embroidery to FIA standards...

[blueyes]

Latest edition of MSA news had an article about badges and embroidery on FIA overalls: has to be flameproof/flameproof thread/outermost layer only. Seems like scrutineers have recently been issued with a bulletin so they are going to be looking hard for any trangressions.

Now I'm not a fan of looking like a mobile advertising hoarding when rallying but I do have a small club badge and small national flag: one on each arm. Obviously they aren't to 8856-2000 specs so I want to have them embroidered on my race suit but to FIA standard.

I know this can be done when you order a suit but what about when you've had it for a year? Any aftermarket people out there that anyone can recommend?

[kenthardy]

I think you'll find it's just a matter of using flamreproof cotton (available from all suppliers of racesuits) and not going through all the layers when you're sewing - cos if you make a hole through all three layers of a triple layer suit for instance then you've created a weakness and invalidated its standard accreditation.

Ideally the badge should be on flameproof material too.

Edited by kenthardy on Monday 29th October 17:22

[blueyes]

kenthardy said:

Ideally the badge should be on flameproof material too.

There lies the problem... they aren't, so that's why I need a professional embroiderer who does it to FIA standard, to reproduce the two small badges as flame proof embroidery.

[2priestsferrari]

No this is going to be a real pain in the bum. You are right when you say that the thread needs to be flame proof but more importantly the thread can not go through the overall. It all needs to be done on a separate patch and that itself sown onto the overall but not all the way through the suit.

I can see overalls being sold out for 2008!!

[ewenm]

Can you get it printed onto the suit instead of an embroidered patch? No material, no thread, just ink.

[Wanstead]

The scruitineer pulled me up for this last week because the FIA Homologation label was embroidered through all three layers!!!!

Edited by Wanstead on Monday 29th October 20:35

[kenthardy]

The FIA label is embroidered in the back of the collar by the manufacturer - and is thus OK. If it's a label sewn on the belt or elsewhere (the old ones) then its not been valid for ages.

For badges you can get some suitable cloth from one of the suppliers, make into backing and then use the correct cotton to sew it on - then the thing appears to comply.

what I read in Motorsport Now! (sent to licence holders) suggests its the backing thats important - guess this forms a barrier so if its the same material as the suit then its OK?

'Backing material of badges shall be flameproof'

Edited by kenthardy on Monday 29th October 21:42

[blueyes]

kenthardy said:

The FIA label is embroidered in the back of the collar by the manufacturer - and is thus OK. If it's a label sewn on the belt or elsewhere (the old ones) then its not been valid for ages.

For badges you can get some suitable cloth from one of the suppliers, make into backing and then use the correct cotton to sew it on - then the thing appears to comply.

what I read in Motorsport Now! (sent to licence holders) suggests its the backing thats important - guess this forms a barrier so if its the same material as the suit then its OK?

'Backing material of badges shall be flameproof'

Edited by kenthardy on Monday 29th October 21:42

Thanks for that.

Off to find some nomex material and thread.

[rude-boy]

kenthardy said:

'Backing material of badges shall be flameproof'

pedant mode on/ like the suit itself ?

[kenthardy]

rude-boy said:

kenthardy said:

'Backing material of badges shall be flameproof'

pedant mode on/ like the suit itself ?

yes

[JonRB]

Could be completely barking up the wrong tree here, but you can get this iron-on backing that turns any badge into an iron-on badge. It's kind of like double-sided tape I guess.

Would that be an option? Because then sewing would not be required.

[Steve_T]

I'd try Monogram Teamware as they supply embroided clothing for many race teams.

Steve.

[blueyes]

JonRB said:

Could be completely barking up the wrong tree here, but you can get this iron-on backing that turns any badge into an iron-on badge. It's kind of like double-sided tape I guess.

Would that be an option? Because then sewing would not be required.

Nope. Another part of the regs says "heat bonding shall not be used"

The worst thing is, if a scrutineer decides he doesn't like your badges, the homologation for your overalls is cancelled.