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

I am considering buying a machine for the same reasons the O.P. stated. Can’t find anyone to do anything right anymore! My upholstery guy did half the work and never showed up again. I got seats, carpet and a 3/4 finished top. Good news is I only paid him half the money. Other half was due upon completion. If anyone has a machine hit me up.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I didn't realize this would still be going 6 pages later.

I was just pissed and had to vent. My wife didn't wanna hear it... @Moriarity was calling me a puss....Thanks to y'all for listening. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

Does she know just how lucky she is ???

 

Ya never know where a thread is going to go! Lol






Bones

 

HA. Like someone else earlier said "do it yourself"

 

@lippy , my brotha, what else can we do with expired race belts but use em in the hot rod?

 

Coincidentally.. Last summer I was given a nice Singer domestic, figured I'd do my seat this winter. Sewed up some ripped clothing in the mean time to get the hang of it, handy thing to have. Also bought some vinyl, heavy needles and strong thread. So a week ot two ago I started testing it on vinyl. It would go through two layers but thread was loose on the bottom, tight on top no matter how I set the adjustments. Then, bang, crunch, screech. Stripped the teeth off the bobbin gears. Have some coming from Ebay, cheap, but I think you've convinced me to use the industrial machine my upholsterer friend said I'm welcome come up and use.

 

I can't sew. I can do a top, build a door panel, install seat covers, do the support matl like foam and horsehair, I've even done the stuffed button-tuck shit like in cars of the teens (what a pain in the ass!). Sewing makes me angry, on edge, I get all fucked up trying to keep all the wrinkled up shit and thread and what not aligned and right. We had a badass Juki in the shop and it would damn near sew aluminum (!) but not this mutha, I can't and won't do it. Has to do with my OCD of tangled up hoses and cords, or seeing a wiring job that looks like fruity pasta going every which way. I appreciate a good sewer but after trying over and over and over for decades I'll pass. Good for all of y'all that figured it out, but I never could.

 

Oh! Thanks for that post! Now I’m scared shitless to even try!







Bones

 

And my answer was to do it myself. Neighbor is a contractor and helped. But, like Root, the point being is that you actually go out of your way and spend local and you can't get someone that wants to do a job. I have done drywall, tape and texture for 40 years. I simply wanted to pay someone to do it so I had time to say, work on my GMC or the lakester. Sadly my old drywall guy had to retire due to macular degeneration. He actually WANTS to work and can't do it anymore

 

Highlander, your post is the more open, honest version of mine.
I gave it a try and made a couple things that I can say "I did that", but there is no way in hell I'm going to attempt to do a full coupe or sedan interior. Funny, I have a sedan and a coupe that need interiors...

Would I be able to do a T bucket? Yeah, provided someone else finished the edging and boots on the carpet, since that's going to be a strong machine and I couldn't keep all the edges aligned to my required level of satisfaction. At that point, why not have the same shop match it all up? "A man's gotta know his limitations".

 

I talked to an upholstery shop about putting the top on my 30 Sport Coupe in September and I'm still waiting, I've called them several times and get we'll call you in a week or so.. It's a kit and having a hard time finding anyone who knows how to do it, similar to a convertible top, must be becoming a lost art.

 

I've done a few sport coupes and would gladly do it for you, just not sure where Bald Ass Prairie is. I'm in Denver.

 

I'm a long way from Denver, in El Dorado Ks just NE of Wichita but thanks. I'm checking with a friend that does upholstery for aircraft in Wichita now.

 

No problem. If your friend does aircraft, he knows his stuff. Sport coupe tops can be tricky. BTW, I love your former 29!

 

Yeah I get that. but it doesnt have anything to do with "local". its nationwide with all the skilled professions. And I get it that some people actually want to work. Nothing wrong with that. I didnt think you were old enough to have done this stuff for 40 years, 30 maybe.......

 

Can we add in the folks we spend time PMing back and forth when you want to give stuff away. Get the stuff together and haul it out front because we won’t be here, come home and the pile is still there.
Haul it back

Shits going to scrap. WTH. Reminded me when I used to cut trees down for firewood. Cut the tree down. Cut it up. Split it. Load it. Unload it. Stack it. Load it and bring it up to burn. Rinse and repeat. Lol


Too much work to give shit away, and too much work to save money.

