Sean,

After watching your video, I thought that a wallpaper seam roller tool might be helpful, in addition to using your fingers and hand to evenly spread the adhesive. That's what it's designed to do.

Very clever of you to use fuel line tubing to insert the spray adhesive under the leather. You just have to work fast, before the adhesive hardens inside the tube. But without being exposed to air, that may be a while. I'd avoid using a spray contact cement, as you can't move the leather around to properly position it.

Your technique probably can be used to do a DIY repair of buckled dashboard leather without removing the windshield or the dash itself.

Stuart

 

thanks Stuart. I have a seam roller and did in fact use it when I did the dash. The dash has foam bonded to the leather as you know. The door card doesn't and the curves were easy to work with my hands.

The fuel line stayed usable till about 30 minute after I was done and then one end closed up, so plenty of time to do the job.

I did the same thing with the dash but didn't use a dowel rod. My dash had only one bubble right of the center speaker, but I pulled the windshield. I did this so I could staple the leather. It wasn't pulling away yet but in for a penny in for a pound. It cost about $150 to R&R the windscreen and the rest was easy, less expensive than taking to an upholstery shop and should also last years.

 

Hi,
I was going to follow your method to repair the 3 large bubbles in my passenger door with the a needle and glue.
However after some advice i first did the following.
I applied heat to the bubbles and surrounding leather with a hairdrier and then using a small roller applied pressure whilst it cooled.
I repeated this 3 times and touch wood it has been successful now for nearly a week!

 

Good idea. I'd imagine the glue has aged a lot but might keep it going for a while. My driver's door card is lifting as well so might try that before injecting glue.