How To: Cushion Stuffing Video

[Stephen]

Over the past years I've taken many thousands of pictures. My old Canon 520 digital camera was getting about to the end of it's life. So a week or two ago I replaced it with a new Canon SX40 digital camera. One of the nice features of this camera is that does an outstanding quality of HD video. The video quality is much much better than that of the "video" recorder I got a couple years ago. The ability to shoot good quality video in low light is great.
So, I created a kind of a sample video last night, about stuffing a cushion. To make the video I only used the shop's regular lights.
Here is the link to the page "How to Stuff a Chair Seat Cushion" page. I wrote an article to go along with the video. This shows and tells how I stuff cushions nowadays.

Best Wishes,
Stephen

[Mojo]

Great vid Stephen. Amazing quality of your camera. Wow.

Thanks for posting,

Chris

[Mike]

ive tried that but I use a much thinner slick film plastic no noise but I couldn't get it air tight and shrink. I wonder if it was the plastic? how did you mo?unt the camera

[Stephen]

ive tried that but I use a much thinner slick film plastic no noise but I couldn't get it air tight and shrink. I wonder if it was the plastic?

I haven't tried the silk film plastic. Don't want to spend $130 or so for the roll right now.  What type of silk film did you try? Did you get a roll of silk from an upholstery supplier and was it made for stuffing cushions? How powerful of vacuum were you using? Could a more powerful vacuum of made it work?

how did you mo?unt the camera

I just have the camera on a tripod. I move the tripod around to get the best view for each shot. The camera has a video screen that can be turned around to face the front of the camera so that I can see where to stand, etc. I made lots of goofups and mistakes as I was trying to explain what to do. As I was talking on the video, each time I made a mistake, just stop and wait a few seconds (to allow for space in the video to cut out the first mistake) and begin again. I also used a video editor to cut out most of the bigger mistakes and also cut to out the beginning and end of each shot where I turned the camera on and off. Then I joined all the various shots together.

Best Wishes,
Stephen

[sofadoc]

I haven't tried the silk film plastic. Don't want to spend $130 or so for the roll right now.

Sunshine Foam has a 100 yard roll for 20 bucks. I'll never go back to the noisy stuff, although in your video it appears that your plastic is so heavy, that it is substantial enough to pull out of the cover in one piece (without disturbing the batting). So I guess that either way works fine. 

[Mojo]

What editing software are you using Stephen ?

Chris

[Stephen]

Sunshine Foam has a 100 yard roll for 20 bucks. I'll never go back to the noisy stuff,

I've never used the silk film. When you use the silk film do you leave it in the cushion after the cushion is stuff or take it out?
Stephen

[Stephen]

What editing software are you using Stephen ?

Chris

For that video I used Windows Live Movie Maker (WLMM), which comes with the Windows 7 Pro OS. It does an OK job, and it's what I have to work with right now. I had purchased Power Director 9 earlier in the year, but have been having problems getting it to work right now.

I've use Windows Movie Maker (Windows XP) in the past, and it worked OK as well.

I think that just about any quality video editing software would do an OK job for just an regular video. I want to eventually make some CD's with the typical DVD menus at the front. I don't think that either of the above Windows Movie Makers will do that. So, now that I have a decent camera, eventually, when I can afford it, I want to get PowerDirector fixed or get another better video editing software. In the mean time I'll just use WLMM.

Best Wishes,
Stephen

[sofadoc]

Sunshine Foam has a 100 yard roll for 20 bucks. I'll never go back to the noisy stuff,

I've never used the silk film. When you use the silk film do you leave it in the cushion after the cushion is stuff or take it out?

Most people go inside the cover and at least tear the silk film (just to keep it from holding air pockets). Sometimes, I grab a fist-full and pull it out, leaving remnants on the sides. It isn't imperative that you get it all out. I've seen some factory cushions that still had all of it inside.

I've always felt that if you have to work too hard digging the plastic out of the cover, then the whole vacuum method wasn't really a time-saver after all.

The silk film really works well with the EZ cushion stuffer, because you're only wrapping it on one side of the foam core.

[Mojo]

Stephen:

I have used Win Movie maker and while not very powerful it has done a decent job. I do not make enough videos to invest in a good program so am stuck with what I have.

Chris

[byhammerandhand]

I just have to comment on the "Sears HP".

"Rule Of Thumb For Small Motors"
1HP=746 watts.
HP=IxVxPFxEFF/746,where PF( Power Factor)=.86 and EFF ( Motor Efficiency)=.81. Using this formula current can be calculated as follows for a 1HP single phase motor.
I=HPx746/(VxPFxEFF) or,
I=1X746/ (120 x.86x.81) or,
I=8.9 amps.

So a 6.5 HP motor would draw 6.5 * 8.9 amps =  57.85 amps.    Really???

http://www.kevinsbrady.net/motors.pdf

[sofadoc]

So a 6.5 HP motor would draw 6.5 * 8.9 amps =  57.85 amps.    Really???

All I know is, I plug my 5.5 HP shop-vac into an outlet that has about a dozen other things on the same circuit, all protected by a 20 amp breaker.

[byhammerandhand]

I remember a Sears ad years ago that showed their shop vac in front of a 500 HP fire apparatus pumper and comparing the water moving ability of both.   What pure crap.

So a 6.5 HP motor would draw 6.5 * 8.9 amps =  57.85 amps.    Really???

All I know is, I plug my 5.5 HP shop-vac into an outlet that has about a dozen other things on the same circuit, all protected by a 20 amp breaker.

[sofadoc]

Going WAY OFF topic here:

I took another look at my Shop-vac. It's NOT a Shop-vac. It is a Rigid wet-dry vac.

Much the same way that when we need a tissue, we ask for a Kleenex. When we go to the drug store for cotton swabs, we ask the clerk "Where are the Q-tips?"

And at least here in the south, a Coke can represent any flavor of soft drink ("What kinda Coke do ya want?.........Oh, gimme a Pepsi"). 

I don't own a Sawzall, but I do have a reciprocating saw. Nor do I have a Skillsaw, but I have one with a circular blade.

I pinched my finger with the Channel-locks, because I couldn't find my Crescent wrench.........pass the Band-aids.

If we could only train the world to say "I think it's about time to Sofadoc my couch". :D
Or "Mojo my slide toppers" Or even "Mike8560 my boat". ::)

For those of you who tuned in to see a cushion stuffing video......don't worry.......I Tivoed it.