Topics

Hello to all,
     My brother has a 1999 FourWinns 24 Horizon and the rear sun pad is shot as well as the front bolsters.  I wanted to match it up the main Tan and off white colors the best I can for him.  I don't want it to look too funky. 

Any idea's on the best way to go about it would be...? 

  Thanks,
    Ed

I am leaning toward foambacked vinyl for my front cabin in my scarab.  So I have been looking around for some, and the prices seem high or higher than I thought. 

Does anyone have a good recomendation for a supplier of foambacked vinyl/white....?  And what is a reasonable price I should be expecting to pay.?

  Thanks, Ed

I'm decided to do some boat seats in a Progression speedboat/performance seats.  My first attempt ended with a skin that was too tight and had way too many wrinkles.  I am thinking of sectioning it a bit more, make sure it will lay nicer.  I wanted to get some opinions though to make sure the second attempt goes better...  Does anyone sew up certain sections first, to see how it's going to come together? ...or?   The biggest problem was after I put the skin on was getting the arms to pull over, makes me to think the back section measurement was too tight etc.  Bucket seats have always been a challenge for me but I'm not giving up.

Thanks for any advice,
    Ed

They are about the size of a nickle or a quarter...  They appear to be made of brass, like a regular grommet, but they have a brass screen in the center...  

I found them on the bottom of my leaning batans on my Scarab.  It looks like they will let air and water out that gets trapped in the batons.

Does anyone know where to get them...?.?  Or what the proper name is for them...?.?  

I wanted to try and restore the batans like the factory, but I have never seen this item for sale anywhere...

 Thanks, Ed

Hello All,
    I was looking for Sunbrella at perfectfit.com and they have this product listed "Staftop" it's kinda lumped in with the Sunbrella products.  Has anyone seen it or used it.?  It's cheaper than Sunbrella but I don't know if its as good.  They say its water resistant and has a high tensil strength, but they are selling a product.  I am doing a large mooring cover for myself and I need 30 yards.  

Mike, the Velocity is up for sale, the wife couldn't take it anymore, so I know have a 30ft Scarab Sport.  So now I have all new projects to start on...lol  Covers, enclosures, upholstery..etc So I will be back on the board more.

 Thanks,
   Ed

I took a job to do a boom cover for a co-worker of my brothers and he has turned out to be a very particular person.
So he bad mouthed me when the cover wasn't right.  My brother explained it's had to work off an old cover and that I never even saw the boat.  So, I also re-learned a valuable lesson, never try to make a new cover from an old one.  Even a boom cover..!!!! 

So now I am getting it back to alter it, which I don't mind too much this time.  But if he is still not happy I am going to offer his money back and chalk it up to lesson re-learned.  The reason I metioned this is because I never had a cover come back on me and I have done quite a few over the years. This sucks worse because it's my brothers co-worker so I guess yet another lesson learned, deal first hand with your customer.

Anyone get into a job and wish they could get out...??  And how did you finally get out...??

It's  funny, I went to a big canvas shop yesterday to pick up some webbing.  Started talking with the owner, she said they are 6 weeks from starting any new work...!!  In the last week I have gotten emails and calls from friends of friends and family, "Hey, can you help me out, everyone is busy, I need this done".  

I do all my work as side jobs from my primary job in the healthcare field.  Maybe thats why I still love to upholster, but here is the thing, like most people, I want to enjoy the summer.  So if I take on a side job now,,, it needs to be worth my time.  

I am sure many you have gotten much busier now that the season has arrived.  Do you get a lot of unhappy people who have waited too long...and now have to wait even longer because you can't get to it...?

Ed



 

Hey all,
    I am trying to remember the name of the stuff I replaced on a fishing boat window I did.  It was a hard rigid clear plastic that you could still sew through. 
    I want to alter my speed boat dodger with it, so I can see better against the wind.  I also need to know where I can get it.  Mike you told me a long time ago but I can't find the thread or the post. 

Thanks for any help,
    Ed 

I have a job coming up next week, its 5 chiropractic tables.  They are sectioned into 5-7 pieces, hand rest, middle, lower and leg sections.  I am thinking it's straight forward.  I just don't want to get burned if I quote about $200 a table plus material.  Or do I do one table and give him a price for the rest ??

Not the end of the world if I'm off a bit, but as always I respect all the opinions on this board.

Thanks,
    Ed

I would like to create a wind dodger for my speedboat, because it gets cooler in the late afternoon now.  I removed the old windshield because it was worthless. 

