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First of all, I absolutely love that this lady has put her video on youtube. There are so many great furniture frames out there that are finding their way to the dumps when they could easily last for another 75 to 100 years if taken proper care of.

Second, I commend this lady for wearing eye protection while working on furniture.

Now, for those of you not in the good ol' US of A, "nit picking" means: Minute, trivial, unnecessary, and unjustified criticism or faultfinding.

At about 30 seconds into this video, she says, "It's really important that you use your tools in the way that they are designed."

What she is doing is hammering a staple puller with a pair of pliers. She then explains how you need to make sure you are holding the staple puller in your non dominant hand and the pliers in your dominate hand.

But what about people who are ambisinistrous?

So, here's a few quotes:

Penn State Environmental Health and Safety: Never use pliers as a hammer or hammer on the handles. Such abuse is likely to result in cracks or breaks.

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Do not use pliers as a hammer.

Stanley: Do not use pliers as a hammer, screwdriver or pry bar.

MasterCraft: Never use pliers as a hammer or hammer on the handles. They will crack or break.

Graybar: Never use pliers as a hammer or hammer on the handles. They will crack or break.

Here's the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImFLwk2abM0

So, what do you think? Sexist, nit picking, or am I right on!

gene

If you are a golf fan, I am sorry to hear about Seve Ballesteros. I know he was bigger in Europe and especially Spain than here in the USA, but no golf fan here in the States would miss a chance to see him play.

gene

I noticed on the topic of the stripbit that there are 1163 views and 56 replies. I got to thinking about what the record might be for the most views - not counting stuff from the moderator.

I quickly glanced at the first 30 pages and found most views were under 500. A few are over 500, and only 4 are over 1000.

9-2-10 sawdustar 1395 views    51 replies

4-16-10 rnye14    1397  views  11 replies

12-7-10 mojo       1327  views   56 replies

2-5-10 sofadoc     1163  views   56 replies.

I wonder if a lot of these views are spam that the mods take off before we see them.

I wonder if you are wondering why I am even bothering to be thinking about this.

gene

Hello furniture upholsterers extraordinaire,

I would certainly appreciate any resources, such as books or web sites, that would help answer my questions. And resources may be the easiest way to respond.

What is the history of decorative tacks on furniture?

Maybe more specifically, I see furniture with ant trails of decorative tacks, neatly touching each other. I see furniture with decorative tacks that are spread out - sometimes this looks really good, and sometimes it looks like there weren't enough tacks to make an ant trail.

I am having more and more interior designers have me replace decorative tacks with double welt cord. These are not antique pieces.

Is there a rule of thumb for antiques? Does a certain time period or style tend to have ant trails and another time period or style tend to have spaces between the tacks?

I know I'm mixing up a lot of things here. Maybe I can break it down into two areas: 1. What about antiques and decorative tacks? 2. What about non antiques and decorative tacks? Are there any rules of thumb for when and how to apply them? d

Is it nothing more than a matter of taste and style: whatever the customer wants?

I know that I haven't even asked about the styles and sizes and shapes.

Thank you.

Gene

So this guy asks me about reupholstering his boat. I tell him I don't do boats. I did suggest that he might want to think about fixing the hole in the bottom of the boat first, though. What do you think? I don't do boats. Was that good advise?

gene


Actually, I saw these picks on the net and thought there were kind of interesting. I hope someone had insurance or deep pockets.



<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-001.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-001.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-002.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-002.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-003.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-003.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-004.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-004.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-005.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-005.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-006.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-006.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/yacht_completely_destroyed-007.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/boat/th_yacht_completely_destroyed-007.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

This is not upholstery related but many folks on here work with autos all the time, both upholstery and repair.

I bought some brake parts from AutoZone. I got in the car and looked at the receipt. They had sold me some items that I did not ask for and that they did not mention. They just put them in the bag and charged me for them.
I went in to get my money back. They told me that the computer automatically adds items to the receipt and sometimes the clerk forgets to mention it. He certainly remembers to put the items in the bag.

2 years ago the Postal service increased revenue by millions of dollars by taking the 3rd class postage rate off the computer screens at the post office. When you ask, "What's the cheapest rate to send this book", they look at the computer screen and tell you the cheapest rate on the screen. You will get the 3rd class rate if you ask for it, it's just not on the computer screen. Many postal workers complained to their union about this which is why it got into the news.

I watched over the last few years as my Verizon bill increased every month or so by a penny. They were recently sued for stealing money. There was no reason for these pennies other than it was free revenue for them. The last I heard the attorneys were seeking class action status.

