Kiplinger Dying Professions

[gene]

Masonary: One who spreads the good news of all the many benefits to building structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar.

No French here, so I'll ask, "Was Bois D'Arc the brother of Joan of Arc?"

That's really interesting, sofaD, finding a tag on an old mattress like that. I wonder if someone was using it up until it got pitched by the side of the road.

I'm working on 4 pieces of furniture that have an interesting deadline. They are moving to Florida next week. They built their retirement house in Bradenton, Florida. I told them if they wanted quality work they should have it done by me instead of waiting until after they moved to Florida. I didn't really say that. They probably checked on the prices for reupholstery in Florida and went with me because I'm so much cheaper. LOL

gene

[sofadoc]

That's really interesting, sofaD, finding a tag on an old mattress like that. I wonder if someone was using it up until it got pitched by the side of the road.

Yes. The customer's name is on the tag (Lynch). Mrs. Lynch had been a longtime customer right up until her recent death.

My grandmother made all her mattresses and recovered all her furniture. Then my mother re-recovered it. And I re-re-recovered it.

[byhammerandhand]

I'll grant you the A but not the D.   Bois d'Arc, since it was a street name.

Oh, and add to the list tattoo artists.

https://www.facebook.com/thatawesometattoopage/photos/a.1719936694891181.1073741828.1719923914892459/1748387075379476/?type=3


And Gene, that was Beau d'Arc, sometimes called Bo Dark in the bars of the time period.  "Joan (breathe, breathe),  I am your brother."

I used to work with a guy from Kansas City who described the Osage Orange wood as "harder than the hubs of Hades."   I have a piece of it and I'd second that opinion.   I don't think I could get a chisel into it.

[byhammerandhand]

What will our grandkids do to spend their days when they don't have to work?

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/robots-are-coming-for-your-job-and-most-of-you-dont-even-know-it-2016-03-10?mod=MethodeStories&link=sfmw_fb

[kodydog]

A day in the life of a robot upholsterer.

Customer goes to a web site and on it are multiple choices of the sofa she wants to recover and choices of fabric.

The electronic voice gives her a price and pickup date. She pays with electronic credits.

Two robots in a van arrive at the house to load the sofa into the van.

When they get back to the shop they do a scan of the sofa and fabric to calculate the best placement of the fabric.

A laser cutter cuts the fabric. It separates the sewing portion from the upholstery portion.

While one robot is sewing the cushions, decking and welts etc. the other is upholstering the fabric to the frame.


I just don't see this happening. At least not with our current robotic system. 50 years from now who knows.

I can see robots in a repetitive manufacturing environment. But as for now, doing what we do, its hard to imagine.

I can see robots reducing the price of new furniture even further. But I cannot see them reupholstering furniture that is not programed into their system. Maybe I'm not looking at the big picture.

[sofadoc]

You forgot a few:

Robot gets bitchy phone calls from customer because fabric was late arriving from supplier, and sofa is finished yet.

Robot didn't anticipate customer furnishing ultra-thin fabric purchased from the bargain bin at Hobby Lobby (even robot can't distinguish between face and back of fabric).

Robot designer insists that 12 yards will do a 15 yard sofa.

Robot refuses to reboot until 50% deposit is paid (even though robot designer has promised to send robot upholsterer a LOT more business if robot upholsterer will give robot designer a substantial discount).

Robot goes on robot upholstery forum like this one, and whines about how overworked, underpaid, and definitely underappreciated robot is.

[kodydog]

And complains about the robot down the street who does less then quality work and is always under computing its estimate.

Were working on two separate church jobs. The first one we're pretty sure we have and the other we're still working on. We just got back from a late night dog walk and noticed a message on the recorder. It was from the pastor. The weird thing was it was in a robotic type voice. It was obvious the pastor dictated this message but it came out in a female electronic voice thanking us for the fabric samples. Weird. Why didn't he just leave us a personal message?

[scottymc]

Two weeks ago I heard the term "brown", used to describe older furniture and antiques. It's meant to be derogatory. I do a lot of reupholstery for retired folks who spent their lives buying the best furniture available and collecting antique furniture. They are downsizing and often cannot give their furniture away to their grandchildren who are married and just starting families.

I think young people like to shop. And if they buy quality furniture that will last a lifetime, they will miss out on the many trips they could have made to IKEA or Costco to replace their broken chairs and worn out sofas.

gene

You've hit the nail on the head, the thrill of the bargain has taken over from the long lasting contentment of a good buy.

[gene]

the thrill of the bargain

Scott, that sounds similar to a gambling addiction. Gambling addicts are after the "thrill" of hitting it big. It's not about actually winning.  :(
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Robots: I wonder what kind of 'off topics' they would write about on their Robot Upholstery Forum?
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SofaD

even though robot designer has promised to send robot upholsterer a LOT more business if

I had a new ID tell me last week that she can bring me a lot of business. This is the third time I've had an ID tell me this. The first one stiffed me for the sales tax on the first job I did for her, and she had me do a lot of estimates including yardage estimates on another big job and then took my work to another uphosterer. She actually called me to ask why I said 12 yards on a love seat and the other upholsterer was saying 20 yards. The second ID gave me one job and I haven't heard from her since. I told this new ID I did not want a lot of business. I'm staying busy and will try to fit her work in if I can. She was not too happy with me not grovelling and thanking her profusely for gracing me with her presence. But she does NEED me to get this current job done ASAP!!!!!

gene

[sofadoc]

She was not too happy with me not grovelling and thanking her profusely for gracing me with her presence.

I've never tried to hide my disdain for ID's on this forum. I have a few that I have a wonderful relationship with. And we have that wonderful relationship because I make it perfectly clear that they need me a lot more than I need them.

Not just ID's, but all customers...........when I start to sense that I'm expected to grovel, that's an immediate deal breaker.

Another topic gone way off course.

[byhammerandhand]

There are some stores around here that advertise, "50% off every day!"   ( well, then that would be the regular price.)

Another, "Guaranteed Low Price or It's Free!!!"  Wonder how often they've come through on that?  "No, we can't beat $1299, here just take it and we can deliver on Tuesday."

And Gene, I think you are over-estimating the capabilities of AI to get so off-topic.

the thrill of the bargain

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Robots: I wonder what kind of 'off topics' they would write about on their Robot Upholstery Forum?
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[gene]

And Gene, I think you are over-estimating the capabilities of AI to get so off-topic.

AI will someday create and store memories. AI will someday replicate human consciousness. AI will someday create life itself. The last remaining unsolved problem going into the 22nd century will be how to get AI to go off topic on discussion forums.  :)

gene

[Rich]

Scott, that sounds similar to a gambling addiction. Gambling addicts are after the "thrill" of hitting it big. It's not about actually winning.  :(
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gene

Gene, I think you used a good word to describe modern society; Addiction. Or we can say "addicted". So many of us I think, are utterly disenchanted (or beaten down) with the pressures of modern life, and are gravitating to whatever thrills us and these thrills are developing into full-blown addictions even though few of us will admit that that's what they are.
Rich