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That's a good point Doyle and the main reason I stopped buying them years ago.  Most of the customers in my area are looking to get a repair at a low cost and really do not care if the match is perfect.  And with dye lots being what they are, the fading over the years and ground in dirt we cant guarantee that even with the original cloth.  For my customers close is good enough and if the whole seat, or interior is being redone it is even less of an a issue.

Is using 1/3 fabric on the under side of a leather cushion really any different than upholstering the deck of a leather sofa, or chair in denim?  Most of the pieces I do in leather, or vinyl have 1/3 of the cushions underside upholstered with heavy denim.  The 1/3 heavy denim fabric lets air out much faster than ventilators, even if you use 4 or 6 of them.  It allows the cushion to return back to an un-sat on condition faster also.  Leather or vinyl cushions without it feel like you are sitting on a big balloon as the air slowly escapes.  I never viewed it as cheap, but rather the best solution for a common problem, although I would like to give the grommet under the buttons a try someday.

Can't wait to see it finished!......maybe next week?? Grin

Don't I wish!  It is exciting to finally be at the point where I can start building instead of tearing things out.  I have been thinking over the problem of condensation a lot lately.  In a house ventilation is provided above the insulation usually in the form of attic ventilation in the soffits and the gable ends, or a ridge vent.  Don't know how I am going to provide that in the bus?  Many conversions do not address this, that I have seen.  I am going to post some questions about it at a bus conversion forum that I have joined and see what they have to say about it.

This weekend I was able to strip the old ceiling out of the bus.  The original insulation is in good shape and it is 1 3/4" thick.  I am unsure if I want to use it, or replace it with something else.  Pink, or blue board has a little higher R value, but not much.  Anyway, if I just attach the new ceiling material to the metal frame frost and moisture will be transferred into the cabin through the screws used to hold up the new ceiling.  To try and avoid this, I started applying 1/2" plywood strips to the roof frame work.  The tight curves will have to be cut from something different, probably solid wood.  These strips will lower the ceiling some, but will give additional room for more insulation, will insulate the screws used to hold up the new ceiling and will be easy to drill holes in for running wires.  



I also removed some of the rivets holding on one of the inner panels.  There is also insulation behind this panel.  It appears to be fiberglass wrapped in a bag.   I am thinking of leaving this insulation and adding a 1/2" of celotex insulation over the panels.



I will post more updates as I go.

Great looking shop Chris.  I really like the bright well lit work environment, you did a great job.

I am running the 07 version of Quick Books.  One feature I liked was I could e-mail invoices directly from Quick Books.  They wanted me to update and said I would no longer be able to e-mail my invoices unless I up dated.  I looked into updating and it was going to cost me 400.00 bucks.  I decided not to, I can just print the invoice, scan it, save it in my pictures, write an e-mail and attach the invoice myself.  A little extra work, but for the amount I do it it's no big deal.  I would still be using my 1998 version if my computer did not crash.  Just make sure you save the activation codes, so if you crash you can reload and still use the program.  One of these days I am going to have a computer that stays off line, it's the dam virus's, add and spy wear that keep crashing my computer, despite all the save guards I have in place.   Really no need to update, just make sure you back up every time you are prompted to do so, even daily if you feel it is necessary.  Use a cd, do not up date onto your hard drive.

Hi JPM:  Welcome aboard, this is a well discussed topic here, many of us share the same difficulties finding and keeping qualified help.  I have been in this business for 26 years now and have the same issues as you do.  Had a few employee's come and go, no one was as skilled as they said they were, and those were the good ones. :D  It's not just finding employees for the business that hard, it is also hard finding good trade people to just come and do some work on your house.  I have had several carpenters give me estimates on having some work done to never show up.  I don't get it, the economy is bad, people are hurting for work, but try to get someone to do anything?  Are they over taxed and under paid,  or is it just to easy to collect unemployment?   

I recover a lot of furniture that really does not need it.  People redecorate their home and change color, or the look and want something different.  I even had one person send me furniture directly from the store to have me reupholster in a fabric she could not buy the furniture in.  I have tried dyes before, mostly automotive and was not really happy with its ability to hold up over the long haul.

Rich: I think it is a resent development.  After the crash of 27 the banks started setting people up for the next big fall, which I believe we are experiencing know.  The period just after ww2 up until until about black Monday 1987 was probably the best time for investing in stocks.

I like to respond by posting pm sent, that way the person who I am sending it to expects it and if they don't get it thy can say so.

Rich:  If you got the time and the interest to work on it, and you think you can come up with something better I say go for it.  Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say. 

How does this recommendation set with most of you?

Like I stated earlier in this thread, I had a good system I was using that worked very well for me and it showed that it was time to get out and I did shortly before everything started falling apart.  The system I was using went on the assumption that the market is totally manipulated and that the manipulators foot prints could be read in the charts if one knows what to watch for.  Sounds outrageous, but I have to admit it worked.  I am thoroughly convinced now that the big banks and the gov. work together and manipulate the market.  So as you can imagine, I am completely out of the market and have no plans of  getting back in.  Not because I am afraid, I never invested money I couldn't afford to loose, but because I do not want to be part of their scam.  Also at this time I have no confidence in the economy, they want it to tank.   The best investment right now is canned food and shotguns.  Sorry, don't mean to offend anyone just IMO.

That is a big project

Man you got that right.  I hope I get her done befor I run out of steam.  Last weekend my son and I wrestled with the old black water holding tank and we got it out, took most of Saturday morning.  Then I stripped out the carpeted wall panels and the baseboard heating ducts and removed the last few seats.  Next I will work on cleaning up my mess and getting a clear working space for removing the ceiling.  Then I will remove the inner wall panels held on with thousands of rivets.  Once that is done we can start insulating and putting things together.  Can't wait to start building instead of ripping out.

Chris:  I looked into making tire covers awhile back but didn't have the demand.  You on the other hand have that market.  I know we cant compete with China on price, but they cant compete with us on quality.  When I was looking into it, I was considering having patterns made from hardboard or something similar in all the popular sizes.  Then it's just a matter of trace cut and sew. should be able to put a pair together in under an hour.  Still more expensive than china, but maybe affordable for someone who wants quality.  I always stress that what I make will out last Chinese goods and because of that is actually cheaper in the long run.  Of course we will always loose those who shop on price alone, but they are not really our customers anyway.

No my time estimate did not include replacing the webbing, that would add a little more time,  Some upholsters like to use the metal straps in place of webbing, many actually add these during reupholstering when the webbing is sagging to help support webbing that really should be replaced.   The metal straps when used as a spring foundation works well, but I like the traditional method of jute webbing. IMO it gives more than metal and adds to the seating comfort and if properly installed should give 30 to 50 years of service.

I would have reservations concerning your tennis netting idea for tying springs.  When tying springs each row of springs from front to back must first be properly spaced and pulled down "hard" and attached to the frame.  I have stripped many sofas and chairs where the springs were not tied nearly as tight as they should be, attached to the frame using only #12 or #14 webbing tacks.  A properly tied spring system would pull these tacks right out.  This is the main reason the twine drops down a coil on the front and back spring, to avoid rounding the spring down.  The second strand of twin is tied over the top coil with only enough force to flatten the seating surface.  This procedure must be done on each row front to back and again side to side.  The angled strands act to make all the springs act as one unit.  A properly tied coil spring unit will also give service for 30 to 50 years and will be quite as well.  Metal on metal springs units bend and rub causing squeaks.  Hand tying springs can add considerable cost to reupholstering, but when you consider the added life you give to the furniture it really is inexpensive in the long run.