Boat project, first time upholstering

[Lmc530]

I am a newbie to this discussion forum.. but have done some boat upholstery before.. I am planning on starting a project myself and  taking on small projects on the side...

Looking for recommendations of what hand tools are a MUST in getting started for marine upholstery.. I was working with someone else previously and they were his tools.. Also - any suggestions for where is the best place to purchase upholstery tools..

[kodydog]

any suggestions for where is the best place to purchase upholstery tools..

Go to the top of the page and hit suppliers. Also most retail upholstery shops will sell most of the tools you need. But what you really need is to find a local wholesale supplier. Not only for tools but supplies too. If we knew where you were some of the kind folks on this site might point you in the right direction.

[Lmc530]

I am located in New Haven County, CT.. so any suggestions for wholesale suppliers would be appreciated.. 

[Peppy]

I'm about to start on the seat bottoms, but I'm a little concerned as they look to be considerably more complex then the backs.  The back of the bottoms is wrapped separately from the front piece, looks like I will need to make the front and rear pieces complete, sew the piping to one and then sew in the other.  Then the rear goes on first and gets stapled down under where the front foam goes, front foam gets inserted and vinyl pulled over it.  Make sense?  Any tips or pointers?  It's been slow going lately, Fire Academy had been killing me in this heat!

Thats called a stretcher, or a listing, or a stay. Try searching it on the forum, although since everything just went missing you might not find good stuff. Draw a line on the stretcher down from the piping, that's the same distance as the height of your skinniest piece of foam, and staple it to the board on that line. Try it out. And try searching. Good luck! Don't be afraid to screw it up! Failure is a wonderful teacher!

[slow96z]

OK, Fire Academy is over, school is back in, Dad's boat seats are finished, garage is clean and it's too hot for soccer....back to work!  I have finished half of one of the seat bottoms and will be doing the cover and stretcher for the 2nd piece of foam tonight.  Wish me luck!  Will post pics when this one is finished.  It's the scariest of them aside from the driver's seat so I did it first.

[slow96z]

So I did the seat bottom and it turned out usable, but not what I would call good.  I would appreciate any advice I can get here.  The corner that looks like it is about to tear through has already been cut off, won't matter on the seat fit and will make the vinyl last a little longer.

Here are the pics:









Thaks for looking and for any advice I get.

[Mike8560]

Hey sloz lookin' good I alway find the seat bottom are much easier then the backs how did they come out? Tou must have them done by now I'd like to see the  wrap also   

[slow96z]

I have most of them done, only 2 to go (not counting capitan's chair).  I don't have the boat right now so I don't have lots of pics; here are 2 that I do have.





The wrap is in the process of getting printed, should have it by next Wednesday.  I spoke to the wrap guy yesterday and he told me as he was pulling the boat out of his driveway he ran off the curb and broke one of my axles on the trailer so I'm going today to help put a new one in.  He is paying for it and covering the vinyl used in the wrap as compensation, I'm not arguing. 

Here is the photoshop rendition of what the wrap will look like, what do you guys think?  I know it's a little over the top, but I wanted it to have something to do with my wife and I have always called her Baby Girl so I think it's fitting.

[JuneC]

It's coming out great!  Really nice looking work for a first-time project.  You can slap yourself on the back for that.  Next, your friends will be coming out of the woodwork with their boat projects...  beware  ::)

June

[slow96z]

Thanks June, it means a lot to me hearing compliments from the folks on here; makes me feel like I know what I'm doing!  I'm not worried about doing friends boats, they don't mind paying me for the mechanical and audio work I do, I would assume this would be the same.  I like the work, thinking I might start picking up cheap boats, redoing the interiors and selling them as a side business, but that's winter work.