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Scott, that sounds similar to a gambling addiction. Gambling addicts are after the "thrill" of hitting it big. It's not about actually winning.  :(
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gene

Gene, I think you used a good word to describe modern society; Addiction. Or we can say "addicted". So many of us I think, are utterly disenchanted (or beaten down) with the pressures of modern life, and are gravitating to whatever thrills us and these thrills are developing into full-blown addictions even though few of us will admit that that's what they are.
Rich

Sounds like an expression of the state of our industry; fewer shops staying busy due to the dwindling competition.
Rich

I feel the same way.
I did hear that it is shredded foam, but I have no proof.
It wouldn't surprise me to find that even at two for the price of one, the seller is making a HUGE mark up on this product.
Rich

Years ago Darren, when I lived in NYC, a friend worked for the NYC dept of sanitation (trash collector) and he used to pick up perfectly usable items he found in the trash in affluent neighborhoods. For instance, I remember he got a good hedge clipper that someone threw out because they had accidentally cut the cord.

Today, it seems that mentality has spread to other classes of society as well. Of course, not everyone can afford to ditch an item for such reasons, but they do it.

One reason that I think people are willing to toss and buy new is that we're not even in a repair mode anymore for so many things. I was trained as a secondary school Industrial Arts (now Tech Ed.) teacher. I had taken an interest in shop classes while in Junior H.S. Back then, it was considered part of a child's education to have a working knowledge of tools, techniques etc. even if that wasn't to be their trade. I remember a professor in college who told the class that even if a student never actually applies this education in their work life, they will be better equipped to deal with a repair person when they have some knowledge of the subject.
So, today, we've all but ditched Tech Ed. thinking that it's not necessary to have a knowledge of how things work and how to repair them.
Now I certainly realize that so much of what is produced today is meant to be used up and discarded as it's virtually un-repairable, but collectively, people who have repair skills might be less likely to even want to buy the throw-away stuff and if fewer bought it, there'd be less of a market for it.
Just a thought,
Rich

I think young people like to shop. And if they buy quality furniture that will last a lifetime, they will miss out on the many trips they could have made to IKEA or Costco to replace their broken chairs and worn out sofas.

Excellent comment Gene! For whatever reason, shopping has become a national pastime, an idol if you will. Many of us can't resist the rush from going out to buy something NEW. Makes us feel important, refreshed, lifts our spirits etc.
I guess re-upholstery did that for past generations, but not so much today.
Rich

Darren, I have to disagree with "I think we need to find ways to educate the public about the benefits of our services".
I remember back in the early 80's, I was doing sublet work for an auto customizer who was doing vinyl tops and electric moonroofs for some Saudi businessmen. He told me "we don't make trends, we follow them". That stuck with me. He said, we are too small to have such an influence on people they way large corporations can sometimes do (Think Apple etc.). So what are we to do? Look around, see the attitudes, then think of ways to satisfy them. I hate the way that people want to buy cheap and end up contributing their upholstered furniture to the county landfill, but I don't have the time nor energy to tell them not to do that. Instead, I do different work, work that the customers in my area think is worth paying for.
Rich

I think a good question to ask is "where are the skills I have needed right now?" That may land us in a place we weren't even thinking of when we saw ourselves as "upholsterers" because of what we associate upholstery work with. It may not be what we've thought. It may be something different but still utilizing knowledge we have.
Rich

Sofa, thanks for the photo and description on that staple removal tool. It seems like it never went very far. Too bad, because an efficient and quick method for removing staples is what every one of us needs.

As far as getting help, after about a dozen years of having that problem in my shop in NYC (70's and 80's), I decided when I relocated to Maryland, I'd go about for awhile just by myself to see if I could do without employees. For a very short time and separately, I hired two women P/T, but the great majority of the past 27 years it's been me alone doing the productive work. Once in a great while, I mention to my wife (she takes care of the billing. ordering etc) that maybe I should hire a helper. She sets me straight though.
Rich

I'm surprised no one mentioned this method:
http://www.upholsteryresource.com/node/25

I use the Burch Fabrics chisel (pictured about 3/4 of the way down the page) for most of my stripping, but I generally am not working near finished wood.


While looking around, I came across this:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4245817
I don't know if it ever found it's way into production, I've never seen it anywhere.
Rich

I think the Dodgers left Brooklyn when I was still quite young. I was never much of a sports fan, but a friend that lived across the street was a die-hard Yankees fan, we used to collect baseball cards and even went to a Yankees game once.
Rich

It's a long weekend, no one is working but yet have time on their hands to kibbish (kibbitz???)  a bit.  Love the word but not Jewish so not sure how to spell it,  hope y'all get the idea.

Happy 4th of July all!

Virginia

I grew up in Brooklyn-it's kibbitz and if you do it, you're a kibbitzer.
Rich

Well, I have to admit that for some reason, I totally missed hammer's photo. Gene's comment did make more sense after I read the sign in the photo.
But sheesh!, it's amazing the things that get the most commented on in many forums.
Rich

So if you're a hard to please...

I'm pleased that they used the contraction for 'you' and 'are' instead of the possive form of 'you'.

I'm displeased that they have either failed to insert an object of the indefinite article 'a', or they just don't speak no good English.

gene

Say what?
Rich

I have found that if they are a pain before they order, they will be a time consuming pain after the sale.

Chris

Etch that one in stone, I've found it to be true just about all of the time. They are simply not worth the effort.
Rich

The talk about lowering prices reminds me of a post I started back a few years ago, you can see it here- http://www.upholster.com/upholstery-forum/index.php?topic=4457.0

The author gave examples of how changing prices to fit customer's needs, time of day, year etc. can benefit both the business and the customer. Many businesses do this all the time and I don't see anything wrong or suicidal for an upholstery shop to lower prices in slow seasons. A boat owner for instance can be given an incentive to bring their boat in earlier in the season for a discount. But the discount has to have a time limit, so when busy season kicks in, the shop is not pushing profitable work out of the way doing work at pre-season prices. It would have to be spelled out in advance, something like "This special price will be honored up until X date." I think it's important that any reduction in price be presented as a discount and for a specific reason, The regular price has to be stated so the customer knows they are getting a price break and is not led to believe that this is the regular price they can get any time they choose to come back.
Rich