Folks Of Interest I have freaking had it! A rant about people not following through

How thick is the Delron? Also, do you need to be able to walk all the way around?

 

Delron is a brand name for a UHMW ( ultra high molecular weight plastic) , it can be ordered in many different forms..

 

I'm thinking he is talking about shower liner panels. So, that should be like .125" or so.

 

I used to do a lot of plastic laminate work . plain old hard surface 1/8 Masonite ( hardboard) is a excellent , inexpensive surface to work on ... 1/8" tempered hardboard , home depot , about $8 4x8 sheet

 

^^^^ this is what I use, but use 1 / 4 inch thick. Change it out a couple times a year. I wear it out. My work table is 5 x 8. About belly button high. Built a platform so my sewing table is the same height as my work table. Larger sewing surface is nice.

 

Back around 1958 I knew a guy who owned a used car lot in L.A. Every time he got a '49-'50 Merc in, he would send it out for metallic paint job and then have it upholstered. 2 guys and a woman would roll in with a large van full of material and a sewing machine. The guys would start stripping the car and the woman would start stiching. At the end of the day the car was completely done from headliner to carpets. Pretty good work too. It can be done.

 

I am about 50/50 with upholstery shops. One had my seats for my wagon for 8 months and then tried to double the price. I told him NO and he said come get the seats, when I got there they looked exactly like I dropped them off 8 months before. He had done nothing. The second guy I took them to had them done in a week and they looked great for the same amount the first guy had originally quoted. The second guy told me he was going to retire soon so had to go looking again for someone, went through the same rodeo again! Have had the same experience with radiator repair shops in the last five years, crappy work, high prices, then they go out of business so the warranty is void. Sad!

 

Back in the '70's my uncle had a '55 T'bird that he was restoring. He took it to a local guy to get some mechanical work done. Same old story. month after month nothing happening. Finally we decided to go get the thing. Engine was out and had disappeared (312). A worn out 292 was sitting there and the guy swore that was the one that came out of the car. This kind of crap has been going on for a long time.

 

I did a Model A sedan for a guy. Low slung with a chop top, Slick black paint with a mile deep finish. When finished, the painter blames me for scratching the doors and repainting it cause there`s a tape line in the top of the door. I was dealing with the guy who built it. He subbed out the paint work. I told him if I could match paint that good, I would start painting instead of doing upholstery. Not knowing the brand of paint he used. Goes both ways.

 

i have friends that never follow through. I got use to it.

 

@Roothawg the stuff I use is .125 thick and have tried to use the @2OLD2FAST idea of Masonite but I cut thick leather on it as well of just measuring or shearing on it. The hardboard gets grooved when making lets say straps cut after cut and chips out. A picture of the panel and can see razor marks on the surface. This shit is tough and use the smooth back side and lasts and with a quick sand good for another year.
I have my table being portable 4x8 and did my boat cover with 30 feet of material to sew. I dont see why it couldn’t be in a corner especially if your not doing car covers or awnings.

 

Nice work!

 

I was stationed in San Diego in ‘67 and I remember taking the bus into Tijuana on liberty. As we approached “T” town, the road was slightly elevated and we could look down at the upholstery shops one after another with they’re bay doors wide open in the heat working on hot rods of all kinds. Seemed like every one had California plates. I’ll bet there was some serious tuck and roll going on there.

 

I found a picture of @theHIGHLANDER in a magazine I saved years ago. The article is about welding in patch panels.

 

I would love to see pics of you upholstery guys work areas.

 

I think the breakdown happens due to people knowing their particular trade well enough but do not know how to run an efficient business.

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Even though my brother had not sewn in over 20 years, his friend let us use his trim shop for a weekend so my brother could sew up the convertible top on Saturday and the tonneau cover on Sunday for my 36 Ford Cabriolet. I only have a few photos of him sitting at the sewing machine from that weekend.

 

I'm with the guy that posted the Singer sewing machine. If I can't do what ever it is, I learn how to.

 

That is one thing I use to emphasize to my students. If they had any ideas of running their own shop, they needed to go down campus and take a couple of Continuing Ed classes on how to run a business. Its not technical incompetence that puts them under, its not knowing what it takes start and run a business.

 

I can't help but think some blokes won't have a go at sewing in case their mates find out they 'sew' and therefore will be accused of batting for the other team.

 

spanners,
Naw, it's more like your one buddy with a truck and a trailer.

 

I see, hanging in the shop are cloths hangers. My salesman was telling me that one of his customers hung left over fabric and vinyl from cloths hangers on a overhead beam in his shop. One day, it collapsed bringing down his roof. I see new ceiling panels. Hope it wasn`t this guy. Or they could be used for wire in listings.

 

Not following through is on par with not assuming responsibility.

 

If your Blokes or Wanker friends think you pack fudge because you sew, your hanging around the wrong Blokes. Hahaha


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Worked in an upholstery shop part time while attending trade school. The owners brother used to sew. Until an oldman came in and thought the world had come to an end. With a GUY sewing. Only on a rare occasion would he sew after that. I wasn`t there to witness it. But I was there when they were sweeping the broken glass up on the sidewalk after the owner threw someone out the large plate glass storefront window. Sometimes you have to be careful what you say.

 

I’d never noticed a lady working in an upholstery shop, now I haven’t been in one for 15 years, but never thought anything of it

 

That was over 30 years ago. A different time in a different world.

 

None of my girlfriends could use a sewing machine but I can.

 

I used to watch my mother sew and was fascinated by the workings of the machine. She taught me to sew so I'd be able to repair my own clothes when I went out into the big, bad world. My wife creates beautiful quilts but hates sewing clothes so I get that job including doing 30 costumes for a school variety night. Sometimes it's a change from getting greasy and covered in dust and rust. At the moment I don't have any upholstering to do but will next year on my '53 Dodge Fargo.