Joe Update/Too Busy

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Been a while I know. 

Joe still takes up a lot of my time (walks, ball & Frisbee throwing).  I don't mind at all, except when he wants to get a bit crazy on our walks and actually look forward to the ball/Frisbee throwing as he's becoming a real showboat. ; ) 

We skipped graduation as I didn't care about ribbons, etc and had also irritated my back by stretching new covering on an RV seat that afternoon.  Sitting on ice sounded way better than tussling with Joe amidst all of those dogs.  Got an email from the instructor this weekend that I need to come in some Tuesday evening as Joe was designated as "Top Dog" of his cycle and there is a nice big medallion that awaits us.  LOL   Anyway, he's secured his position in our household.  Still gets a little crazy but we now have the tools to calm him down (most of the time anyway) and he's also starting to grow out of a lot of his puppy behaviors.  He really is turning into a fabulous dog.

Working on my last boat for the season.  Will do some more work on 2 of them when the boats are not in the water every weekend.  To all marine people, how do you price them?  This boat has been very labor intensive, 2 back 2 backs, flap for the gas tank area and 2 small seats with backs.  Very detailed with husker logos on the backs and gas tank cover.  Bases are wrapped as well.  Most of the screws were rusted to where the blaster stuff you spray on (Panther Pee as it were) only loosened maybe half of them.  We ended up drilling the screws out and will reposition the screws when we reassemble the seats.  I know I need to post pictures of the seats that are finished but just ball park figures on a back 2 back would be great?  I'm not sure what to charge and he didn't ask for a quote before I started work.  Just dropped off the seats and a check to cover materials.  Any rough guestimates would be appreciated.  I don't want to overcharge but I'd also not like to give my work away.

Thanks!!!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

I'm not sure what to charge and he didn't ask for a quote before I started work.

Say nothing---document your time---and take photos of the garbage you are having to deal with. Charge accordingly and if he stammers about the expense---show him the pics of all the extra work you had to do because of the condition of his boat. You might even document one average day: 9:00- 11:30 -- grind off rusted bolts and tee nuts to remove seat, 11:30 to 1:00---cut sew and staple new cover, and reinstall.

[Mike]

wel its been 12 years sence ive seen a back to back . but if I didn't have to replace any wood just rusty nuts. id figure 8 hours max 4 pieces plus one base to recover $675 per back 2 back


here my latest pic of barkly playing with his sis jenny out of pic, hes stating here down

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Got some pictures uploaded.

First one is Joe running (pre obedience training as he is wearing his green nylon collar):



Joe just hanging in the back yard, wearing choke collar so he is in obedience training:



Now to the boat.  First two are the small boat seat/back combinations:





Next is the flap that covers the gas tank (I think that's what it is for).  Still have to stitch the raw edges and tack it to the wood strip:



Original back to back, which actually has two frames under it to wrap:



Next is one of the seat bottoms.  Please not that I have NOT stretched this bad boy.  Just wanted to make sure that everything was going to fit nicely:



Last but certainly not least is one of the seat backs.  Each back has a different Husker logo sewn on the black area above the cream.  Still needs to be cut to size and sewn to the side piece, then stretched.



Still hope to wrap this up by the end of the weekend at the latest but time will tell.

Now this isn't finished product but hope that it will give you a good enough idea of how things will look.  Any comments, price suggestions certainly welcome.

Thanks!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

Lookin' good Virg. Like I said the other night, I haven't done a sleeper seat since Christ was a lance corporal, but with all that welt and 3 colours----I would have quoted 10 hours a set and hoped to get down to Mike's 8 . Especially where space is at such a premium in your shop. It makes it harder to "assembly line" things and make up a little time. My first shop was a 256 sq.ft. / 2 tier choir loft in a 108 year old church. I KNOW EXACTLY what you're dealing with.

Chad is going to be stoked when he sees those! He didn't ask for a quote and I'm sure he will gladly pony up for such great custom work. Respect yourself and bill him honestly.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks for the good words Darren.

Here I thought everyone would comment on how adorable Joe is and how much bigger he has gotten ; )

I think I'll figure using Mike's 10 hours on the back 2 backs and if Chad fusses, I will do some serious explaining on drilling out screws, fixing a couple areas of wood rot, etc.  Not to mention the extreme quality he's getting plus a soon to be kick @ss boat.

Appreciate the feedback.  I'm still always afraid that my seats won't meet their expectations.  I did give them the smaller seats/backs already.  Did not worry about getting paid since I have his back to backs and flap.  They offered to pay but I hadn't figured out charges yet.

At any rate, when they picked them up, Chad broke into this huge smile.  I thought his girlfriend was going to cry when she saw them and then she says in this awestruck voice, "I've got goosebumps all over my arms."  I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing and thought to myself, "Lady, this is ONLY a boat we're talking about." but I thought better of it and allowed myself to basque in the love. ; )

Just about time to walk the boys!

