Author Topic: Hog rings  (Read 5683 times)

68Zproject

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Hog rings
« on: February 26, 2012, 03:32:29 AM »
Is there something that shows where the hog rings should go and how many should be used?  I got new foam for my seats and I have them apart.  Just wanted to make sure the rings are supposed to go through the foam and then attach to the burlap and rod on the back of the seat springs.  That how the ones I took off were attached but it was obviously a recover.  Or is this a TC kind of question?
68Z28

flyingskibiker

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2012, 12:58:19 PM »
My seats had hog rings everywhere, it seemed.  Even places I would never have thought to put them (and a few mistakes/misses).  They had a few holding on just the burlap that has the wire in it.  The foam is hog ringed on in the areas where the covers are held in to the spring's strait pieces of wire (the slits/cuts/pleats in the foam).  The edges of the foam were ringed to the springs in a few places that didn't have that extra "paper" type materal "flaps" on them.  But I really had to take a lot of pictures as I disassembled them.  Plus, have everything on had to take many looks to refresh my memory...  I found it "easier" to assemble the foam and cover to the bottom springs before attaching the springs to the frame (not that that was very easy!).

Anyway, I guess the answer is yes, there are hog rings through the foam and burlap that attach to the wires.  Again, mine had a few hog rings in those areas w/o the covers included...  Then, I went up through the bottom of those slits/pleats to ring the seat cover wires through the foam and burlap to the spring wires.

68Zproject

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2012, 05:03:43 PM »
Well, I guess whoever did mine must have know what they were doing then.  They just got lazy and didn't take out the old rings.  My foam was the original and a little crumbly and I just didn't want to put holes in the new unless that's the way you do it.
68Z28

flyingskibiker

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2012, 10:53:23 PM »
I forgot to mention that there was also cheese cloth over the cotton batting(?) whenever it was under the covers themselves.  That cheese cloth/cotton also was ringed if it was a large piece covering the entire foam.  The seat backs had the cheese cloth/cotton along the edges to build them up.  No rings were used in that area, though...  There also was a burlap piece that had the cotton glued to it that went under the seat bottom foam.  Not sure what that was about.  But I did duplicate it.  Maybe it helped protect the foam from the springs?  I think I ended up using about 3 lbs. of hog rings to recover all the seats! lol

TODD

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 12:21:21 AM »
Having done upholstery as a job a lifetime ago, hog ring guns make all the difference on seat ringing.
If you can find an old gun on epay, well it makes the job so much easier! Those hog ring pliers just don't cut it.
The more you use the better you definately don't want uneven seams caused by too little rings holding the seam tabs/welting.
And use silicone spray or plastic to slip the covers on as it makes the material layout evenly.

JohnZ

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 04:08:22 PM »
Having done upholstery as a job a lifetime ago, hog ring guns make all the difference on seat ringing..

They sure do - when I was a Production Superintendent at Lordstown in the early 70's, part of my area was the Cushion Room (where the seats were built); we ran at 103 cars per hour, and we had probably 50-60 air-powered hog-ring guns. Each operator only had about 36 seconds per unit to complete his task - the hog rings came glued together in "sticks" of 100 or so, like you see today when you buy staples.
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flyingskibiker

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #6 on: February 29, 2012, 06:53:49 AM »
I bet there are more specialized tools than just the the gun.  I used a "tool" that I got with my quad aftermarket exhaust pipe that is used to install the very strong springs.  I used that to pull the wires that run through the seam pockets down close enough to the springs/wires to hog ring through the springs, cushions, and seam wires.  I also made a couple other tools to help me.  Man, were my hands sore after doing just a back or bottom!!!

68Zproject

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2012, 07:26:29 PM »
So, what kind of hog rings are the correct ones and where do you get them?  I've tried parts houses bu they don't have anything.
68Z28

flyingskibiker

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2012, 04:00:47 AM »
The pros can say if there is a "correct" one.  But I got my rings, batting, and burlap from a upholstry shop.  They de house furniture...

TODD

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2012, 03:42:45 PM »
Pretty sure they are the standard 3/4" anyways that what we used. That and Semco guns, I have seen them occasionally for $100.
The best trick is to get a long upholstery needle and a good hook needle. That along with heavy upholstery string (wax coated) allows you to sew the seam tabs welting to the seat base, then install hog rings with standard pliers (way too slow for an assembly line). The hog ring gun allows you to push the tab/welt into the spring pocket and pull the trigger whala!! You can't apply any pressure with pliers and hold that tab to the spring, so lace them up and save yourself some time.

68Zproject

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2012, 04:26:02 PM »
I've got hog ring pliers.  Are you saying you can't push through the foam and then use the pliers?
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TODD

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Re: Hog rings
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2012, 05:37:24 PM »
Yes you can, but its tough to get the ring to grab the metal webbing while holding the center pleat tabs to it. If you use string to hold it, then ring it it's much easier. The ring needs to pierce the tab and grab the metal webbing, and if you're trying to push and hold the cover as well as make sure it will grab the metal webbing its pretty difficult.