how many hours

[daveich]

I was wondering how long  it take most of you to do a 2'x2'x4" cushon with a zipper and you make the welting. to take the old one apart patturn, cut and sew.  I know I am still stating out and am slow, just how slow I would like to know. will let you know later. how long it took me. thanks Don

[Mike8560]

Probly about 1/2 hr
but I'd charge 1 hr you didn't mention new foam I gueese just recovering

[Ihavenoname]

a 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 inch boxed welted cushion.

A guess about 2 hours to cut, sew and install the cushion. 2.5 if New foam and dacron.


Did I understand right. Some one said they could make it in  about 1/2 hour?

Sorry if I offend. I just don't see how it can be done.

4x24x24 cushion

Get out the fabric
Lay it out
figure a pattern if need be
make sure you have enough fabric
Lay it out your pattern
Chalk out your pattern
Start cutting out 2 cushion tops, 2 widths of boxing, 5 width of welts, 2 zipper halfs.
Don't forget the register marks
Label your parts
Change the red thread before you sew to white to match the fabric
Now I need to readjust the tension on the machine with new color. ( I always do)
Start sewing
Sew on the welting to the top
Sew the welt to the bottom.
Sew up your zipper boxing
Sew the zipper boxing to the boxing
Bobbin ran out so change your bobbin
Now sew the zipper/boxing to the top/welting
Sew the bottom to the  boxing/zipper
turn it rightside out
Make sure it all is lined up
Fix any thing that is not right
Grab the old foam core
Install it into the new cushion cover
Make sure the welting is all facing up and the seam is down.
Add a bit of padding to fill in the worn corners
Zip it closed
Fold up the left over fabric(or role if a lot)
Put it together with a bill
and call customer to pickup.

Yep. 27.5 minutes.  I should have never questioned it.

OK , ok just having a little fun. Maybe is it doable but not by me.

Again sorry to offend if I did.

To me I found it a little offensive to say it could be done in about 1/2 hour. But maybe?

sorry again no hard feelings I hope. If so I'm again out of turn.

But for me I'm guessing 2 hours from start to out the door.

[baileyuph]

You forget a fussy pattern match, possibly a strip to make it worse.

I would go with the 2 hour estimate, especially if it is with fussy fabric.  

Eliminate the cording, and in a solid non fussy fabric, using old foam but in good condition, if I am on my game, it could take me a bit over an hour.  Some fabrics and stable vinyls can be easier to sew than fabrics that can be dealt with in furniture.

A boat seat, where cover is stapled to base, no welting and no top stitching at the seam, may take me 45 minutes if the foundation is in pretty good shape and I don't screw up. ;)

Time will vary for most workers as there are so many things that influence speed.  Phone can ring three or four times or not at all.  Another point, not to forget, is the sales and delivery time can easily be a half hour.

Usually a job like a chair/couch cushion, I can get into consternation about the foam to properly use to satisfy customer demands.  Some want 3.0 density while another will require something even higher density.  All these things are details that to properly serve the customer will drive the time.

Where one can gain efficiency is having a requirement for dupes of the same.  That is a good way the average time can be much less.  

A small custom shop is not normally an assembly line.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Too many factors to consider. I've done 'em in a 1/2 hour. I've taken nearly 2 hours. Depends on shape, and pattern.
But with a plain fabric, and simple dimensions, a 1/2 hour isn't far off for me.
These times can vary depending on whether you're doing several, or just one cushion.
But since I don't answer to anyone, I really don't keep a close track of my time.
Some days, the daily commuter puzzle takes 25 minutes, other days, only 15.

[Mike8560]

Geeze  I was thinking a marine seat with a mesh bottom and the material laying on thebtable ready to go.
I'd cut the old skin off with a blade trace the foam for the top plate shOe then trace the top ate to the mesh bottom.  Sew a zipper onto it  the make my 8. Of welt with 2 1/2 strips of the vinyl  to sew it would take  what 2 mins. Sew it on  cut the boxing at the same time as the welt same length.  Sew the boxing to the top plate then sew the bottom on my ref marks would be my four corner 2' apart    Wrap the foam in slipeze and stuff it in  def not 1 hr.  
That's vinyl no pattern old foam a d no Dacron
if it was on plywood then you have more Time  to set up and cut the wood.
Glue and time to set up and  staple the vinyl and bydem  about an gour more  
Don't forget ynderlayment or mesh on the wood.

[fragged8]

I was going to say , how on earth can you do that in 1/2 hr Mike :-0

I recon a small cushion takes about the same time as a large one
within 1/2 hr or so ?

Rich

[kodydog]

Nice reality check bonehead. Sometimes when your figuring how long it takes to do something or giving an estimate you forget all the little stuff involved to complete the project.

I could sew that cushion in 1/2 hour. But there is a lot more involved than just sewing.

If its just one cushion charge a little more. If it's several cushions all in the same fabric it should take a little less time per cushion.

[Ihavenoname]

I did not say it was imposable. I said I could not do it.  Yet ;D

But, it got me thinking of if it is possible, how would one do it?

One ideas is since welt is 1.5 inches cut. A boxing is usually 5-6 inches cut. Zipper boxing again a standard part cut to height in half inch increments.

Would it save time to have templates?

But not cardboard templates but clear plexiglass templates so you can see how the pattern would  fit? To say so myself I thought, "Hay, that might be a good idea."

Just an idea to take the standard processes and make templates and processes that would speed it up.

Thinking out loud here, but how would you make the same 24x24x4  boxed welted cushion 1000 times as easy and quickly as one could?

1. templates
2. Templates from Clear plexiglass to help with patterning
3. I might make all cushions whole number not 1/2 numbers. No more 4.5 or 5.5 cushions.  4,5,6 only.
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?

Please help with 4, 5, and 6 if you can.

[byhammerandhand]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_manufacturing

[MinUph]

Cut sew and fill 1.5 hrs. Plain pattern by measurements.

[JuneC]

I've often thought that boxing and welting strips could be cut quickly by simply slicing the rolled-up fabric.  Probably wouldn't work so well with wovens, but with vinyl, it should be possible with the right tool and blade.  Having templates in fixed widths and cutting with a rotary cutter would probably be the next best thing. 

June

[gene]

Bonehead, what about when you went to zip up the cushion cover, you found that you had forgotten to put the zipper pull on the !#@$ zipper. Need to add a few more minutes maybe?

Not that I have ever done that.

gene

[sofadoc]

Bonehead, what about when you went to zip up the cushion cover, you found that you had forgotten to put the zipper pull on the !#@$ zipper. Need to add a few more minutes maybe?
Not that I have ever done that.

And what about when you realize that the customer wanted the OTHER side out?
Ever done that? Me neither. ;)

[daveich]

Well for me it was not a smiple chusion. I had no paterns it was a seat that had strps with snap to hold the bottom down and the top went over a tube frame. with snaps to go around the tubing. the sitting side was a imatasion sheeps wool with pleats sewn in to sewfoam. the othe side in cloth. the sides with vinyl. it had a double back for the tubing to slide in between the cloth and the vinyl back. using a thead riper. it took me 4 hours to tear it apart. and another 12 to cut, sew and i had to repair the foam by glueing new over the top. yes I knew I was slow i just was wanted to know how slow. i am glad I plan to do this for my self and freind. i retire december 31 this year and will have to see how my projects come out as to wether i will try to make money or keep as a hobby thanks Don