An armrest in a car is a purely individual thing that requires a special approach. Most of the accessories offered by car dealerships are standard and designed for as many car brands as possible, regardless of their design features. For this reason, it is best to make the armrest yourself. The exception is when the armrest is an additional option in the vehicle configuration or it can be purchased from official dealers for a specific brand.
Let's take as an example one of the armrests, made with our own hands at home.
For this we will need: a plywood sheet about 1.5 cm thick, nails, PVA wood glue, foam rubber, leather (natural or artificial leather).
Manufacturing process:
1. We take the required dimensions at the intended location of the armrest and make a stencil.For maximum convenience, it is best to use cardboard, due to its durability and ease of use. Let's try on the stencil. We are making adjustments.
2. Based on the stencil, cut out the details of the armrest. It is recommended to use a jigsaw. We process the resulting parts with a file or sanding paper.
3.Glue the resulting parts together or nail them with small nails. Please note that when using nails on the surface of wood, cracks and breaks may occur. Therefore, nails must be used carefully. Let the glue harden.
4. We make compartments for small things.
Their design, size and depth can be chosen arbitrarily.
5. We cover the armrest with leather. To do this, lubricate the leather with wood glue and carefully stretch it onto the surface of the armrest so that no folds, bulges or air bubbles form. After this, we smooth the leather with a hot iron - this way the glue dries faster and is evenly distributed over the surface, without leaving folds or dents.
6.We make the lid. The total length of the cover should be slightly longer than the length of the armrest. Before covering the lid, it is best to place a piece of foam rubber under the skin.
7. Screw the hinges to the cover and to the armrest body, and install them in the car.
The armrest is ready. For greater beauty and durability, you can use shoe care cream or other leather products.