I sent an email to Autozone asking them how they expect not to be sued from what they are doing. It seems to me that if you take my money without me knowing it, or through an act of deceit, even if you give me something in return, that is still theft. How about class action for the civil suit and Rico specifications for the criminal complaint?

Who would have thought "Let the buyer beware!" even with Autozone.

gene

I had an interior designer who would occasionally find an awesome upholstered piece of furniture at a thrift store, sell it to a home owner with new fabric. She would have me do the upholstery.

She stopped doing this last year when the main stream news media decided to use bed bugs for their latest fear mongering.

Anyway, I keep thinking about all those awesome pieces of furniture at thrift stores: hard wood frames, ornate wood designs on some of them, etc.

So, my idea is this: I buy one of these for $30.00 I take a picture of it as it is. I then strip it and take a picture of the frame only. I put it on my web site with details about the frame, what types of materials I will use to reupholster it, and my price plus fabric.

The worst case scenario is that I will loose $30.00, loose my time and labor to strip it, and I will have a frame hanging on my wall.

Maybe I would go up to 4 or 5 frames at the most until something sells.

Has anyone done this, doing this, or what are your thoughts about doing this?

Thank you for your replies,

gene

This will be old news for the machine experts on this board. For me it was a little trip to heaven.

I saw a sewing machine the other day. They wouldn't let me touch it. LOL

It was a Juki universal feed. It had a servo motor on the lift foot. You tap the knee bar with your knee and the lift foot goes up. Tap again and it goes down.

It had a true servo motor on the machine, not a variable speed motor. Fully computerized. I think he said $5,500.00 just for the motor.

Tap a spot on the foot pedal, and it sews at a pre-determined speed. Another spot increases the speed. Again 4 times for 4 different pre-determined speeds.

Tap a spot on the foot pedal and it stops, with the needle in the down position. Tap the knee bar, the lifter goes up. Turn your fabric. Tap the knee bar. Tap the foot pedal and off you go.

Tap the foot pedal to stop - the needle is down. Tap again and the needle and lift foot goes up to pull the fabric out.

It is designed to be able to sew without ever taking your hands off the material. Obviously made for people who sew all day long.

The guy showing me it said it increased productivity 20% the first week and the sewing folks were less tired.

It was awesome to watch!


Also, when you stop your machine to pull out the material, if you put the thread take-up lever at the top position, the two threads will come out easily. There will be no need to rock the fly wheel back and forth. I didn't know this. I always wondered why sometimes the thread came out easily and other times it didn't.

"Learn to sew your cushions right, that will be the hardest part of upholstery." Al Chambers, Upholsterer.

gene

I have a brand new Pick Up Gripper at my shop!!!!

I love it. Fabric scraps, hand tools, a bug: no more bending over or getting on my knees to pick stuff up off the floor. It's great.

I love it so much that I'm going to buy a second Pick Up Gripper in case I drop the first one on the floor.

The only problem I now have with picking stuff up off the floor is remembering where I put my Pick Up Gripper.

gene

Hello,

If I only want customers and prospects to see my work and know what new products and services I offer and such, and I do not want to sell stuff online, it seems that facebook would make more sense than a web site: not just easier to do and keep updated but easier for folks to look at.

Anyone have any experience on this topic? I would appreciate your input.

gene

When my Rowenta Steamer died I needed a bit of steam ASAP so I ASAP'd over to Wal Mart. I was surprised that almost all the household irons have vertical steam now.

I bought a $20 beauty and it is amazing. The only difference from my old Rowneta is the price and the water reservoir. If you don't need a lot of steam, and you only need it occasionally, I don't see why I would need anything else.

gene

I had a customer drop off some furniture and fabric (COM) yesterday, Sunday. She found the fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics and with her 50% off coupon it was cheaper to order it from them than through my wholesaler.
However, she went on line and found it for 15% less than the discounted price at Jo-Ann's, including shipping/handling and taxes. It's a Robert Allen fabric.

Many interior designers get paid for their time by marking up fabric. I would think this trend is not a good thing for them.

I've seen this same thing with foam. Our one foam supplier here in town sells to anyone, and on-line. There is no longer wholesale pricing with them. And they raise their foam prices 4 or 5 times a year. They are protecting their margins at their customers' expense. And there are many places on-line that sell it cheaper. I haven't bought it on-line yet because I'm concerned with the quality, but it's getting to the place where it makes sense to give it a try.

