Topics

What has happened to building cushions with crown?  Probably an understanding of how it is built  plays
out in this question.  There are several techniques/issues in how to build the crown.

Cushion crown is accomplished in cushion patterning as well as the filler can. 

Building cushions with crown was - in the tradition period - was done more.  Is the added cost in materials
and labor time the reason?  Or is it mostly about cost?

Do many upholsters get the "crown" request?  Or is your business only requested to build a cushion that
is symmetric and good seaming?

Crowning, I have observed in the newer/cheaper furniture can be or is executed by building them with a deep box and stuffing them (to better understand) with much softer, and thicker foam.  That creates
some crown as the cushion will bulge at the cushion center.  But, tailoring to achieve crown, requires cutting the face plates differently (not straight lines) and as said before, further crown influence can
be achieved with the filler attached to the primary cushion being inserted.

It may be, most like the cording along the edge and the face plates flat?

What kind of feed back do business owners get from consumers - some older consumers have
ask what to do to make a cushion to "just" look softer?

That is what caused me to raise thought and ask if this issue comes up with your business and how
does it usually play out?

Remember the down filled cushions of (mostly) old days.  They certainly involved more engineering and
thought about building furniture cushions.

Doyle

Business has been fairly strong my way but have seen changes (recent years).

Are the politics (tariffs and other stuff in the news) likely to change our small business?

Locally, have noticed a lot of changes in the retailing of furniture.

Can reupholstering compete with "new" going forward? 

What are some good approaches going forward in the small shop?  Diversification and focusing
more on repairs?

Doyle

Lately, there has been a lot of buzz about tools for this or that upholsters can benefit from -

one that I use frequently is my mig welder with oxygen tank.  Easy to understand if one does
auto but other applications are sometimes in furniture.

It sure saves time taking the job to another shop (welding) to have it done.  It does take space to have the equipment on board.  I am probably like most here, do about any type of work - the welder can
speed things up.  Actually, some or a lot of farm equipment has upholstered seats and this is one
dimension where the mig can be quite an asset.

Being in business and taking care of customers to make a living is what it can be about - plus the learning
experience can become added satisfaction, as well as profitable.

Doyle

I ordered in several hides (rather  heavy) to redo some La-Z-Boy chairs -  been in the family for
two or three generations.

Finished the work today with satisfaction experienced with the sewing machine can you believe it?  It performed very well and considerable credit was given to the machine.  Heavy cow hides are bulky and we know what that means when it comes to seaming. 

The machine is a Consew 225 ( there are others available), not new of course but it did offer satisfaction/and perfection in sewing - which I needed working with the heavy leather.

Other machines were available - Intuition and experience steered me to the machine.

Thinking of MoJo  and his ground clearing experience with equipment - I suppose.

There is job satisfaction in upholstery.

Doyle

Doing some decorator pillows (larger number) and read the tags:


Learned that Jo Ann's fabrics are largely owned by foreign (China?), keep that in mind.....

The pillows were labeled as marketed by a domestic company back in the state of CN.  Further, the
enclosure (liner) was imported from another foreign entity (liner w/zipper without filler at this point-- they looked nice) and imported to the Eastern state for the filler to be added and zipped up.

As I said customer bought them at Jo Ann.

In review possibly three countries involved (if info is correct China farmed out the sewing).  What ever is the cheapest is what works because "price" sells!!

So, in review, I cut/sewed/stuffed the decorative pillows in fabric from China.


What's next?  Fast food for me? 

Doyle

Interesting experience lately reupholstering LA-Z-Boy items - manufacturing technology has and is
changing!

I noted patterns by them are very accurate and the equipment/techniques  for sewing are
spot on.  Down to the stitch.

Another technique used by the corporation is the level of differential feed techniques used.

Yes! Very interesting how perfect/accurate their products are created.

But!  Trying to duplicate their capability with technology in the small shop is a challenge.  My shop

equipment just isn't the same.  No differential feed and my process is nothing like their digital approach.

There was part of the work that led to deeper thinking in terms how will this be duplicated -

some couldn't real closely, but the process came out with customer satisfaction.

I am seeing this issue in the newer auto seat upholstery also, their interior support contractors are just as

advanced!  Their work comes out perfect, no flaws any where.

To include in this overview of our work - also, marine work has and is done  digitally gone in this direction also.

All said and left with the thought about - what will shops like ours evolve into?

More replacement of upholstery shipped in to be replaced by installers (less cut and sew)?

Any related experiences to some of these issues - you might care to express?  It it is what it is and

is becoming more interesting as the changes occur.

Doyle

The Laz-boy items I am doing now are amazing items to do when studying their technology used
compared to my shop technology.

