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Messages - mike802

541
General Discussion / Re: Pulling my hair out
June 29, 2010, 10:14:13 am
on my Adler I have to hold the thread, top and bobbin for a couple of stitches, or it gets sucked in and balls up.
542
QuoteIt seems more likely to me that the go between was supplying the fabric and realised they would be carrying the can.maybe?.


Good point, hadn't thought of that.  My wife thinks the whole deal was fishy.
543
General Discussion / Re: Slashed roof. (car stuff)
June 28, 2010, 12:34:08 pm
Hi Grebo:  I am not sure how that translates into dollars, but sounds expensive to me.  I can do most convertible tops for $2500.00 or less, but I admit to never having worked on that car.  Tops do not patch well and I would highly recommend replacing the top.  All those staple holes will weaken the top and I would not guarantee it to stay in place a highway speeds.  Most tops are stapled onto the frame, but like I said, I have never installed a top on that make and model.
544
QuoteSo who does in fact warranty the material?  I would have to assume that the supplier would back their products with a warranty, no?  I do understand that the supplier is NOT going to go out to locaiton, remove failed product, and then install new, so it's not about that. 


Hi Gregg:  I feel that it is about that because if someone buys fabric remnants off E-Bay, a remnant and closeout store, or a mill that retails seconds your right, who is going to warranty the fabric, if it has one at all?  If that same person had purchased their fabric from the upholster they would have a professional to go between them and the supplier, who ultimately contacts the manufacturer.   I have been through this process a couple of times and the questions I am usually asked are; A Does the fabric look like its been abused in anyway to cause the damage.  B Was the fabric professionally installed and properly cleaned.  Improper cleaning can void the warranty on some fabrics.  Even if the company decides to honer their warranty it only covers the cost of the fabric, not the labor for reupholstering.

When a customer has a piece reupholstered from me and also buys the fabric from me I will go the extra mile to make sure that customer is happy, weather or not the manufacture is willing to warranty the fabric.  But if the customer is c.o.m than my hands are tied regardless of how much I want to help.

DB:  To the best of my knowledge this is a private home, I have not dealt directly with the homeowner, but a go between, which could explain my getting the job initially, then being told to stop work.  I suspect my estimate came in within budget, so I was given the go a head before the owner saw the paper work?
545
We have talked alot on this forum about customers supplying their own fabric and the different policys used by shop owners concerning this.  Some just wont take the job, others charge a cutting fee, but regardless of a shops policy most all have a disclaimer to protect themselves against fabric defects, shortages, human error,dye lot changes, or the manufactures warranty.  Last week I gave a quote on a large job with many different pieces, the labor came in around ten grand.  The customer wanted to supply their own fabric, so I added my disclaimer to the estimate. Because I would not guarantee "their" fabric I lost the job.  Maybe they used the disclaimer as an excuse not to have the job done because they could not afford it, but I doubt it.  I actually had a preliminary go ahead, received a chair and fabric because they wanted to get it back quickly, but after the chair was striped I was told to stop working because of my disclaimer.  Weird, but I cant take the risk of being "shorted" with 500.00 a yard hand woven silk from Persia and be expected to cover the whole yardage because it.  Unfortunate, but maybe it's all for the best.
546
QuoteSo did you re-use them? ;P
LOL! :D
547
I always use ss staples on out door projects.  I just reupholstered some boat seats for a guy and the original staples were stainless.  No salt water around here, but boat seats like to soak up the water and the foam holds it like a big sponge.  The wood was rotted out, but the staples were in good shape.
548
Very nice fit on those covers.  Way back when I was still doing canvas work I always left a little for shrinkage, your covers fit so nice and tight, I wonder it they will still fit in a year or two?  It is not my intent to criticize, you do very nice work and i can see a lot of time went into it.  Maybe I was over cautious and worried about returns to much.  I only had one cover ever come back, that one I was doing outside because my shop was full and I got caught in a rain storm.  The canvas (sunbrella) got wet and I went ahead and finished the job, apparently being wet the canvas over stretched and the only way my customer could get the cover on the boat was to soak the cover in the lake before installing it.  I ended up making a new cover, hopefully you make money on the first cover, but it you have to make a second it cost you money.  Guess I became a little gun shy after that.
549
QuoteNo offence but I just had to respond to someone ditzing 25 bucks an hour
I WISH I MADE 25 BUCKS AN HOUR


So don't I.  My shop rate is much higher than that, but if that is what I grossed, I would have to pitch in to work here. ;D  If you don't understand the difference between gorse and net you will learn the hard way.

Stick to your guns Kathy, if your competition is real and not independently wealthy he, or she will have to raise prices, or starve. I have had several shop in my area come and go, they set up, charge very low prices and usually fold within a year or too.
550
Thanks Roy: Really enjoyed the post.