Has anyone else noticed that those 80" sheets of foam usually measure out to 79 1/2"? My recent 4 sheets of 24" wide all measured out to 23 3/4" exactly.

Costco and Sams will get into anything that has a high margin. I wonder if they will sell fabrics in packs of 4? (A joke here.)

It's not my intent to complain or to blow off steam. You will know when that is my intent! I'm just sharing some market info that I found of interest.

gene

Vizzini: Inconceivable.
Inigo Montoya:    You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means.

I have a 11 year old car with an automatic transmission. The transmission is starting to slip a bit. Either the transmission is on it's way out, or a change of fluid is all it needs. Probably the first thing, but I'm going to try the second today.

My wife said a mechanic told her that you should never change the transmission fluid on an old transmission because if you do the gears will drop down and it will ruin the transmission.

I can't think of ever hearing something more stupid than this! I am incredulous! Inconceivable!

The upholstery is in great shape for a car 11 years old, by the way. I'm mentioning this to quality my post for this forum.

gene

Peppy had a video on JuneC's post that I didn't understand. He also had a post about a Christmas tree plug that I did understand.

So, here's my post that Peppy's posts reminded me of. You've got to watch the entire thing to 'get it'.

What?

http://wimp.com/itsdecember/

gene

There's another forum I visit on another topic entirely, and the admin has stopped accepting new folks for awhile because he said he was getting hit with too many spams coming out of Russia.

We won the cold war but they seem to be winning the spam war.

gene

I once dated a lady named Poly Fiber Board. But that's for another topic.

http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/DSCF2064.jpg



Has anyone used Poly Fiber board? 2" x 30" x 60" sheet. 32 oz. Price is only $30.50. It easily splits in half.

My supplier says a lot of people are using it for outdoor cushions because it is so much cheaper than outdoor urethane foam. I wonder how well it wears outdoors? They said water passes through it. I wonder about mold and mildew also?

I just did a dining room slip seat with it because the customer wanted a base that was more firm than the molded urethane foam that came with the chair. It looks nice but I wonder, again, how well it will wear.

Thank you,

gene

Yep, I almost made it throught the entire year without a redo.

I finished a beautiful fully upholstered arm chair, loose back cushion, loose seat T cushion, tailored skirt. It has a matching ottoman with an attached cushion and matching tailored skirt.

I put the chair skirt on this morning and had plans to deliver later today. As I was cleaning up the shop I saw a plastic shipping bag. It had the same customer's name on it and 1 yard of fabric.

The fabric on the furniture is light brown, micro fibre - top of the line. The 1 yard in the bag was a darker brown fabric with a small pattern.

I thought "Oh, they must want a pillow or two." NOPE!!! The darker brown fabric was for the contrast welt cord that was to go on the chair and the ottoman.

If I were a beer drinker I would be crying in my beer.

When I have a problem, I ask 3 questions:
1. What happened?
2. What needs to be done to fix the problem?
3. What needs to be done so it won't happen again?


For #3 I thought of firing the person who did not read their own work order, but that would be me.

It doesn't help to take copious notes if you do not read them later.

gene

Hello fellow sewing afficionodos.

My sewing machine used to purrrrrr, just like Oliver and Chunkie when I scratch their heads (my cats). Yesterday it started to thump, thump, thump, just like Jesses' tale on the floor (my yellow lab) when he sees me reaching for the box of doggie treats.

It's actually a very rythmic thump. I was trying to get the speed of my sewing to match the songs on the radio.

Anyway, I am thinking that a purrrrr is better than a thump, and I will be looking into the matter first thing tomorrow morning.

Does anyone know what I might want to look at first? Is this a common problem?

Thank you for your help. (I am more concerned about this than I am letting on with this post.)

gene

I have a new customer. I told her several times on the phone and via email that I take a deposit with the order. When she brought in her order, she did not have a deposit. I told her I needed a deposit.

She is in her 60's, at least. She said getting a deposit will be a big problem. She then started jumping up and down in circles, just like a 3 year old child. Did she just do that? Yes she did.

Not yet being the kind of business person that I hope someday to become, I took her project without a deposit and told her that she will need to pay for the project in full before it leaves my shop. It will not leave my shop without payment in full, by the way. I wrote that on my blackboard.

Oh, and of course she wants it done by Thanksgiving.

I don't think I will be doing any more work with this person. Her baby tantrum was just too creepy!!!

gene

I've found change in furniture before, but this is ridiculous!

http://humormachine.blogspot.com/2010/11/sofa-made-of-coins-by-designer-johnny.html

gene