My idea is to use the small bow off a nice stainless steel bimini I have laying around.  Set it up going forward, and support it with 2 small poll supports.  I should be able to get a good pull off the front snaps that way. 

Any idea's or things I should consider...??  Easily removable mounts..??

Thanks, Ed

I currently have a sailrite 3/4 binder...it works ok.  It seems sailrite really pushes the 1' inch binding...

I think the zig zag will work better with the 3/4 now that I have that option.

The biggest problem I have is that the material edge doesn't always get all the way in there and I miss a few inches and have to go back and fix it.  Or the binding will roll up and I will miss on the bottom... 

Opinions:  on 3/4 vs 1" ??  and zig zag vs straight...??

  Ed

I am looking for a zig zag head I can put on my table... I have a chandler/juki S241. 

Any suggestions on who to try...?   I know you guys are not fans of ebay, so I thought I would start here first. 

Any suggestions or opinions would help. 

  Thanks,
                 Ed

Searay is a smart company.  They seem to purchase the lot of material they need and then if you want to recreate something you have to pay their prices...  I made this cushion below for a friend and now I will be doing the rest of his boat because the pipe was a gold and white is going to be too new and different looking...gotta love it $$ 

Ed

This is a good one.  The original upholsterer used "Purple Burlap" for the inlays on these seats.  Not only does it suck up water, sweat etc. but it had to be murder on your skin in the heat.  Burlap should be used to makes sacks to carry clams in, that it...lol They did a nice job but...C'mon man. 

Everything white is my work.

There are about 8 individual pieces here, 6 in the back and 2 up front that go into a speedboat.  They are all center sections.  A quote was given of $1350...I am doing it as a friend for less then half that. 

But I wanted to see you guys agreed with the local shop's quote...

  Opinions?? 

Hello to all,

    It was a great summer but now it's time to get some projects going.  Here is a chair I am going to re-upholster, it will be my first one.  I am excited to do it, after removing a million staples I think it's all down hill from here...lol 

I think I have most of the tools and materials needed.  Any hints or comments would be greatly appreciated.

  Thank You,
         Ed

I get a call right before the big storm heading to NJ...It's a customer I did a Bimini top for, I recreated one from his old one...  He was happy with the job and wanted to refer me some work...sounds good so far right.  He tells me about a customer an hour away who wants a full boat cover on a 14 footer and wants to be able to trailer with it on.  So I said sure no problem...then he says "Can you make the cover without seeing the boat??" ?????????     

At that point I wanted to bust out laughing, because no measurements,  no pattern, no pictures, I'm thinking does this guy think I'm a magician??? hahaha  But I didn't laugh or make fun...I simple said, well just have the gentleman call me and I will work it out with him...hahahaha  They are out there...

  Ed

Has anyone ever done a hot tub cover??  I did one over the weekend and it came out good...  A couple of things though,,,alignment marks are crucial, and remember to sew the skirt between the box and the bottom plate.  And use a single zipper on each half.  I went by pictures I saw online.

I spent about $220 on material and had a solid eight hours into it.  Retail for similiar quality and material $650.  All in all it wasn't a bad job to do if you wanted to give it a try. 

I guy called me up 2 weeks ago and wanted a job done that I quoted him on 2 years ago.  I think I was OK on the price but does anyone say "Hey that was 2 years ago, let me take another look"  Or do most just honor the old quote???

This job was 2 bucket seats, a sunpad and a rear bench...I think I quoted him 1200 at the time plus material.  I can't remember dicusssing RnR (remove and replace).  I hate this situation, I don't want to offend him but I feel like I need to re-evaluate the job. 

opinions??

I ordered some foam from the "OnlineFabricStore.net"  I have a confirmation number etc and I printed out the confirm page...That was on the 17th of this month...  I never recieved a confirmation email,,,I called there and no answer,,,,, I emailed the company and no response...I am getting that sinking feeling in my stomach....I am getting ready to call my credit card company.  Online they don't list the exact address of the company either,,,they say it's in the heart of New England...now my spider senses are really tingling...   

Can anyone speak on behalf of the this company from a prior experience...????? or heard of this company???? 

    I am looking for some "Chalk White" pleated vynil.  Does anyone have a good source for this stuff.  Perfect Fit doesn't have it and few other places I checked didn't either.  I know it's about $30 a yard with the foam back. 

  If anyone has any leads on this one I would really appreciate it.  I need 2 yards, its for  "Fishing Boat" thigh rail cushions.

        Thanks,
                    Ed