Making window screening work

May 1st, 2009

Compiled by Juli Case Question: I fabricate front enclosures on house boats using smile zippers and a vinyl-coated polyester fabric. I use the double-finish technique I learned at a canvas training facility, with good results. A customer asked to have screening over the window portion. It works fine when it’s hanging, but it’s too bulky […]

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Customer service keeps businesses afloat

May 1st, 2009

Focusing on customer service can help navigate a tough economic climate. By Abbie Yarger Businesses are doing all they can to stay afloat in today’s economic environment, from layoffs to budget cuts. One thing they shouldn’t cut is customer service. Creating and sustaining good customer service in tough economic times can give businesses an advantage […]

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Comparing upholstery fabric for bus and boat seating

May 1st, 2009

Compiled by Juli Case Question: I usually do boat upholstery, but have the opportunity to reupholster the seats on two buses. I need help finding the fabric. It’s a woven velvet with a very colorful pattern. Answer: Although both are upholstery applications, the materials used in buses and boats have a couple of fundamental differences. […]

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The changing workforce

May 1st, 2009

By Pat Hayes, CPP Businesses across all industries face changes in workforce and labor needs. Finding the right person with the right skills suited to specific job requirements continues to be the crux of all labor issues. No matter the size of the company, business owners may face similar employee problems: turnover, lack of commitment […]

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Triangulation increases productivity and profits

May 1st, 2009

It's all in the numbers. Triangulation can be an effective tool to increase your productivity and profit margin. Every canvas installer should familiarize themselves with triangulation. As long as you are able to read a tape measure, you can understand how to use triangulation fairly easily. Once an installer understands what triangulation can do, they […]

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Maintaining quality in a tough economy

May 1st, 2009

So you’re known for your quality…Great! But how are you supposed to sell quality in this economy? That’s the challenge manufacturers face: persuading discount-seeking buyers to pay a premium for top-of-the-line goods. It’s not so easy. “Prices are really becoming the selling point that we’ve noticed this year, and it probably will continue,” says Angela […]

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Templates used to reconstruct exterior cushions

May 1st, 2009

Seafarer Canvas, Norwalk, Conn. This project, which won the 2009 MFA Award of Distinction and an Award of Excellence in the exterior upholstery category, involved the complete reconstruction and reupholstery of all the exterior cushions on a 39-foot Sea Ray. The original cushions were torn apart by racoons, and the damage was so extensive that […]

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Professional interior represents boat owners’ taste

May 1st, 2009

North Beach Marine Canvas, San Francisco, Calif. This project, which one an Award of Excellence in the salon/dinette upholstery category of the 2009 MFA Awards, involved the complete new upholstery for the interior of this Hylas 40 for the live-aboard couple. The couple wanted perfection in every detail, way beyond the factory standard. They requested […]

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Dinette cushions spruce up interior space

May 1st, 2009

North Beach Marine Canvas, San Francisco, Calif. This project, which won an Outstanding Achievement Award in the salon/dinette upholstery category of the 2009 MFA Awards, involved the creation of new dinette cushions with a space for the corner table for the customer’s computer. The project met a need to replace worn cushions and foam while […]

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Curves present a challenge in dining area update

May 1st, 2009

The Nautical Needle, Holland, Mich. The purpose of this project project, which won an Outstanding Achievement Award in the salon/dinette upholstery category of the 2009 MFA Awards, was to re-cover the dining area and update the interior. Curves were a bit of challenge with matching the pattern, but proved to be worth the effort. The […]

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