Just thoughts from an old upholsterer

[baileyuph]

Just reupholstered an older, very old that is, Lane recliner.  A rather small one, if you will.  It would be a contemporary style. 

On introduction, it appeared to be a cake walk........well wasn't terribly detailed but for its age, the patterning wasn't as simple as it appeared (particularly backrest).  Something else noticed is how durable the mechanisms were made back then, nothing like what is encountered today.  The manual adjustment and internals looked like a series of shafts driven through universal joints and to also point out none showed mechanical wear. 

The owner has had it since new, I suspect 50 years (?) and comments its comfort is not surpassed by newer junk.

That is what deeply entrenched older upholsters have flowing through their mind as they go about business.  Wink.  Something some readers may not identify with?

Doyle

[sofadoc]

My earliest recollection of Lane brand recliners was in the 80's. And they had definite weak points in the mechanisms. I used to take Lane mechs to a nearby welder at least once a week.

The welder didn't know that I was an upholsterer. He thought that I was just bringing in my own personal recliner mech. every week for repair.

One day, he said "You know..........if you'll just get you a La-Z-Boy, you'll stop having these problems".

[SteveA]

Are you sure that welder doesn't do roofing ?

SA

[baileyuph]

This Lane was a little older, but same builder also built La-Z-Boy.  They weren't high volume at the time, well not like today.

I did a mechanism replacement in a 15 year old Lane or was it two of them.........excellent mechanisms. 

Opinions are like noses, most have one.

Doyle

[kodydog]

Here is what I reciently wrote on my business fb page about this recliner,

If you have a recliner from the 60's or 70's do not throw it away. We just recovered this La-Z-Boy recliner. Built in 1979, the mechanism and hardwood frame were still in excellent shape. We stripped it to the frame, replaced all the padding and added a fresh layer of fabric. Good as new and better than any recliner found in stores today.

It'll last another 30 years compared to a new recliner that is engineered to last about 6 years. If you stop and think about it the price on a new recliner hasn't gone up in the last 15 years. But inflation has and I can attest that supplies have.

So how have furniture manufactures kept the price of recliners so low. They use cheap labor from China. Cheap supplies including foam and fabric. And sub-standard craftsmanship including frames that fall apart and mechanisms that are made with cheap metal.

Also, Having your recliner reupholstered at Ladd Upholstery Designs insures you the highest quality and saves another piece of furniture from going to the landfill.

[gene]

Someone recently told me that they work with medical pads and a national furniture store known for having very cheap furniture. He didn't mention what his involvement was. He said the biggest expense for both of these industries is foam. The easiest way to increase profits is to keep finding ways to use cheaper foam - which is difficult because foam prices keep going up.

I would love to have an outlet for old furniture frames and old recliners like those mentioned on this post. One ID said she would love for me to have 30 or 40 stripped down furntiture frames hanging on my walls that she would come in and pick and choose which one she wanted for her clients.

There just aren't a lot of folks who know about old furniture and most folks just don't care. Give me something quick and cheap to buy so I don't miss anything on TV.

I think your approach, kodyD, to educate folks on FB is awesome.

The other issue for me is that my time is maxed out with customer's work. The only way I could venture into new areas is to have employees or subs work for me.

gene

[byhammerandhand]

Make a deal with the ID:
- He/she will buy the furniture by scrounging yard sales, estate sales, and auctions.
- Transport to a warehouse for storage, and pay for the storage space
- Pay for the labor to strip off (in advance)
- Eat the cost for frames, once stripped, that are not worth saving or for which there is no demand
- Bring the piece to your studio when a client wants one upholstered to order.


Now, I bet it doesn't look so good to them any more.  :-)  Heck, I bet you'd even refer other IDs to that warehouse for selection and the ID can get the mark up.

...
One ID said she would love for me to have 30 or 40 stripped down furntiture frames hanging on my walls that she would come in and pick and choose which one she wanted for her clients.

[sofadoc]

One ID said she would love for me to have 30 or 40 stripped down furntiture frames hanging on my walls that she would come in and pick and choose which one she wanted for her clients.

If you DID have all those stripped down frames, she would look at them and say "Well-l-l-l-l........I dunno.............it's kinda hard to tell what they'll look like..........could you pad them up?"

I'm with Hammer. Let the ID do all that fun stuff.