Danny

I am a Mac user too. The program is Rhino3d and I use it with Virtual PC 6 and Windows 2000. Works just fine on my 800mhz Powerbook and my dual 1.67 Powermac. I run a wh3d ole host of "Widows" only apps. I believe the education copy of rhino is $195. It is pretty intuitive for a modeling program. The attached image took me about 4 minutes to create!

Oh yeah!! if you have a press brake available, the "Z" channels are even easier to make. That is what I used. Didn't think that you would have access to one of those! That is some serious equipment, eh! the one we have is about 15 ft tall and was built about 60 years ago but is just like new.

From what I gather, a medium density foam can be used in the core or base of a cushion and then laminate lower density on the outside or upper surfaces. I just bought a new 122 front seat base cushion set and it is built up from medium density foam sections with a 1/4" felt layer laminated between the two main 2" inch thick seat cushions. See the attached illustration.

Looks like absolute precision is not essential, but hunky creases will show through the vinyl. Watching Gabe and his upholstery crew on American Hotrod reveals some neat techniques like sanding disks on a palm style D/A sander get foam to a final contour. They have a big ole honkin power knife, but I have a new GE electric carving knife which, I'm guessing, will do nicely.

I have never done any sewing on upholstery. I can use a sewing machine... It ain't pretty though. Seems to me, if you got one good usable pattern for each needed panel of the seat (and these seats are very symmetrical) the hardest part is in hand. Recreating non-existent panels seems like one of the really high level tasks of upholstery. Sewing a straight seam seems like it is just a matter of practice.

We have an industrial quality sewing machine where I work that no one uses anymore, sooooooo!

later

Mike