Good Thing he is My Son

[Mojo]

It is a very good thing this mat I am working on is for my son. I now have someone I can take out my frustrations on. I think this is probably one of the worst projects I have ever done in regards to size and weight. This Tuff-Stuff weighs a ton and is an absolute royal PITA to shove around while sewing.

Last night my wife helped me do the center seam and we had one end in the Up shop and the other end through the garage . She carried and controlled the fabric while I sewed. So glad to have had the boss helping me. I would have never gotten done otherwise. I still may end up with a hernia. I cannot wait to see the cost for shipping. YIKES.

Here is the setup:  http://s181.beta.photobucket.com/user/throgmartin/media/Upholstery%20Projects/CarWashMat2_zps566d8502.jpg.html

http://s181.beta.photobucket.com/user/throgmartin/media/Upholstery%20Projects/CarWashMat_zps95a9027d.jpg.html

For those of you who missed my previous post a month or so ago it is a car wash mat that my son will use inside his barn to prevent water from running all over. In some localities they are the law, people cannot wash their cars without one ( not even in their driveways ). He just wants to contain the water, pump it out into the yard and prevent ice buildup on the drives and inside the barn.

A bit of good news, I did become a Grandpa today for the third time. My new Grandson Danniel Lee was born. Baby and Mom are doing great. One car wash mat for one grandson.
I got the better of the deal I reckon. :)

Chris

[Darren Henry]

Hey Chris; Congrats on the new addition to your family.How far away does your son live? Are you going to be able to see the baby often?

I hear you about those large tarps being tough. They put in an outdoor market this spring/summer here in town and we had to make the "tents" that they put over the stalls.They look like pyramids out of what y'all call 18 oz Herculite.10-10ftX10ftX8ft peak, 1-9 1/2X23 1/2 X10 ft, and my favourite a 20X30X10 for the food court.I had to take a generator and my machine down to the far end of the RV lot to find enough room for two of us to wrestle it through the machine.I'll try to find the pics I took of it.

[JDUpholstery]

I did a large tarp before I moved into my shop and was still working out of my living room...we had to move the machine out into the driveway to do it....was a huge pain!

Congrats on the new grand kid....teach those grandkids how to sew and sit back and enjoy retirement! lol

[Mojo]

I could have went with a lighter material but I have always suffered from over build syndrome. I discussed the project with MiamiMike and his recommendation, since it was going to be dragged around on concrete and drove over by vehicles to go with Tuff-Stuff. it is one awesome material but dang is it hernia inducing.

My son lives in Michigan and we typically get to visit with the grand kids twice a year. I miss them but after 42 years of Michigan winters I am done with frigid conditions. :)

JD, I would never do that to my grand kids. Let them be Doctors, nurses, lawyers, astronauts, airline pilots. Anything but stitchers.....LOL... :)

Chris

[Mike]

Congrats on te new grandkid!   Tuff stuff herculite is a royal pia when seeing. Big  stuff.
Bigest things i did luckily were a open mesh wesve drop curtians. For a boat rack storage facility up north they wanted some snow protetion. I had to make about 4 curtians about 30' wide and four racks maybe 40' tall. Luclity te mest was wide 10' on the roll   I still have some peicec left over that ive had for years. I like to lay a window panel on the do as. Ot to scratch ehile eorking or a boat seat while stapling and spinning around it slides nice.

[sofadoc]

Please tell me the new kid doesn't look anything like Grandpa. ;)

Grandkids are fun. Wish I'd had them first.

A customer of mine (who happens to be a divorce lawyer) gave me his business card. My Grandson found it in my pocket, and asked me about it. I teased him by saying that "Nana" and I were getting a divorce. He didn't buy it for a second.

He just said "Aw c'mon. You guys have been married 35 years! Surely you can make it a few more".

[JuneC]

Congrats on the grandkid, Chris!  I'm done with big pieces.  I just send the customer to the competition.  Something that size needs to be handled by an awning company.  How will you seal the seams on it?

June

[Mojo]

June:

I used seam tape and a # 17 needle with Solarfix 2000 ( 138 ). I did a water test and didn't have one drop escape. I was pretty amazed.

I am sore as heck wrestling this thing around. I told my son not to mention it to any of his OCD car buddies as I will never make another one. I had about $ 175 into it and they are selling for $ 1,000 to 1,200. Great profit but not worth it.

If I had an 8 ft x 20 table no worries. But I am dealing with a 4 x 8 table. Out in the garage I was using one 3 x 6 ft plastic table and a another 3 x6 table on the feed side. Never again.

Dennis: Lets hope this kid looks like me and acts like me. I am quite the handsome stud. lol.... :) In my dreams anyway. :)

Chris

[Allan]

Chris

How about a pic of the bunding spread out

What did you use around the edges to keep the sides up?

Allan

[Mojo]

I just unrolled it Allan to fold it up for shipping.

I sewed large pockets all the way around. You slide foam swimming noodles into the pockets which creates a 3 inch ridge. The ends then fold over and velcro.

I did take pictures of it laid out and will post them later. Hope things are going well for you mate in the land of OZ. :)

Chris

[Mojo]

Allan:

Here you are mate. Pictures of the wash mat laid out. I left my car in the picture to give you an idea as to the size. As I said the long sides you insert the swimming noodles into then you lay the noddles on the ends and velcro them down.

If you toggle through the pictures you will also see my Aussie wife.

June I believe it was you ( or maybe Bobbin ) who wanted to see pics of our doggies. We have 3 GSD's. One of the pictures is of my daughter Natalia and our former male Trooper. Those are in this library as well in addition to my old fat butt. The scenery shots were taken on HWY 421 and at lake Holston by our house in TN.

http://s181.beta.photobucket.com/user/throgmartin/media/TazCCRPuppyPic_zps83ae43a3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Chris