Absolutely, we upholster soccer balls!

[Peppy]

I think there was like, ten seams in this entire interior, not counting welts. Only 3 in this heap,






And taking it apart! They assemble these things when the boat is uncapped. Meaning the top half is upside down on the table and they screw all the upholstery in then put it together with the bottom half. I tried to get the owner to let me pry the 2 halfs apart but he wouldn't go for it. I had to grow new elbows. (I have 5 so far)





The green arm on the right gets a bolt into a Tnut in the upholstery. Access is that cup holder you see. What fun. 

Truthfully most of the credit for this goes to Allsport vinyl. The stuff is nutzo.

[JuneC]

Whoa dude!  That's amazing work! Looks terrific.  Only those who've ever attempted stuff like that can truly appreciate just how hair-pulling a task like that can be.  As for growing elbows, I'm lucky to have small arms that can fit through cup holders right up to my shoulder, but on more than one occasion, I've used my angle grinder to take the head off the screw and something else to reattach. 

You should be proud of your work on that one, though.

June

[Mojo]

WOW........................ Amazing work.

I would be real proud of that job. That is some of the best I have seen.

Congrats.

Chris

[JuneC]

I meant to ask last night... did you pattern those pieces with brown paper  ;D ?  and did you have to use heat to get the skins stapled on or just pull and tug?

June

[fragged8]

heh i bet Peppy has a tool made specially for those jobs :-)


nice piece of work there m8,

Rich

[Peppy]

*blush*

Thanks guys! I've done a few of these now. They're not as hard as they look. Tricky but fun. No heat, no brown paper, just silk film and POWAH! But really the true hero of this particular job is the Allsport vinyl with the four way stretch (sound like a salesman or something) but man it really is wild stuff. You really could upholster a soccer ball with it. You'd just have to go really fast after the first staple.

What I like about these jet boats is there's hardly anything to patternize. The sewing department leaves me alone. When I do make my upholstery patterns I use dust cloth (not paper, ha!) and staple it to the foam with 1/2" staples instead of pins. Lately I've been patterning over the old vinyl. Heres a half rotten Bayliner seat in mid pattern. (owner wouldn't spring for new wood)



Good one Rich, the tool is called Kung-fu Grip!

[Darren Henry]

I'm lucky to have small arms that can fit through cup holders right up to my shoulder

8) just not very far.  :-* (sorry June I had to).

[JuneC]

HA!  LOL!!   Looks to me like the pot's calling the kettle black  :P...  (no offense intended).

June

[PDQ]

Excellent work, Peppy.  8)

A++++++

[Darren Henry]

Looks to me like the pot's calling the kettle black 

LOL something like that  ;D.

[Peppy]

i guess we're getting a name for jet boat seats. This is like the forth one this year!


The pattern. The old skin is on the floor there.


And done.

No heat just plastic wrap.

[stitcher_guy]

I'm in awe. I don't mean to gush like a school girl, but I just spent the last half hour going through all 120-plus pictures on your photobucket, and I'm just amazed. The work is unbelieveable. So crisp and clean on the corners, everything lines up. I've never made a cover or enclosure ever to the extent that it looks like you do every day. My customers would be happy if I could tape a blue tarpaulin in place for them and get it done for under $10. I would LOVE to try something like your work.

[hdflame]

Russ,

Not taking anything away from Peppy's awesome work, but the full restoration pics you posted were pretty awesome too! ;D

There is a lot of talent on this site.

[Peppy]

HD- easy there guy, don't be stealing my thunder! I like where this thread is going!

Stitcherguy- Thanks a lot! But realize- I'm all ready married! Seriously, it's a very large compliment coming from someone so talented themselves. I was thinking the same about your work. I try to stay far away from cars.

I've worked the last 8 years in obscurity, with only the boss and one other upholsterer to show off to. The boss gives compliments even less often than he gives raises, and the other upholsterer (my good buddy who I 'trained') died in a car accident a couple years ago. This left my wife to listen to me talk about liftthedot vs commonsense fasteners and my awning rail gripes. She's very happy I've found this outlet. Get-up-and-go saved my marriage!

It's awesome having a group of people that know what they're looking at! If only you guys were customers! From they way some customers talk about my tops you'd think they were made of blue tarpaulin!

[hdflame]

I got a chuckle out of that last comment Peppy! ;D

This forum may not have saved my marriage, but it sure has increased my knowledge of all things upholstery!  With the diversity on here I get a chance to learn a little....about a lot! ;)  Now, If I can only master a little of what I've learned! ???