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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGl_leuxlUE

Now that I have a You Tube Channel, I have started uploading videos on a project I have wanted to do for some time now.  It is a series on how to upholster a wing chair, the first part is doing an evaluation.  I am targeting this series to people interested in doing it themselves with little, or no experience, so I plan on keeping it fairly simple.  I will be uploading new videos as fast as I have time to edit them.  If you would like to stay updated on each part it would be best to subscribe so you can be emailed on each new chapter.  If you have been watching my videos on the bus conversion, I think you will notice a difference, at least I hope so. The bus conversion is my private personal time and the how to series is hopefully a little more professionally done, although with the equipment I have available "professional" will have to be a relative term. :-[
I will attempt to post the proceeding chapters here, but like I said subscribing would be the best.  You Tube limits me to about 10 min. videos, so there will be a lot of chapters.  Anyway, hope you all enjoy and I hope this helps people wanting to learn this fascinating trade, or art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOM7FTJfeG8

Hey everybody, I just posted a new bus conversion video in the Green Room for anyone who is interested in watching.   I also now have my own youtube channel at www.youtube.com/user/mjamsdenfurniture.  I will be using this channel to upload video with subject mater related to upholstering, furniture making, general woodworking and some day to day stuff, I already have a few videos up.  The bus conversion videos will stay at my son's channel, serama555.  If any of you would like to subscribe I would appreciate it, but you have to have a youtube account to do so, you don't have to upload any video though and many people have the account just to subscribe and make comments.  When you subscribe you will get an email every time someone you subscribe to uploads a new video.

I finally have the new sub floor in, finished it in August, but just couldn't get around to editing and posting the footage.  I have accomplished a few other things since getting the floor in, I will get that up as soon as I can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOhLxBhGWV8

I know every body is just sitting on the edge of their seat waiting on the next video, so I got this one right out to you all. ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzkAJ4rQ24A

I have a contract client that I have been working with for a number of years. Recently I noticed a drop off in work and by keeping my ears open I found they were using another upholster.  I don't blame them, I would also use more than one upholster if I was in their situation.  Today I found out their "other" upholster had committed suicide.  I was also told he was cheaper than I was, but not as good, no surprise there you get what you pay for.  It was also mentioned that if I needed some extra business I could lower my prices and pick up some extra work.  I just smiled and nodded, but really wanted to say "yea so I can be the next one to commit suicide."

I feel horrible for the guy, I know how stressful being an upholster can be.  People who have never run an upholstery business do not have a clue just how stressful it can be.  I wonder if it has something to due with how much of ourselves we put into each project, any craft or artistic venture must be similar, I would imagine.  Anyway, just the attitude of using someone up and throwing them away really struck a nerve, maybe I will raise my prices for that particular client >:(

I now have both side walls finished and the rear sub wall complete.  The next step is to rip out the floor and repair any rust, clean out all the duck work, replace old fiberglass insulation with pink board and install new flooring.  I am really dreading ripping out the old floor. It is going to be the biggest job yet, but there is no way to get access to all the duct work which has 30 years of human hair and God only knows what else built up in there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVrEzLlJh4g

I had a customer call to tell me that the skirt on her sofa has wrinkled up.  I upholstered the sofa for her two years ago and she said it just happened.  She sent pictures, and it looks like a skirt does just after upholstering, but before the wrinkles are steamed out.  I have never had a skirt do this and was trying to think of possible reasons.  The sofa is in a summer home next to a lake, I was thinking that during the hot humid weather while the house is closed up the backing of the skirt may have gotten damp and shrunk.  Causing the wrinkling, but I am not sure.  I do not remember exactly what I used for the skirts backing, but it is either a heavy cambric, or denim.  I will go and steam it for her, but I already did that once two years ago, just before delivery and would like a solution that is long term.  It was customer supplied fabric and my warranty has expired, but if I can fix it by just by steaming, I will not charge her.  Has anyone ever run into this before?

Hi everyone, my son, Nick put together a new web site for the business, he did all the art work, design and layout.   Jack Carr at carrscorner.com made it all work.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

I am very happy to be typing on the forum this morning :D  On Friday we hired a plumber to fix some plumbing that I have been to busy to get to, anyway I ended up having to help.  Everything went well and at the end of the day I was picking up my tools, I bent over to pick up a drill and that was it, it took everything I had just to stand up again.  I ended up spending the weekend in bed, as I laid there and listened to all the Harleys going buy stewing.  I'm still sore today, but at least able to get around relativity pain free. It's amazing how we take the little things for granted until we cant do them.