This furniture is about 20 years old (+-), but during all the phases I have gone through (tear down,
patterning, cutting & sewing, the main things noticed are their equipment is a few steps advanced
to mine. 

They are in the digital patterning world - the cutting & sewing processes - and overall work so far ahead
of me it becomes a spectacular experience to follow such.

They utilize differential feed on all most every seam to achieve certain effects - very humbling to say
the least.

One important thing rises in my mind - how are upholsters going to be able to cope with these differences in "small shop work" v/s their "factory capabilities?  Don't forget, the technology used by
Laz-boy is probably over 20 years old.  That factory capability noted-- leads my thinking about what their current technology has to offer?  Plenty more I am sure.

More digital services and capabilities I am sure! 

Doyle
   

Mojo,

Your interest - knowledge - and experience in Marketing is all at the highest level.  You participation
is such an asset to small business like myself.

Your important experience, is very beneficial to us all.  Your post are an important thing.

Thanks again,

Doyle

So much of US furniture marketed today was manufactured in China (we know). 

Suspect, others have noticed that other than upholsters.  As an upholster and done considerable repairs over the years have observed that much of the furniture was not - manufacturer labeled.

Sensitivity to imported articles has increased.

With that, I have noticed the same retailers of foreign built upholstery, are displaying colorful tags
attached.  Saw this situation recently where the main tag exhibited in large colorful print bearing the name: "SIMMONS" attached to upholstered pieces.  Simmons, I recalled was a major bedding manufacture, years ago (American of course).

That got my attention and I read the entire tag on the furniture.......... which got interesting.  Turns
out, Simmons them selves are not involved in the literal building.  Instead, they have a contract with
an older builder in the state of MS - read on. 

But this older American builder, as stated on the furniture tag, did not build the furniture.  Additional
reading on the tag, it was learned that they "assemble" parts to the furniture that is actually
manufactured in --- you guessed it:  CHINA. 

Which leads to -  one has to have a greater understanding of the terms -- "Brand (remember Simmons),
Assembler of some parts (remember the MS furniture who is an older company who did build in the past).

Then, searching the furniture tag carefully, China was expressed as a manufacturer - an importer.

Of course, I am biased to think this arrangement of marketing (Simmons), (assembler), and (manufacturer) is an investment but done in a manner that almost shields the fact the product is foreign made - and offers the impression that an American company is marketing a product made in the same country.

Although I am biased, I do think this is a "creative way" of doing business.  Those tags with the
enlarged "SIMMONS" label make a "first impression" that can be very deceptive.

BTW, the information being presented was also noted at another retailer -- down to the letter
of Brand, Assembler, and manufacturer paying a roll in the marketing strategy down to the bold
colorful print of a previous American builder/manufacturer/ etc.

Doyle

Doing some furniture sewing where one pattern is longer and has to be eased into the other.

Most upholstery shops do not use the same sewing equipment as factories for doing
these requirements -- so it would be interesting to hear about your technique.

For example; doing just that now where one piece has to be eased into the other piece about an
inch over a 6 or 7 inch seam (curved seam to give more details).

Anyone done this lately? 

Doyle

This requirement is to prepare foam for installation into the cover when all sides are vertical except the front edge.  That edge has to be cut the shape of a semi-circle (it actually protrudes to the front edge of the sofa in a semi-circle fashion.  Sticks out the farthest out on the sofa at the center of the 7" thickness
of the bottom cushion .  So, in geometric terms, the arc of the foam front edge is cut as a circle with a
3 1/2 radius.

How would you handle this problem?

Doyle

 

Demand has dropped, primarily because prefers softer/more colorful materials for their commodities,
one primary is shoes.  This reduction in demand is driving leather price to lows.

Interesting if this will have a play in price of furniture going forward ..........leather down & imitation up for
furniture?

Leather being more durable with a lower price - furniture market might like this better!

Standby,

Doyle

So much of our furniture and fabrics come from countries like China.  That said, how is this going to play
out on the retailing of the same in the US?

It is an obvious question because the shipper applies the tariff and the receiver pays.  If this issue
becomes significant (fully expected) then it could be a positive for the US producer(not consumers
necessarily).

These are forces to keep our eye on.

Doyle

From reading, I suppose one can expect an import tax on furniture and textiles (or an increase)?

To apply, say on a $400 chair brought in - is there enough information to learn what the increase
would be on an item such as the chair example?

I will keep reading for the answer -- anyone seen literal increase in the cost of imports (furniture)?

Fabric suppliers would see the same increase - % wise.

Speaking as such, are there any fabric mills left in the US?

Doyle

Previously, fabric contents were cotton, rayon, wool, and can't forget  -  the nylon and polyester.

Several of the newer samples use terms like Nano Tex, acrylics, to name a couple.  Well, seems I
remember one more;  100% solution dyed acrylic/polyester ----  How does a shop explain and advise
a customer? 

