the plastic trim pieces, vinyl covered door panels, and your leather and vinyl seats. All of these textures you see we have to imitate in someway to repair whatever has been damaged.

Texturizing a repair takes knowledge of products to use, skill in using them, and a lot of patience. Yes patience, when doing any automotive interior repair, patience is a virtue, if you get in a hurry you will fail, I promise.

The Grain Pad- This is one tool that makes our magic work so well. A grain pad is a rubberized material made from a two part epoxy like substance. The grain is achieved by mixing the two parts together and spreading the mixer over a piece that your wanting to get the texture from. When the mixture cures you peel off the grain pad and poof theres your texture right there in the grain pad. You then use this pad to replicate the texture in your repair. For you techs, when mixing up a batch of graining compound follow the directions as far as drops go for the catalyst, to many drops and you have a mess, and not enough well it won’t cure. Tape off an area that your wanting to replicate the texture of, about 3″ x 5″, spread the compound over the area then peel off your tape immediately, this will give you a nice rectangular pad to work with. Let cure for about 15-20 minutes, you’ll know when its cured by the feel on top, nice and smooth. If you did it right you should have a nice grain pad that will last for years to come. Making a good impression in your graining pad is the key to a good automotive interior repair. A good grain pad should have a good even texture on one side and smooth on the other, if there are any lumps, uneven places, or a bad impression in the pad these places will transfer into the repair.

Texturizing plastic- Plastic is one automotive interior part that I have the most trouble with, theres only so much you can do to some of the plastic pieces. Scratches in plastic are about the extent of a repair that I will do on an automotive interior plastic, and the scratches can’t be too deep either, or I’ll usually recommend they replace the piece. Scratches in plastic can sometimes be melted and textured with your grain pad. This technique takes finesse though. Heat the scratched plastic with your heat gun with a tip that concentrates the heat to a small area. Melt the scratch until the plastic shines (but do this slowly) then press your grain pad to the plastic very lightly by using your palm, never use your thumb or finger, this will keep a level repair without your thumb impression in the repair area. Repeat the process if needed until the scratch blends back in. Then dye the plastic to bring back the original look. If you can still see where the repair was made you may have to heat the whole panel until it shines….sometimes melting spots leaves shinny spots, so by heating the whole panel and blending the shine with the heat gun helps. If the scratches are too bad you can use Sems Texture Coat or your water based spray grain to help hide. But when sprays are used, you will lose the original look, I’m not big on spray grain, but it does work as a last result. Sometimes on say, Pontiac dashes, the spray grain almost matches exactly. In fact I have even taken my grain pad and pressed it into the Sems Texture coat after it flashes and been able to get pretty close. Really this one is up to you, like I said before it’s all in the magic to trick the eye. Experiment around a little if you can, and see which technique works the best. I look at it this way, you can’t screw it up anymore then it already is. Plastic repair is a tricky one, this is one area that I myself could probably learn a little more about.

Texturizing a leather repair- Leather repair is one that doesn’t take much texturing at all. Most leather repairs I do the only texture I will use is my leather dye. Leathers in today’s automotive interiors are for the most part smooth. The key is to get the repair area level with the surface. This is your best hiding technique. But if a texture is needed, use your water-based spray grain. Don’t go hog wild with it either, just a light coat will usually work. I like to apply mine the old fashion way with the spray grain in a small jar and sprayed with a mouth atomizer. I have more control where it goes that way. I have used a low heat compound also when mending holes or with large scratches, using my grain pad to achieve the texture. Be careful though when using heat on a leather repair, don’t pucker the leather by putting to much heat to it. Here’s an article on repairing torn leather, this gives you a good idea on using a low heat compound in a leather repair.

Texturizing vinyl- Or graining vinyl as we call it. This is where your little magic tool comes in, your graining pad. This is achieved by melting the vinyl then pressing the grain pad onto the repair area to achieve an imitation of the grain that was there. This technique can either make or break you in the vinyl repair business. To get maximum results, first you need a good grain pad that has the exact match to the grain your trying to achieve. Before you apply any compound keep in mind the smaller the repair area the easier it will be to hide. If your cut is say a 1/2″ then your repair should not be any larger then 1″, keep your repair areas as small as possible. Not all vinyls will require a vinyl repair compound though so identifying, what kind of vinyl to use it on, comes with experience. This technique takes a lot of practice and patience, in one of my previous articles I give you a step by step on vinyl repair.

Texturizing your repairs is a very tricky thing to achieve. With some practice and knowledge of products, the texture can be imitated. There are so many products out there that can be used to get where you want, I have mentioned a few here that have worked for me, but I’m sure there are more. If any of you techs have a suggestion feel free to put a comment up.

Just remember to take your time with your repairs, get your color right, keep your repair area as small as possible, and use the right grain pad for your automotive interior repairs and you should have success in texturing a repair.

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