I was wondering how many of us have their business on face book?  My son set up a face book page for me and I just realized you can set up a business page also.  I am just learning my way around it, so my page is kind of unorganized at the moment, but just thought I would find out what others are doing.

Here we are finishing up one wall, I miss spoke and said we used 1 3/4 inches of pink board, but we actually used 1 1/4 inches.  I was in a hurry and just wanted to get her DONE   ;D  It really feels good to be able to sign off on something!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTpDb6nAjr4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIGpNbC3vHY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTw9lMIlgq8

Its been a while since my last update and yes I am still working on those darn radiators. >:(  Man what a bunch of work, sure are more involved that just replacing a radiator in a car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-wLSxjTQQ8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObuzt0k9pg

Anyone have any suggestions on how to make vinyl buttons without the vinyl separating from the backing.  I have tried heating the vinyl, using a backer fabric, lubricating the vinyl and molds all without success. I am using standard duty molds.
Thanks
Mike.

It is starting to get cold out, so I decided to get some outside work done on the bus.  It needs new radiators, so my son and I pulled out the old ones last weekend.  He made a video of the process hope it works.
The first video shows our progress so far and the second one is removing the radiators.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiCCa366Uu0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCQyG04xY7s

This weekend I was able to strip the old ceiling out of the bus.  The original insulation is in good shape and it is 1 3/4" thick.  I am unsure if I want to use it, or replace it with something else.  Pink, or blue board has a little higher R value, but not much.  Anyway, if I just attach the new ceiling material to the metal frame frost and moisture will be transferred into the cabin through the screws used to hold up the new ceiling.  To try and avoid this, I started applying 1/2" plywood strips to the roof frame work.  The tight curves will have to be cut from something different, probably solid wood.  These strips will lower the ceiling some, but will give additional room for more insulation, will insulate the screws used to hold up the new ceiling and will be easy to drill holes in for running wires.  



I also removed some of the rivets holding on one of the inner panels.  There is also insulation behind this panel.  It appears to be fiberglass wrapped in a bag.   I am thinking of leaving this insulation and adding a 1/2" of celotex insulation over the panels.



I will post more updates as I go.

This project may take a little explaining.  My wife and bought a new 30 foot travel trailer back in 2000.  We were very excited to have it and we towed it around camping for a couple of years.  My father had a seasonal site at a camp ground and we had the opportunity to put our trailer next to his, so we rented a seasonal site there.  It was fun and nice to just jump in the car and spend a weekend at the lake, but I was busy in the shop and we ended up not using it enough to justify the expense, so we towed it home and parked it in our driveway.  I always had trouble chasing leaks around the roof, every time we used it I had to climb up there and reseal some section.  I figured the trailer flexed so much during towing that it needed regular resealing, so when we towed it home I cleaned the roof good and sealed the whole thing.  I was real busy in the shop, so we didn't use it for several years.  My father bought a new motor home and last year moved to a new camp ground.  My wife decided it was time we started having a life once again and we had the chance to park out camper next to my fathers, so we towed it out last fall and put it in storage.  This spring our site was not ready and we had to wait until mid summer to put it on the site.  Once in place we started going out to camp and getting the trailer ready.

I was so heart broken when I saw the look in my brides eyes, even my father who is normally as male dump as I am picked up on it and told her not to cry that it would be ok.  Our camper that we were so proud of just a short 10 years ago was all rotten.  I couldn't believe it, I first noticed it at the door bottom and figured I could fix that easily enough, but as we continued cleaning and getting it ready we soon found additional spots.  The floor on one side of the entry door was real spongy.  One corner in the master bedroom was all rotten, as well as the roof over the bunks and the fridge.  The floor under the slid out rotted and I have no idea how I am going to get the slid to go back in.  I usually do not hesitate to take on big projects, but this is one I cant justify putting the needed time and effort into.  It is junk, and rebuilding junk is just not worth it.  I have to take some credit, I should have tended to the roof while the trailer was sitting.  I made the mistake of thinking since it was not flexing from towing that it would be ok, dumb idea.  So what does a man do when he see's the woman he loves just about in tears?

Does anybody remember the old pick ups that had cardboard headliners?  They were colored and were embossed with a grain pattern.  I had a customer call looking for a replacement, I called Miami and was told they no longer carried these panel boards.  Anyone know a good source for these?