I have an attache case that is wood with a vinyl fabric cover, and in
between there is a thin layer of foam. It's at least 20 years old and
the vinyl is cracking in many places. Does anyone know if I can put a
coat of polyurethane over the vinyl to keep it together, or is there a
better way of dealing with it? I have used a fabric glue on vinyl in
the past, but that was only for a couple of spots. In this case, there
is major cracking and it will probably be best to try and cover the
whole surface, both in terms of future cracking and also for cosmetic
reasons.
Thanks in advance.

On 3/30/2006 12:02 AM US(ET), montygram wrote:

I have an attache case that is wood with a vinyl fabric cover, and in
between there is a thin layer of foam. It's at least 20 years old and
the vinyl is cracking in many places. Does anyone know if I can put a
coat of polyurethane over the vinyl to keep it together, or is there a
better way of dealing with it? I have used a fabric glue on vinyl in
the past, but that was only for a couple of spots. In this case, there
is major cracking and it will probably be best to try and cover the
whole surface, both in terms of future cracking and also for cosmetic
reasons.
Thanks in advance.



I think I may have a similar model, which is at least 35 years old. It
was retired some 20 years ago, when it was replaced due to extreme wear
and damage from being thrown into the back seat af a car almost daily
for 15 some years. None of the cowskin grained vinyl cracked from
brittleness, but all 8 of the vinyl corners were beat up and the the
wood dovetailed corners broke apart, and they were mostly held together
with black plastic tape. If yours is like mine, the vinyl top and bottom
edges are tucked into the sides rather than folding over the sides. I
still have it in a storage cabinet, more for sentimental value than any
other reason. If I were to replace the top and/or bottom vinyl of mine,
I would cut the old vinyl as far into the folds as deep as possible, get
a new piece of matching vinyl and glue and tuck it into the fold.
Another suggestion would be to have it repaired by someone experienced.
I suppose some furniture restorers might have the ability.

--
Bill

"montygram" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have an attache case that is wood with a vinyl fabric cover, and in
between there is a thin layer of foam. It's at least 20 years old and
the vinyl is cracking in many places. Does anyone know if I can put a
coat of polyurethane over the vinyl to keep it together, or is there a
better way of dealing with it? I have used a fabric glue on vinyl in
the past, but that was only for a couple of spots. In this case, there
is major cracking and it will probably be best to try and cover the
whole surface, both in terms of future cracking and also for cosmetic
reasons.
Thanks in advance.

As an ex-upholsterer I would recommend that you take willshak's advice and
retire the case to sentimental duty of some kind. Store your important
insuranc
papers or the like in it but the vinyl is long past its intended life. It
did a good
job for you. Give it the ease that it deserves in its declining years.