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

wel its been 12 years sence ive seen a back to back . but if I didn't have to replace any wood just rusty nuts. id figure 8 hours max 4 pieces plus one base to recover $675 per back 2 back


here my latest pic of barkly playing with his sis jenny out of pic, hes stating here down

Mike, Barkly is absolutely adorable.  What a fur ball!!!

Your backdrop (boat, water, palm trees) is absolutely gorgeous.  I understand why folks live in Florida.  Just sensational!

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Mike/Darren:

Emailed Chad with my proposed pricing for this project Tuesday and received an email back a little while ago that he's got no problem with my pricing.  WHO HOO!!!  After reading your posts, I bumped my price up by $400.  Probably still should have charged more but Bob was seriously impressed by the price.  Hopefully, my "reasonable" price will lead to more of these specialty, themed boats and I will, of course, increase my price with each project.

I consider this one my "learning project" and so don't mind giving him a certain amount of slack because I had never done this level of complexity and detail before.  Now I know that I can do it and do it very well.  Dang, this job is fun sometimes.

Oh, he also has a white canopy and wanted to know if I had enough leftover vinyl to make a huge "N" in the black/red colors and sew it on.  I'm thinking that the canopy is probably canvas.  I would be much more comfortable sewing canvas onto canvas.  Am waiting to hear back on the particulars of it but I'm definitely game.  Bob said that he can draft a decent Husker "N" for my pattern.

I'm going to send pictures of the completed stuff to my old vet in Kansas.  He's a K-State alum with lots of connections.  Might be onto something here.  Hmmmm.

Thanks again for helping me to charge a fair price for my work.  I'm still a tad unsure of myself, even though after looking at the pictures of the two small seats/backs, I know that I should not be.  Those seat combos really kick!

Virginia

[Mike]

looks great Virginia, don't seel your self short I know you don't want to over charge and scare then away, but your probably low compared to longtime shops , for a lake boat with 2 back to backs a engine doghouse and 2 jumos seal and side coaming panels id be no less then $2500 vinyl only and if its a bow rider 3 or 3500 and ive seen others that say im low,  but it all depends on your market

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks again Mike.  I probably should have charged another $500 or so, based on your prices but this is the first boat I've done with this much detail so it has been a learning project, also a labor of love as a life-long Husker fan.  I am definitely going to increase my prices with the next boat that I work on.  Most of my other boats were simply redoing the same pattern with a different color combination and also didn't have the amount of welting that this one has.  It's been a great fun project and I've learned tons from doing it, like learning how to drill out stripped screws for starters.  Ugh, could have gone the rest of my life without learning that little trick.  LOL.

Gotta get going.  Lots I want to get done and overslept.  Must of been too much birthday excitement yesterday.  At my age, that boils down to overeating.  Bob took me to Olive Garden for supper, SIL brought over muffins for a late brunch so I mostly noshed all day.  Ate way too much salad, breadsticks so ended up bringing at least half of my spaghetti home as did Bob.  The waitress was great and even gave us a to go order of breadsticks so we will have birthday supper again this evening.  Yum!  Cannot wait as OG's breadsticks are absolutely heavenly!!!

Virginia

[brmax]

That is some really nice work you done there Virginia, and Happy Birthday!!
Tailgating at the lake, your to cool

[Darren Henry]

Hey!! Happy belated Birthday Virginia. If I'd of known it was your birthday---I'd have had Bob bake a cake....bake a cake GRIN.

Kudos Bob---OG, kewl! I can't remember the last time I ate out that they didn't ask if I wanted fries with that. This past birthday Winnie bought us some lobster tails and a couple of decent little steaks and we BBQ'd here.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks for the birthday wishes all!

Yup Darren.  OG is one of my favorite places to eat.  Love that huge, never-ending bowl of salad they give you.  Not to mention all of those incredible bread sticks you can eat.  Ya baby!  Heated up seconds tonight might have actually been a tad bit better because Bob added some more tomato sauce and a tad bit of garlic.  Yum!  Sigh, now just have to wait another year

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Joe & I went to obedience class last night to collect his "Top Dog" medallion.  Very nice quality as far as those things go.  Joe was, of course, Joe.  Immediately wanted to yap and there was one dog with a steel looking muzzle that he wanted to butt heads with.  Par for Joe's course.  LOL.  So Michelle gave her little speech and placed the medallion around Joe's neck.  I thanked her and a quick hug later we scurried out the door before he completely disrupted her session.  LOL.

Once our new fence is complete, I will probably have Bob take a picture of Joe wearing his medallion while I hold his diploma and I'll post that.

Virginia