Nah, I've never been one to envy anyone else... I have it good and I know it.
Envy and it's ally, jealousy, are two worthless emotions.
I can still kid around about it though...
Hobby Upholstery shop setup and projects
- Thread starter HWYCRZR
- Start date
Envy and it's ally, jealousy, are two worthless emotions.
I can still kid around about it though...
Here is one of my first ambitious projects. It was a fainting couch with about 160 covered buttons. I did this about 15? Years ag. This is Where I learned the skill of button tufting. I cutout each of the 1”cloth circles by hand and then used a small hand tool to snap the inserts together. It took a while. Since I have done that I learned a couple of things. Fabric quality counts. If it is going to see some use you should use a higher density foam, and dog hair is attracted to velour. Also if you put it in front of a window your dogs will take it over when you are not home. It didn’t help that both were around 100lbs each. And you will see in the picture I have some wall repair as one would constantly stretch his feet against the wall. Probably some wall licking going on as well.
So this will be on my list to re-do after my barstools. Plan to do in a durable leather look fabric with my office chairs. I will also make a dog proof cover, until this last dog expires.
So this will be on my list to re-do after my barstools. Plan to do in a durable leather look fabric with my office chairs. I will also make a dog proof cover, until this last dog expires.
My Mom used to do some upholstery and my oldest brother's wife taught it in night school, so I have an appreciation for this work.
So a little background on my learning over the years. I remember when I was really little (under 5) my mom and dad going to an Upholstery workshop where they re-upholstered an old easy chair in vinyl with tuck rolls, and over the years watched them do a few more chairs. Also Mom was insistent that we learned how many sew. She made us take it in 4H and do projects to enter in the fair. Also if we put a hole in clothes we had to patch it. One of those life skills that you don’t appreciate at the time. I remember when our neighbor who was a moccasin maker had an old singer leather machine for sale dad talked me into buying 1/2 of it. I don’t know that I ever used it too much, but he used it quite a bit to make some additional covers for his pontoon boat so he could fully enclose it. I have the machine now after he passed last spring. I need to get a table and motor for it. So technically that was my first sewing machine.
Then when I first brought my car back to start restoring around 2009, I thought that I would do my seats myself so bought an upholstery machine off E-bay for under $300. Turned out to be a great investment. I procrastinated for about 5 years before I jumped into my seat project. The arm was a little small and the pressure foot was maxed out many times for the thickness, but it is a straight sewing son of a gun. And didn’t miss a stitch.
After the project I was talking to my wife about doing more projects but wanted a little more capacity she started asking me what I wanted and then surprised me for Christmas. When it was delivered she wanted to put it under the tree, but it came in 3 big heavy boxes, so she had to get me to bring them in the house. I actually had it set up by Christmas Day and put a bow on it. The mac daddy
Sailrite Fabricator. So now I have to do some projects to get some payback from the investment.
Up on temporary rollers to match the layout table height.
Then when I first brought my car back to start restoring around 2009, I thought that I would do my seats myself so bought an upholstery machine off E-bay for under $300. Turned out to be a great investment. I procrastinated for about 5 years before I jumped into my seat project. The arm was a little small and the pressure foot was maxed out many times for the thickness, but it is a straight sewing son of a gun. And didn’t miss a stitch.
After the project I was talking to my wife about doing more projects but wanted a little more capacity she started asking me what I wanted and then surprised me for Christmas. When it was delivered she wanted to put it under the tree, but it came in 3 big heavy boxes, so she had to get me to bring them in the house. I actually had it set up by Christmas Day and put a bow on it. The mac daddy
Sailrite Fabricator. So now I have to do some projects to get some payback from the investment.
Up on temporary rollers to match the layout table height.
fury fan
Senior Member
I like the corrugated tin. I used some of that to skin a cedar-framed raised-garden box.
Never considered using it to make the garage a cool place, though.
If you need denser storage, here's something I did in my garage.
It's bigger and more HD than it needed to be, but it'll hold a ton of stuff.
Especially stuff that I don't know where to store because I don't know how to classify it. Those things now hang in plain sight, and the brain eventually remembers where they are.
I went from a wall of pegboard to nearly as much wall of pegboard + 5x the amount on the hinged panels.
Never considered using it to make the garage a cool place, though.
If you need denser storage, here's something I did in my garage.
It's bigger and more HD than it needed to be, but it'll hold a ton of stuff.
Especially stuff that I don't know where to store because I don't know how to classify it. Those things now hang in plain sight, and the brain eventually remembers where they are.
I went from a wall of pegboard to nearly as much wall of pegboard + 5x the amount on the hinged panels.
Lowbudget
Member
It started for me making a pair of saddlebags out of some old drapery material that my mom had in 1985. It was with her old Singer and with a lot of coaching from her. I then made a polar fleece coat with her help and her serger. This was due to a bet with my older sister. I told her if it has a gas pedal that I could probably drive it.
I then bought an old Chandler non walking foot industrial machine. I bought the clutch motor, table top and built the stand for it. I did cordura saddle bags, leather motorcycle seats, vinyl motorcycle seats and my 1970 Mustang seats. This old machine is still out in my garage.
My next machine was a Thompson Mini Walker. This is the machine that the Sailrite LS is based off of. I used this to do snowmobile seats for me and my friends. I'm going to give it to a friend of mine.
