Messages

Thanks Gene, I will order a bag of upholstery hog rings.

My wife is an industrial maintenance mechanic and she needs tools too so I am lucky in that respect but, we also go to all the other places you mentioned and that is the part I hate.

Also please forgive my ignorance I am learning something new everyday.

You sound like my boss Sofadoc. Rules, rules rules  ;D

The rules exclude a common sense approach to the problem.

If I have to follow the rule of hypotheticals, the short answer is neither.

So I was shopping with my wife (which I hate with a passion but it makes her happy) and I stopped at Harbor freight where I found a pair of pittsburg forge hog ring pliers and picked them up for $8.00. Later being an old pig farmer I stopped at the local feed store and bought a box of hog rings.

I have never needed hog rings before but I am working on a bench seat out of an old truck. i've got the covers made and am ready to install, but the hog rings will not fit in the pliers.

So I ordered a set of C.S. Osborne hog ring pliers, and the Pittsburg Forge pliers are an exact copy of the Osborne pliers. Now I am $48.00 into pliers. I can only assume that upholstery hog rings are different than the rings you install in a pigs nose.


I thought someone might be able to verify this before I spend any more money, and maybe even get a chuckle out of it.

 

and as an employee, why would you expect anything more than a good wage for the work you do.. and only that.. This guy dosent need to know how I run my business..

As an employee I expect contributions to the success of the business to be recoginized. Not only financialy but in ways that make me feel a part of the team, because every employee has a vested interest in the success of the company.

Would you rather have a boss that treats you like a "piece of meat", but pays well?
Or would you rather have one that treats you with the utmost respect, highly values your opinion, even lets you make executive decisions, but pays poorly?

I want to be compensated fairly for the work I do. I also require respect for my abilities.

If I am as good at my job as this guy obviously is I would expect my opinon to be valued with respect to the day to day mechanics of my job. I would not offer an opinion on the business aspects unless asked.


As an employee I have to understand that the sole responsibility for the success or failure of the business rest squarely on the shoulders of the owner/ manager, and the final decisions has to be his and must also be respected. Respect is a 2 way street.

On the flip side as an employer I would have no interest in an employee who only cared about being highly compensated for his work but took no interest inthe overall success or failure of the business.

     When I was growing up there was a shoe factory in most of the towns around.

When I was just 16 I decided that my parents didnt know anything much and all I wanted to do anyway was farm, so I might as well get a head start and go to work in the local shoe factory.

My first day just before lunch my group leader came up and made the comment that he had only been there 15 years and they just made him group leader that day.

I went to lunch and I couldnt get his words out of my head. 15 years didnt seem to be much of a head start.


I didnt go back after lunch and I was happy to be back in school the next day. One of the great lessons of my life.

     I might be wrong but I think what Bobbin meant is if she were the employee she would be looking for the door.

As for myself as soon as I felt that the boss thought I was a piece of meat to be paid for my work and nothing more I would find that door quickly.

     I think I understand the point of a private section. I am just speaking from a different perspective. Sofa in a different post mentioned ordering a couple of extra yards on a com job and wondered if that shouldnt be something that is private and I think I agree. I have also been suprised to see some information given out here that I would consider sensitive. If I am misunderstanding its because I have been to Carrs site and I dont qualify for their private side without being dishonest. I certainly understand a section where people like me would have to be serious enough to do something to be invited to a private section.

     I did 2 years in the army then became a millwright apprentice in 76. The economy got bad and in 84 I got a job in a local factory as a maintenance mechanic. I did all sorts of things but mostly worked with the boilers and A/c systems. In the late 90s they began to contract all of the HVAC work out which pushed me out and they retrained me as an electrician. After 28 years I am still there and looking towards retirement. That is why I am learning the upholsterery trade I plan to work till I cant move my fingers.

     I work a full time job, run a small farm with the help of my son, try to get in the shop and sew as much as I can and I have 11 grandchildren. Sometimes it seems like I am to busy to check in but I miss it and always come back.

     This site has been instrumental to me learning this trade. I am in no way a proffessional upholsterer. If I started out to list all of the things I have learned from this site I would run out of space, for that I am gratefull to each and everyone of you that has freely given advice. I have spent nearly 2 years fowllowing the most important advice I have been given, sew, sew, sew. My greatgrandfather was an upholsterer, my great uncle took over his shop in the 60s, my grandmother, and mother were seamstresses. I worked in the shop when I was a kid. Learning this trade is, as goofy as it sounds is a sentimental undertaking for me. I never had the opportunity to work in the shop as an adult. That is where this site came in.
     I am also mostly a lurker. Sometimes I will come and post out of a desire to contribute something back to the board, or to ask a question. Mostly though the questions I have had can be answered by a search. Believe it or not I have read every post since I have become a member, and many from before. I sometimes have to read a couple hours to catchup.
     I also have come to know the regular members of this board in a way and I have the utmost respect all of your accomplishments and your opinions especially the marketing and business accumen that you posess in particular Mojo.
    All of that being said I guess my point is that this board has been important to me for many reasons, and it worries me that this information would be resricted because I am not a pro. My hope is that with practice I can become a pro. As Darren often says just my 2 cents.

     Found some at a local billards supply. They call it take offs. Its the old cover

taken off a table they are recovering. With a little washing It will be fine. Thanks

for the help guys.

I am looking for a supplier for material to cover a poker table. Anyone have a supplier?

I know exactly what you mean. I am a newbie, been at this about a year and I have had the same problem. From what Ive read on the forum a servo is the way to go to get much easier control. However if this isnt in your budget, its not in mine you can do a couple of things. First get comfortable at the machine, I cant give you detailed instructions but Darren posted a very good instruction in an earlier post. Next you can change the pulley on the motor to a 2"or 50 mm. These are available from Gregg at keystone. They are a supplier listed at the top of the page. This also requires that you change the belt. Lastly I know everyone is different but it took me hours and hours of practice to learn to control the speed of my machine. I believe this is what June is saying. Practice, practice, practice.

I wanted to thank you also Ken. This board has been invaluable to me in the process of learning this trade.