Bentley's auto interiors guru describes the craft like this:
"Personally I think a car's interior is the most complicated product you can design. If you think of it in terms of a house or something like that, you've got a TV, stereo, seating, table, you've got all those elements in a car but they all have to tie in, it's not like you can just get things to kind of work, they absolutely have to slot together. Timing and making everything work for a car is just so complicated.
"It's multi discipline, you've got elements of architecture, illustration, graphic design, product design, furniture design, all of those things, and for me that's the interesting part about it. It doesn't just stop at one discipline, it crosses many. It's great, but it can be a burden sometimes, with one foot in design and one in engineering. But I think creative people love a challenge and that's why we do it."
Do you agree or not, and what other disciplines you believe are part of the trade: http://tinyurl.com/6k8l47p
Is this polite subtle spam? ;D
Not at all. I'm genuinely interested in starting a discussion about this.
Ive been thinking the same thing about these posts. Pretty good way to advertise his site wouldn't ya think? Genuine discussion?
Quote from: scottymc on September 16, 2011, 12:54:50 pm
Is this polite subtle spam? ;D
I enjoy HogRings posts. Subtle spam? Maybe. But it is upholstery related and he has started some interesting topics on the forum. I'm not trying to start something but its your choice to read them. Or not.
I realize that, but I thought it was just getting to be a bit of a bombardment, and hey it works. I've clicked onto his site , but then straight off
At least he's not trying to sell us pills that enlarge certain parts of our body.
Speaking of spam, has anyone noticed it's all but disappeared on the forum.
Well I wouldn't mind so much if he could sell me a pill that really worked.
LOL
Yeah, that's what my wife said.
Intention is not to spam - will leave if that's what's requested by the site moderator. Just thought that as an 'upholstery forum' that this would be the right place to share some interesting upholstery-related posts with. Doesn't seem outlandish to me...
Thanks for the support Kodydog. It's very much appreciated.
I looked at it more that he was just trying to get input from a source outside of his own board.
I clicked over to it, saw that it was too auto intensive for my tastes, and moved on. I'll probably still click over there every now and again.
To me, there have been a few other posters recently that were a lot more "spammy" (think "leather").
So...... where can I get that pill? :D
Quote from: sofadoc on September 17, 2011, 05:35:40 am
So...... where can I get that pill? :D
If you really want to know I'll post the link. I get them daily in my spam folder. I don't know why they think "I" would be the perfect candidate for this product.
I had originally been thinking along the same lines as Scotty and Paul. However, I have noticed that hogrings' topics have generated some interesting discussions.
I too figure that the moderator, like God, is watching over us.
And, as with the leather folks, if it is more of a "sales job" than a "sharing", folks will stop clicking on the posts.
See, this is a good example of being multi disciplined: I can complain and say "thank you" at the same time.
I would think one discipline needed would be patience and long suffering. I know, from my previous life, that auto designers can design awesome ideas that simply cannot be transferred into real life. I'm sure these interior guys occasionally get specs that they just cannot make happen.
gene
Quote from: kodydog on September 17, 2011, 06:09:50 am
I don't know why they think "I" would be the perfect candidate for this product.
My step-dad used to sign up for free cigarettes through the mail. He used my name and address as well to get even MORE free cigarettes.
He's been dead for 15 years. I still get a ton of junk mail and spam from cigarette companies. You would think that they would assume I was dead by now.
Hey "Hog Ring", are you SURE that you want our opinions? See how fast we steer off course? ;D What would WE know about discipline? We can't even stay on topic. :D
Seriously though, I've never minded one board promoting itself on another board. Many of us post on multiple boards. Variety is the spice of life. It's not like he's pelting us with leather "specials" (I use the term "special" loosely).
Thanks Gene and Sofadoc. I appreciate your welcoming. Also, just to point out to scottymc and minuph, I also contribute to other discussion threads on this site that I didn't start. A spammer wouldn't do that.
I appreciate everyone's feedback. I love all the helpful, insightful and often times funny comments you all leave on this great site. I'm glad to be part of it!
Quote from: sofadoc on September 17, 2011, 09:27:10 am
Quote from: kodydog on September 17, 2011, 06:09:50 am
Hey "Hog Ring", are you SURE that you want our opinions? See how fast we steer off course? ;D What would WE know about discipline? We can't even stay on topic. :D
Seriously though, I've never minded one board promoting itself on another board. Many of us post on multiple boards. Variety is the spice of life. It's not like he's pelting us with leather "specials" (I use the term "special" loosely).
Yep you won't get me talking about upholstery, I hate it.
I do not have anything to do with automotive work so rarely click through to his site. I take no offense to his posts here because he is not trying to sell anything.
Some of his posts have been interesting and others not so much. It is no biggie to me and I see no issues with his posts.
Chris
I could see how furniture and marine upholsterers may not be interested in a site strictly about auto upholstery but some of the info on the Hogring does translate, especially the small business tips.
Truth is, auto upholstery shops really do need a place to come together and share advice and support one another. Especially now more that ever since the Upholstery Journal and ATRN are no longer publishing their magazines. As a contributing writer to the site and a trim shop owner myself, everyday customers tell me upholstery is a dying trade and sites like the Hogring help breathe life into it.
keep it coming "hog ring"
I don't do auto stuff but some of the info translates to my occasional foray's into contract work, I have naff all to do with marine but these guys have some awesome tips to do with set ups, equipment and marking out that makes for very interesting reading to a small town antique's restorer and bespoke upholsterer such as my self.
Anyhow i thought you americans were all for shameless self promotion, meak is weak, humble is (hard to rhyme with) be loud and proud.
