July 1, 2015
By William J. Lynott If you’re like many busy business owners, you don’t pay much attention to income taxes until the filing deadline looms. “That can be a costly mistake,” says public accountant Jay Blumenthal of Abington, Pa. “One of the most effective ways to pare your business as well as personal income taxes to …
Faith Roberts of Banner Canvas shares tips for keeping sewing machines in tip-top shape. Whenever one of Faith Roberts’ many machines needs fixing, who does she call? Usually herself. “Oftentimes, I can make the repairs myself,” she says. “We’ve just learned to do it over the years.” That’s not to say that occasionally she doesn’t …
May 1, 2015
Where to find money in a tight economy By William J. Lynott Credit is the oil that lubricates the machinery of business. Whether it’s a loan to buy inventory or supplies, to support expansion, an equipment purchase, or just the need for a short-term loan to meet payroll or other operating expenses, most marine fabricators …
Custom Canvas by Yvonne Contact: Yvonne M. Peters Location: Fort Myers, Fla. Year Established: 1996 Number of employees: 1 (self) Shop size: 1,000 sq. ft. How did your shop get started? Owning a boat with my husband, Michael, and daughters Jessica, Melissa and Denise, who were young girls at the time, I had to …
April 2, 2015
By Mason Riddle The proverbial adage—“better safe than sorry”—applies to marine fabrication shops as much as anywhere. The mix of canvas, metal, tools and equipment can cause problems anywhere. Add chemicals, electrical and water to the mix, and a calamity could be waiting to happen. Much seems obvious, but the obvious is often elusive when …
March 1, 2015
Security officer. Receptionist. Greeter. Tour guide. “Shop dogs” play a variety of important roles at fabrication operations. We invited readers to submit photos of their shop assistants; here is our first gallery. 1. Penelope and Shaina Owners: Kenny Locke and Stephanie McLauchlan Company: Canvas Supply Co. Location: Seattle, Wash. 2. Chase Owner: Diane Buswell Company: …
January 1, 2015
Charlene and Chandler Clark, owners of Signature CanvasMakers in Hampton, Va., are always careful to protect their clear vinyl windows throughout the fabrication and installation processes. “If we are working with a product that does not have a scratch-resistant coating, we will spray the glass with a protectant prior to working with it,” Charlene Clark …
New acrylic-fabric options, customer color preferences and quilted cushion covers may not be trending heavily on Twitter this week, but in shops around the country, marine fabricators are noticing a changing tide in customers’ custom preferences. Game-changing new products don’t come along every year, but the custom boat-upholstery industry is steadily affected by gradual changes …
How did your shop get started? As a young woman, I lived in South Florida and wanted to do something I could travel with. That was canvas work, and I found a job as an apprentice for the wonderful pay of $4.64 an hour and quickly found out I had a real talent for it. …
September 2, 2014
On-water repairs aren’t for everyone, but some fabricators are finding business to be lucrative. Question: Do you respond to your customers’ repair needs by hopping in your boat and going to their boats to do the work? Range of answers: “Sounds like fun” to “Nope” to “Oh my God!” Charles Klein, owner of Dorsal LLC …