 

Tom, I have no beef with you, our past does not bother me. I LIKE you. But, with a grandfather as a master craftsman and a dad that followed suit. I have been remodeling house for 40+ years. I even had a remodeling business in HS. Let grab a beer at the Lazy R some night and talk.

 

I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION.....Real tuck and Roll is a lost art.......

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/real-tuck-n-roll.1044998/

 

Have friend who wanted to GIVE me a industrial sewing machine. Be a great new venture,lots of people needing interiors. No thanks. I would be like Highlander.

 

Fair enough. Life has a strange way of dealing with people

 

@Roothawg if you were closer I would do that roadster interior. Before starting on my car I practiced doing different pleat styles and real tuck and roll does take longer and it’s more difficult to work with because of the thickness.

 

Sorry bruh, makes me think you seen me while I was trying...

 

Interesting read and my take on it. When I was 16 years old I had a 66 convertible with a ratty interior. My grandmother seen the car and said we should do a new interior I was like yes please. She came over with a portable Sears sewing machine and set up in the garage and showed me how to make patterns and sew the panels and then seats. This was no walking foot but to a grandma that Knew how to sew. She pulled and pushed the materials thru the machine . We broke a few needles and made a few mistakes but we got it done and learned a lot and came out great!. Now our family came from Eastern Europe in the farming industry. Back in the day on a farm you did it all and I said all this was no exception..
Years went by when I built a 31 roadster on 32 rails a real hotrod but no interior. I went looking for a local trimmer and got quotes for the door panels and seat . Wow was I shocked at the prices and decided to tackle it myself . I bought a number of book on sewing and learned even more (no internet back then) . I was renting a puller from the rental place and seen a sewing machine on the rental floor. I asked if they rented machines and guy told me no this is to fix the tents and awnings they rent and sell. I asked if I could rent it and he would ask the owner. It turned out he had another and ended up buying it. This was 30 years ago and machine runs strong to the day.
As you know doing something for the first time has a learning curve and sewing has one as well. I did a lot of practicing and still do if I am going to do a project like a boat interior like I did this summer. I have made beating bags ,hand bags tool pouches aprons,toolrolls car boat covers, toolbox covers ,pillows ,drapes table cloths ,mending pants and other things. I recommend a bit of practice and you can do a nice job on a interior. This is especially true with a great resources such as the HAMB and other internet sites. So get a machine the best you can afford (walking foot recommended)and start practicing . Having a sewing machine that you know how to use will open you eyes to many other thing you can accomplish..
Hotrod technical library from the 1950s 1960s spotlite books had a good read by George Barris.

 

Actually they are 6 lug 10-32 studs with acorn nuts. They are known as Rupp turbine and expensive now. Those are 5”. There are 6” on my mini bike that cost me $150.00. I built the mini after I had the wheels.

 

I posted some work I’m have done on my 56 Ford on the Members-Social Forum on an AC installation. I wanted a custom pan under the dash. The shop owner is ill right now and it looked like that part was going to be a hang up. It’s Vintage Air products, so I convinced them to give me the controller and louver vents. I had the .063” aluminum panel cut and bent and did the rest myself. The shop will complete all the rest and are highly recommended and can do the work. At 76 it’s getting tough to work on a dash panel.

 

What a cool book.
EDIT###I just ordered one on ebay.

 

Those wheels are so cool looking. Thanks for the info!

 

So how much room is needed for a table etc? I have a room that is 11.5'x12' I thought about using. I couldn't have a huge table, but I might have room for a 6' table and a sewing machine.

 

I have a 48 x30 inch table with my Pfaff machine on it normally. Large projects I use a set of saw horses when I need to expand my sewing table and with a couple of planks and a 4x8 sheet panolam or know bathroom board. Thats my cutting surface and its like a Delron plastic stuff ,slick and smooth and great for cutting on with a razor.
You can see this guy adding “luxury” by making a interior out of leather also from the little book from Rodding and Restyling nov 1957.