I had the worst smelling cover on my table today it was bad ive seen bug and crap before but this was my first lizard gecko
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Eeeewww!
The weirdest thing I ever found was a snap setter kit (both parts, the old fashioned kind that you need to hammer). It was inside the vinyl of a cushion from a 70's boat.
As far as gross, though, just the usual: bugs, bird poop, leaves, mold, etc.
Aw little thing, beats seagull crap any day.
Suzi
I still have the mummified toad I discovered while repairing a pool cover (he's on the mantel along with several snake skins, a deer skull, and some sort of spinal column). I've encountered lots of dead mice, too. I always feel really bad when I find them... poor little guys couldn't find their ways out. :(
Auto restoration yields a similar artifact (doesn't that sound sophisticated). Old car seats from the days of cotton and springs are part of mice and some snake habitat. Our encounter isn't smell so much, they burrow through destroying both cotton and burlap which has to be attended to during restoration. Oh, similar for the older cars that incorporated foam in their seating, some of them are getting to be around 50 years old. Again, it isn't smell, remains have dried long ago and all is a pile of little bones. These creatures can sure destroy foam, their tunnels can run forever.
We encounter this type of destruction in farm seating, I had a combine seat that looked like a city road map, tunnels everywhere. They love to chew on foam, I suppose also it is a warm place to snuggle in winter.
Again, odor or remains isn't really all that bad, it is the destruction these critters can do.
Canvas as you guys talk, a little of what you discuss but not the smell so much. Most customers bringing those items in for repairs will attempt to clean - thank you.
Doyle
I had one guy reciently doyle i had to that him he brou ght the canvas i. Clean and freeh smelling verry nice foe a change. But alot dont even clean or tidy up there boat before i work on it.
Since my shop is part of my home, I will not work on dirty or smelly canvas. I tell my clients they have to clean it first.
Talk about smelly things, I had a request from our "line dept.",( they are the guys who deal with parking, storing, fueling, directing aircraft in the ground operations where I work), to make a canvas cover for an airstart unit. That is a diesel unit that forces compressed air into the big jet engines for aid of starting.
Anyway, I had to sew up a 12 yard cover made from military style (water and fireproof) green canvas. Man did that stink!. It was almost dripping of oil. The nauseous smell got all over my shop, my machine, my clothes, my hands and doesn't really want to get off anytime soon! I can't wait to start on some aviation leather to change out the smell. Yuck!
NDAV8R
QuoteMost customers bringing those items in for repairs will attempt to clean - thank you
You've obviously got a better customer base than most. Way back when the air was clean and sex was dirty I managed a shoe repair in the mall here in Brandon. I got so fed up with people bringing in boots from the oil patch and barn boots without cleaning them that I kept a dull knife under the till. "Sure I can fix them---pull knife---right after you take them outside and clean them off"--pass knife to customer.
When I was in Kenora we had a guy bring his boat in for a new floor over the winter. When we pulled it in and took the tarp off we found it full to the gunnels [literally] with swim noodles,fishing rods,life jackets etc..