I then found an old Singer 16-188 Walking foot machine. It's a bull with a leather belt on it. I've done ground cloths. awnings, skirting for my pop up motorcyle camper. This will be my heavy thread machine.
I then came across a Bernina Favorit Semi Industrial machine. This is my zig zag machine.
When the Covid hit I found a Juki DNU 241H compound feed machine. I put a servo motor on and have sewn all kinds of stuff like lawn chair cushions and recovered chairs and cushions.. I did the seats, headrests, doors and rear cab of my Rhino in camo. I even impressed myself with that project. I just finished up insulated curtains with it. Tomorrow is going to be Christmas present day. Oilskin shopping bags and insulated hard hat liners. Then a quick slip on seat cover for my winter beater. I did the headliner for my 73 Monaco and the seats are next.
I have my machines in my spare bedroom and my cutting table out in my shed. My plan is to do upholstery for my friends when I retire. I'm also thinking of going to sewing machine repair school since no one is doing it locally anymore. I guy has to have a side hustle in his old age.
I then bought an old Chandler non walking foot industrial machine. I bought the clutch motor, table top and built the stand for it. I did cordura saddle bags, leather motorcycle seats, vinyl motorcycle seats and my 1970 Mustang seats. This old machine is still out in my garage.
My next machine was a Thompson Mini Walker. This is the machine that the Sailrite LS is based off of. I used this to do snowmobile seats for me and my friends. I'm going to give it to a friend of mine.
I then found an old Singer 16-188 Walking foot machine. It's a bull with a leather belt on it. I've done ground cloths. awnings, skirting for my pop up motorcyle camper. This will be my heavy thread machine.
I then came across a Bernina Favorit Semi Industrial machine. This is my zig zag machine.
When the Covid hit I found a Juki DNU 241H compound feed machine. I put a servo motor on and have sewn all kinds of stuff like lawn chair cushions and recovered chairs and cushions.. I did the seats, headrests, doors and rear cab of my Rhino in camo. I even impressed myself with that project. I just finished up insulated curtains with it. Tomorrow is going to be Christmas present day. Oilskin shopping bags and insulated hard hat liners. Then a quick slip on seat cover for my winter beater. I did the headliner for my 73 Monaco and the seats are next.
I have my machines in my spare bedroom and my cutting table out in my shed. My plan is to do upholstery for my friends when I retire. I'm also thinking of going to sewing machine repair school since no one is doing it locally anymore. I guy has to have a side hustle in his old age.
I wanted a water resistant easy clean up wainscoting. Plus the tin kind of gives it a “classic” look. I trimmed it out with Cedar. Believe it or not, I waited until Lowes had their dog eared cedar fence slats on sale. Very good price per board foot. I ripped them to size and made up a vinigar aging solution (vinegar, water and steel wool) and painted them with that to give it a more aged finish. Same with my windows.
fury fan
Senior Member
And on top of that, the people that are capable are slowly retiring.
And it's sometimes more time-consuming researching who is still around, vs learning to do it yourself.
fury fan
Senior Member
yes, cedar dog-eared fence boards are an economical source for non-fencing wood use.
Last year the 1x1 wooden garden stakes at the local Menards were saw-cut from maple, but had steps where they seemingly cut them 1/2-way thru from opposite sides. (???)
This year they have been a mix of oak and poplar, and cleanly square-cut. I've been buying 1-2 bundles each time I go in.
Sometimes one must look outside-the-box for good sources of material.
Just Carbs
Well-Known Member
I had not considered the loss of talent. Just the cost.
fury fan
Senior Member
The cost can be a funny thing too, sometimes.
A hobbyist working on his own stuff doesn't have the experience but has pride and determination to succeed.
But maybe he figures a professional will surely do a better job.
A professional has the skills and practice, but might do a half-*** job because it's not theirs.
Sometimes you don't know until afterward what you should've done.
CHINCHILLA Heavy Duty All Stainless Steel Mobile Fridge Stand Base, Washing Machine Stand with Wheels, Adjustable Furniture Dolly for Washer, Refrigerator and Dryer（Large) https://a.co/d/5zVJIkg
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
If they do it half ***, I wouldn't call them a professional.
I could have gone to work at an upholstery shop when I was 20, I always wonder how that may have gone. I wasn't fully into cars at that point of my life, three years later I got my Dart, and it's been downhill ever since!
3175375
Senior Member
To be professional, you simply need to be paid for your work. Half-assed often intersects professional. In fact, half-assed may occupy a significant area of the professional area!If they do it half ***, I wouldn't call them a professional.
I could have gone to work at an upholstery shop when I was 20, I always wonder how that may have gone. I wasn't fully into cars at that point of my life, three years later I got my Dart, and it's been downhill ever since!
Gluing up the edges on my table topper and extensions. Will give it a little more strength and trap it on the workbench.
Also received my fabric for my stools. Traced out the patterns. I need to adjust one a little, then I may layer the fabric and cut out 3 at a time. Then I only need to trace it once more.
Also received my fabric for my stools. Traced out the patterns. I need to adjust one a little, then I may layer the fabric and cut out 3 at a time. Then I only need to trace it once more.
Back to work in the shop. I have everything together, but now need to figure out how to arrange it when I don’t need the big sewing space.
Here are a couple of choices when working on larger pieces.
Long in feed
Support indeed for bulky items
Wider items.
Here are a couple of choices when working on larger pieces.
Long in feed
Support indeed for bulky items
Wider items.
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