MFA Tools, Tips and Tricks contest open

June 27, 2022  |  ATA Events, ATA news, Events, MFA Conference, News, Tools, Tips and Tricks

The Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) annual Tools, Tips and Tricks contest is now open for submissions. Submissions can include anything fabricators do to save time, money or perform a job in a unique way. Even the simplest solutions are a great help to other shops. Submission ideas include usin…
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Shade sail savvy

January 1, 2022  |  Exterior, Shop Techniques

When fabricating shade sails, the first thing to consider is, What are you trying to accomplish? This is where communication with the customer is key. Your customers are coming to you wanting some shade on their boat for when they are hanging out at the sandbar or sometimes while cruising at a moder…
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Foam with a flourish

January 1, 2022  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

Foam is everywhere. It is in engines, rugs, mattresses, boat seats and most things we interact with on a daily basis. If you sit or sleep on it, it probably has foam in it.
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Quilt stitching and CNC sewing

July 1, 2021  |  Exterior, Shop Techniques

By Mike and John Erickson In the last few years, quilt stitching on cushions has become very popular in the marine upholstery industry. The trend started with high-end car interiors and has made its way into the marine industry over time. Quilt stitching adds an elegant decorative effect to any rout…
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Wallcoverings for vessel interiors

July 1, 2021  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

By Terri Madden and Alayna Wool Wall panels and headliners make a statement when entering the saloon of a yacht. Much like the color or texture of the walls of your home, wall panels and headliners are items that cannot be overlooked—especially when they start to sag and age. Fresh wall panels tru…
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Increase your efficiency

July 1, 2021  |  Business, Shop Techniques

Seven steps every business can take, from organizing more to doing less.  by Laurie F. Junker No business owner wants to waste time and money, have frustrated employees, and risk customer relationships with mistakes and delays. But the truth is that all of these things happen when businesses operat…
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Elevate your canvas skills

May 1, 2021  |  Exterior, Shop Techniques

Think outside the box. By Mike Charlton At Charlton’s Marine Canvas in Yorktown, Va., my wife, Rachel Charlton, and I are a two-person team, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. In our shop, we like to think of our work as creative art projects rather than products. Every project is different.…
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Advanced cushion fabrication

May 1, 2021  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

By Mark Hood, MFC Compartment cushions can be challenging to fabricate. In this article, we will go step-by-step to fabricate a sample compartment cushion with a knee rise, starting with patterning the seating area for our foam. The pattern will be the finished cushion size to fit the cavity exactly…
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