Thread: Door panels?

Tweet

Originally Posted by RestoRod

I can understand your reluctance to reveal the "secrets" of your trade, but you should also realize that most of the members reading these threads will never attempt to reach the level of excellence you have achieved and therefore will never become competition for your job or living. I'm sure your trade is no more or less exclusive than high level body work and painting or engine building, yet the experts on this forum freely share their knowledge in these areas. Shouldn't HotRodPaint or SprayTech be as worried about someone learning their painting secrets, or Pat McCarthy or Paul Kane worry that someone will learn how to build a super engine and leave them unemployed? Yet these and many other knowledgeable members share their expertise freely.

The original concept of this section (as envisioned by 1954Merc) was for an area where we could share how-to's about upholstery and, although he appears to have taken his ball and went home, that should still be the reason for this section, not just an advertising media for those professionals who can produce show quality results. I enjoy looking at these beautiful interiors as much as everyone, but I would never attempt to produce one and certainly have no interest in becoming a pro and going into competition with you, so your families need not worry about starving on my account. Knowing how you do these jobs is more likely to convince me that I should just pay to have it done.


JMHO

Very, very well put, I agree completely. We are here to learn and share what we've learned, our members are scattered all over the world, it's highly unlikely that I would travel to Maryland or Nebraska to have the interior put in my project but it sure is nice to see outstanding examples of Recovery Room's work. Please continue to share your knowledge!!!

Mike

So there are some very nice door trims here. Could someone tell me about the chrome trims ? I mean where do you get the material from do you bend it your self ? I'd like do some door trims for my wife's car. I was thinking of trying some sort of plastic for the backing and velcro to hold them on.
Cheers Manky

I understand where you guys are coming from but when I first learned this trade my boss always told me over and over don't sell out and tell everyone how the trade was done because then you don't have a trade, you have a job that anyone can do. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned in the way I do business but I think everyone on this site is a great group of people and I enjoy talking to guys from all over the Country. There is plenty of work to go around and I know Recovery Room and our shop will stay busy for many of years to come because of the great groups of people these cars bring out.

Hey Guys, been reading thru this post, and heck the last thing I and many of us want is to upset any of you professional trimmers. I am guilty of wishing and dreaming I could send my car up to the guys that have shown some photos of their work to have my upholstery done but living downunder has it draw backs. But in saying that,the ideas I have picked up on from just looking at those photos has been so helpful. My own brother is a talented auto upholsterer but he happens to live at the other end of the country,so he will not be doing my trim job either. My main concern is that I want the bodywork finished to enable the trimmer to complete a professional job that not only I am satisfied with but he is proud to put his name too.

Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Hey Guys, been reading thru this post, and heck the last thing I and many of us want is to upset any of you professional trimmers.

I hope that my previous posting was not construed to be a slam against the professional trimmers. As I mentioned there, I love looking at the beautiful upholstery jobs you guys are sharing with us and they are a real inspiration even if far beyond my skill level or budget.

It's just that, when the original request was made to open this section, I became very excited at the prospect of learning something new, even at the basic level. I had hoped that we would see some entry level (and possibly more advanced) how - to's that those of us who might be interested in doing our own upholstery could learn from. In that respect, this section has been a disappointment

My other concern is that, if (quote)We are a dying trade and need to protect it before it's gone.(end quote) how does keeping the process a secret encourage young people to try the craft and possibly bringing new blood into the trade?

Yes restorod i know what you are saying. I remember tooo many years ago when I joined an old company fresh out of school to learn panelbeating and motorbody building and everybody questioned me as to why, it is a dying industry.. Yeah right, what were everybody going to stop having accidents!!! What I have found helpful is the different ideas on how to prepare my car for the trimmer to do his job, eg., Ken Thurm makes all his interior panels out of aluminium sheet first so that all holes for the fasteners are drilled etc before paint and finishing.. Another thing I have learnt from Don (Itoldyouso) and Jim Robinson is how to think out the seating and make something that you find comfortable with to sit in before the trimmer covers it. After all we are the bums that are going to spend time sitting in them. As Hotrodpaint will tell anybody,, It's all in the preparation that results in a excellent paint job or just another paint job..

I understand what is being said here, If I could explain what we do to make it easy for you to do I would, It is easier to show and explain at the same time for the way we do things, I have never worried about losing work by giving advice to someone on a forum, I have tried to answer questions on here in other post before. I just don't take very many pics of the construction part before the finished product is done. Thats the boring part to us..lol Next basic job we get I will do that and share the photo's with you

Thanks Recoveryroom, we much appreciated what you and others have shown us, as I have said before, I would like nothing better then to post my car up to you for it's trim job. LOL.LOL. Seeing your finished jobs has given me a heap to think about,eg, style, material to use, colours etc and what will fit with the complete look of the car. So please.keep on posting them photos and I agree with what you said, upholstery is as important as the bodywork,paint and mechanical side of a cool ride.

Originally Posted by AllStitchedOut

I understand where you guys are coming from but when I first learned this trade my boss always told me over and over don't sell out and tell everyone how the trade was done because then you don't have a trade, you have a job that anyone can do. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned in the way I do business but I think everyone on this site is a great group of people and I enjoy talking to guys from all over the Country. There is plenty of work to go around and I know Recovery Room and our shop will stay busy for many of years to come because of the great groups of people these cars bring out.

It's ok I'll work it out myself.
Cheers Manky

Originally Posted by RestoRod

The original concept of this section (as envisioned by 1954Merc) was for an area where we could share how-to's about upholstery and, although he appears to have taken his ball and went home, ......

JMHO

FYI, 1954Merc has had a pretty full plate lately with his wife being in the hospital for some serious treatments, plus trying to keep the business side covered. He's not had time to be on the computer much, as I understand. His wife was said to be doing better for now, again as I understand from seeing something a couple of weeks ago in another venue.
For me, I really like to see the fantastic custom panels you guys do, and a basic tip or two along the way, answering specific questions like, "...I really like (fill in the blank) on the red panel. Is that shaped foam or a hard panel beneath?" can really help build confidence to step beyond smooth material on a flat panel for someone wanting a DIY approach. One question that has come up several times is metal accents - SS, chrome or formed billet? Custom made to shape by a metal guy, or formed and bent in your shop? Not step-by-step, just basics? Take the ivory panel with the tasteful shaped accent for example?

1/4 BY 1/4 Aluminum sanded to shape on edges and polished...Small screws hold it on from the back side thru panel

Poor Eve. This post gets my vote for most hijacked thread award ..............

Kitz

I know what you mean, aint it one of the best post you have ever read on here. Thanks for the read.

Originally Posted by RECOVERY ROOM

1/4 BY 1/4 Aluminum sanded to shape on edges and polished...Small screws hold it on from the back side thru panel

Cool!! Thanks!
(Kitz & sg4356 I must have been in the thread typing while you were. Sorry for being part of the hijack, Eve, but you did get an answer early on in the thread...)

No dont be Sorry I really do like this tread. I also like reading about your build. My frame is at show me rod and customs right now having the body built. I cant wait to go get it. ( like a kid going on his first date). So more interior talk LMAO