What will fade or not fade?
What will fray and what is the degree of fray?
Questions and there are more! 

Best way to clean (instructions are not always given.  Some say no cleaning required but "stuff"
can get on the material and that is what has to be removed(dirt and stuff).  Digest that!



It has gotten to the point when a question comes up ----  I just reference the vendors instructions.

What is leather today?
   Top grain (they don't indicate how many lower layers have been cut?
   Processed leather
   Simulated leather
   plus what are the important finishes to understand on leather today?

All makes a sales person back away and wonder how to cope - certainly don't want to get into
a law suit (laws vary by state too).

   
Doyle   

The chairs small curved channel backs without arms,  tight seat on "newer coils" - at first I thought "old".  But on inspection, it became apparent that they were imported partially complete and finished up in
domestic land.  In reading, some of that is going on to reduce tariff in a lot of industries.

The frames actually had glued joinery. 

I suppose the final assembly of previously sewn upholstery could have been installed after
shipping.

Always something new isn't it!

Doyle

I just finished chair upholstery that included double cording - quite a bit.

While performing the work, I did it the way things worked for me  -- that is the cutting, sewing, and
installation.

The requirement met-- was no staples, cord had to be glued.  It was a wing back, and given the turns,
the cord had to look consistent in terms of size and fabric tightness.

The installation, I put the glue on the chair opposed to the back of the cord.  This was done because
there were tight turns to make with the cord.

Oh, I might mention that the cord was sewn in two passes because, given the fabric being applied, it
allowed me to make the cord with consistent tightness.

The cording was glued on approximately a foot at a time.  Didn't want the glue to cool too early.

Back to making the cording;  the material was cut large, sewed, then a final cut to installation size.


As a side comment:
When making the cord, I thought it would be nice to have a folder that would allow cutting the cord material, once before sewing, which would certainly speed the process of sewing the cord.  (I don't do enough to justify a custom folder - maybe some of you do and have such?).

The work turned out fine, so the time spent was worth spending.

Just something to share with you professionals!

Doyle

How is the heavy synthetic webbing actually installed on the heavy out door furniture.  I will explain the
chair:

Very heavy steel or?  made from approximately 1 inch tubing. 

The webbing is installed, in this case, in a small slot opening in the seat frame tubing.  The slot is merely
less than a half inch wide by less than 1/4 inch tall.  It is made this way to accommodate the  2"
webbing which is cut to an arrow head shape.  To install the arrow head is pushed into the slot far
enough until the fins on each side of the head catches inside the pipe.

Further, once the arrow head shape is inside the pipe and caught in that position, the webbing (about
2" like I said) is wrapped around the pipe where the spear head was inserted.

Then, the webbing is pulled to the opposite side and the same installation of the webbing is done there.

The mystery to me what tools/technique are used to get the last end of the webbing installed?

Some of you have seen this and may have the "know how" of installing the end of the webbing.

If so, can you describe how to duplicate what the factory does?

The last end connected looks exactly like the starter end where the arrow shaped webbing end has
to go in first and will receive a couple of wraps around the tubing seat frame.

No picture, but sure anyone in the upholstery business has had this problem brought to them?


This webbing is always very stiff when the chairs are brought to me and might have been softer/flexible
when new is probably a given.  But how is both ends of the webbing done the same way (I don't see it
as something obvious).

The chair frames can't be disassembled to allow the the pipe to be rolled around to get the last end of
the webbing into the pipe first and then spin the round rung to tighten the strap first then install the
rung into the chair frame.

Any contributions on this type of work?

Doyle

The Pfaff 545 thread tension is acceptable for forward motion through put .........but notices the
tension changes a bit (noticeable) when using reverse.

It is the only machine in my group doing it - the Pfaff 1245 tension doesn't change during a shift
in sewing?

I minimized this issue on the 545 by tightening the upper thread tension, but still have a difference.

Why would the tension change in reverse?

Doyle

May as well change the name of my business to something like "new" furniture wood repairs. 

In the process of doing upholstery repairs like we have mentioned on the newer furniture, wood repair
requirements would crop up and taking those on has fueled this kind of work.

Been getting lot of work, even these expensive bed frames (they must be damaged or set up out of calibration (slats/legs, rails, and ledgers) or with damages from whatever. 

I saw that these jobs could be fixed - so did that - and it is adding to the work load.

It too helps pay the bills. 

A comment though - this newer size bedding furnishings - can be very heavy.

In perspective, will antique furniture go away -- I comment because the way it is made - doesn't
convince me things are going to last.  Maybe the very very expensive stuff will though - but some
consumers either can't or will not pay for that level of quality!

This has been some of my recent experiences.

Same for any of you or all of you?

Doyle