Oh and by the way i have a bankers draft for $10,000000 but i need an american bank account holder to clear it for me, anyone interested would be welcome to 10% as an administration fee. Please respond asap to claim your 10% fee.............. now that's some spam
Do you guys get spam in tins?
;D
I personally detest car upholstery. I dread anytime car parts come in the door. But still I read every Hogring post. The more you know the better off you'll be. I wish Marine Fabricator made 1/2 as many-1/2 as interesting posts as Hogring does. I think he should start a blog 'Yacht Basin' or 'Boat Hole' how about it dude?
Quote from: Peppy on September 19, 2011, 04:37:51 am
I personally detest car upholstery. I dread anytime car parts come in the door. But still I read every Hogring post. The more you know the better off you'll be. I wish Marine Fabricator made 1/2 as many-1/2 as interesting posts as Hogring does. I think he should start a blog 'Yacht Basin' or 'Boat Hole' how about it dude?
"Boat hole" is that where you throw your money into. ;)
Quote from: alge on September 18, 2011, 11:43:55 am
keep it coming "hog ring"
Oh and by the way i have a bankers draft for $10,000000 but i need an american bank account holder to clear it for me, anyone interested would be welcome to 10% as an administration fee. Please respond asap to claim your 10% fee..............
Do you guys get spam in tins?
;D
I'd love to take you up on your wonderful offer but I'm already dealing with a Barrister from your great country.
Its all hush, hush so I can't tell you all the details but soon I will be very rich.
Spam in tins? What?
Yes, we have Spam in tins... (Kody, it's the mystery meat you find packaged on the food aisle with canned tuna, corned-beef hash and other canned meats).
As for the original topic of this thread, ABSOLUTELY! How many of us just "upholster"??? I'd say very few. Lots of woodworking (building/repairing), refinishing, as well as sewing and upholstering. Probably the same for cars. I expect the car guys get into fixing 12V systems (like broken seat heaters), welding springs (I know Russ did a lot of welding.... BTW, where's Russell???) and as outlined in the other posts this morning, sewing machine maintenance and repair.
June
Mojo, DCUpholstery, Alge, JuneC - thank you all for the kind words and support.
I'd have to agree with you JuneC and DCUpholstery - these days it's impossible to operate with a narrow focus.
If you upholster furniture - you've got to be proficient in wood work, welding, etc.
And if you upholster cars, you've got to know the ins and outs of seat/top frames, electrical components, etc.
All this in addition to actual measuring, cutting, sewing and installing of fabric.
In fact, there's so much to the trade nowadays that I feel the terms "trimmer" and "upholsterer" no longer do it any justice. (Haha - maybe we're comfort connoisseurs?)
I learned as an apprentice, so I sort of rolled with the punches and picked up all these extra skills along the way. I'm curious whether schools that teach upholstery have expanded their curriculum to include these new elements of the trade...
Quote from: TheHogRing on September 19, 2011, 01:30:46 pm
I learned as an apprentice, so I sort of rolled with the punches and picked up all these extra skills along the way. I'm curious whether schools that teach upholstery have expanded their curriculum to include these new elements of the trade...
I'm pretty sure most trade or tech schools are teaching the student how to recover there own pieces or to work for someone else. I don't think someone taking a 6 month course is going to be ready to open their own business unless they already have some of the other skills that are needed.
A furniture collage, with two and four year degrees, offer courses in all the different aspects of running a furniture business. But even then, most likely you will be working for someone else once you graduate.
Like you I learned as an "apprentice". With me in factory work. But I had many other skills under my belt. My father taught me woodworking and finishing, I worked 4 years as a draftsman which transferred easily to pattern making, and with my wife's background in Business Management we just kind of fell into the business we have run for 25 years.
When I first opened my business my customers would question my experience. I would say it's not so much the experience as much as how you were trained and who you were trained by. I can now see, although this statement is true, over the years you do pick up a lot of useful pieces if information that helps to build your business.
The thing is you can never stop learning because times change and the way I ran my business 25 years ago is different than how I run it now.
There ok post by me Actually slot of marine seat are like auto now. I installed some covers today on a pontoon that the helm seat was builtike a cars and had to have hogrings.
Scotty I have a hole like that.
Quote
When I first opened my business my customers would question my experience. I would say it's not so much the experience as much as how you were trained and who you were trained by. I can now see, although this statement is true, over the years you do pick up a lot of useful pieces if information that helps to build your business.
The thing is you can never stop learning because times change and the way I ran my business 25 years ago is different than how I run it now.
I couldn't agree with you more. No matter how 'expert' one is in the trade, it keeps on changing - and so must our skills.
My father, who is also an auto trimmer, always said that to be a good auto trimmer, you need to have the mind of an engineer. The same goes with furniture upholsterers and car mechanics, etc. Because a lot of the time what you're doing is reverse-engineering something just to figure out how it works and how you can repair it.
Not everyone can do that.
Quote from: Mike8560 on September 19, 2011, 07:38:25 pm
There ok post by me Actually slot of marine seat are like auto now. I installed some covers today on a pontoon that the helm seat was builtike a cars and had to have hogrings.
Scotty I have a hole like that.
Alan Bond, backer of the winged keel that stole the america cup from you in the 80's described yahting as standing under a shower tearing up $100 bills.
Quote from: scottymc on September 22, 2011, 04:16:54 pm
Alan Bond, backer of the winged keel that stole the america cup from you in the 80's described yahting as standing under a shower tearing up $100 bills.
I've heard in big boat land $100 is to small a currency to use and so the Boat Buck was created. 1 Boat Buck = $100. That way it doesn't seem as bad after you shell out 9 or 10 Boat Bucks to fill your boat with gas.