The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

Auto Trimmers Sharing Lessons

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Wisdom often comes from experience, and a lot of the times those experiences are bad. That’s why when a person, who I consider wise, says “take it from me,” I pay attention.

You see, learning the hard way is sometimes the best lesson. Call it a blessing in disguise, but screwing up leaves us with a valuable lesson learned that we won’t soon forget or repeat.

In fact, the only thing better than learning from your own mistakes, is learning from someone else’s. That’s why I’m urging all trimmers to share stories of things they’ve learned the hard way.

I’ll start.

My father has been an auto trimmer for several decades. Once, early in his career, his boss asked him to install a leather seat cover that he had just finished sewing. My father had only installed vinyl seat covers up to that point. So, understandably, he approached the leather job the same way he had done the vinyl, by steaming the hell out of it.

Unfortunately, my father had no idea that leather shrivels and crumbles when it’s steamed – leaving him with a mangled leather seat cover and one pissed-off boss. Thus, my father learned the hard way never to steam leather.

Many years later, while apprenticing at my father’s shop, he caught me preparing to steam a leather seat cover myself. Fortunately, before I could start, he stopped me and said, “Take it from me, you don’t want to do that…”

Thanks to him sharing the story of his past mistake, I didn’t have to go through the experience myself.

So what lessons have you learned the hard way? To always cover customers’ cars to prevent scratches? To take deposits large enough to cover your materials? To disconnect batteries before unplugging seats with airbags?

We’ve all been in sticky situations. Share yours and help other auto trimmers learn from your mistakes.

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Comments

  1. I’ve made most of these mistakes atleast once, from being in a hurry to meet deadlines, always set the date of completion a little later then you expect. That way your always early an never late.

  3. ‘ASSOCIATE WITH MEN OF GOOD QUALITY IF YOU ESTEEM YOUR OWN REPUTATION, FOR IT IS BETTER TO BE ALONE THAN IN BAD COMPANY” QUOTE FROM PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINTON

  8. New School VS Old school
    Here is what I’ve learned over the past 13 years in the business. Always absorb as much as you can from the old timers. They have a wealth of info and you can learn a lot! BUT!!!! NEVER think there is only one way to do things. You’ll hear this a lot. “I’ve been doing this for xx years, I know what I’m talking about and this is the only way to do it” That way of thinking will get you nowhere!
    Quick example, I use .090 ABS plastic for all of my door panels. It’s water proof, heat moldable and clips wont break out of the panel after repeated removals from the car. I cant tell you how many times my first boss, said no to using ABS vs that junk not-so-water-proof black cardboard, or Masonite (also junk). That said, if something better comes along I’m more than willing to give it a try.
    Try new things, new ideas, not all of them will work. But when it does you’ll have something to offer that the old timers don’t and never will, as long as they think they can’t learn anything from the new guy.

    For those who are new and want to learn the business working on cars. Do not work for a furniture shop, or a shop that started in furniture upholstery and now does cars. I’m sure there are a few of them that know what they are doing with a car, but they are few and far between. Auto & Furniture are worlds apart!!!! Do yourself a favour and learn some metal fabrication, welding, wood working, fibreglass/body work, and electrical/wiring. If all you can do is sew seats, and make door panels you have extremely limited your market, and/or your worth to your boss if you have one.

    • I have used the abs plastic also for door panels but it is very hard to find in my area anyone know a good place to get it please message me

  9. Read my post further down the page, it’s too lengthy to put here in the reply. It’s mainly for you Levi, but some others may find it helpful or offensive, depending on who they are.

  10. I’ve heard the cheaper estimate thing a bunch of times also. I may be unique in this but I will not give written estimates. All of my work comes by word of mouth. No advertising other than some pictures on Facebook. If the customer wants to haggle on the price, or get a written estimate. I always tell them, (in the nicest way possible) that someone they know and trust told them to come see me for the work they want done! They can take me at my word or go to another shop. They will always be notified of extra charges for approval before the work is performed. Most customers agree and I get the jobs. The ones that go down the road were most likely customers I wouldn’t want anyway.
    This may not work for everyone, I am a 1 man shop, and have a lot of flexibility as such.

    • no writen estimate from me that takes time . some times i will write the total of the job on a buisness card so they will know how much it is and can`t say i told them something else especiley when i give several estimates from using diferen`t materials or diferent designs ..

  11. RETIRED, TIP FOR THOSE WHO COVER VW SEATS THEY HAVE UNSEEN PINS IN THE HEADREST RODS THAT HAVE TO BE KNOCKED OUT WITH A PUNCH TO GET THEM OFF.ANOTHER TIP FOR THHOSE WHO LIKE THE DIAMOND INTERIORS. IVE SEEN SOME WHO WILL JUST SEW SQUARES AND TURN THE MATERIAL TO MAKE A DIAMOND. DONT DO THIS MARK YOU FABEIC OR LEATHER FOR A 3X5 DIAMOND THIS WAY. UP THE SIDE MARK IN 5 INCH MARKS AT THE BOTTOM MARK IN 3 INCH MARKS. CRISCHOS FROM SIDE TO SIDE STARTING WITH THE FIRST SIDE MARK AND THE FIRST BOTTOM MARK DO THE SAME AT THE TOP AND OTHER SIDE YOU WILL HAVE PERFECT 3X5 DIAMONDS FOR INSERTS. I HAVE SEEN WHOLE SEATS DONE WITH THE SQUARE TECHNIQUE WHICH LOOKS AWFUL BUT A GOOD DIAMOND CAN MAKE A GOOD INSERT. NOW HERES A GUY WHO CAN RESTORE ANYTHING INCLUDEING AUTOS. STEVES RESTORATIONS ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL
    http://www.history.com/shows/american-restoration/videos/playlists/full-episodes?mkwid=sMnHmEP2x_pcrid_7908322638_pkw_restoration%20the%20history%20channel_pmt_b&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=restoration%20the%20history%20channel&utm_campaign=G_American+Restoration#american-restoration-pump-and-gun

  12. RETIRED… A LITLLE EIACON SPRAY ON THE BOWS HELPS AND KEEPS THE RUST AWAY. WE ALWAYS STARTED IN THE MIDDLE AND WORK OUR WAY BACK WITH THE BOWS THEN RETURNING TO THE CENTER AND GOING TO THE FRONT, BUT AS LONG AS YOU GET IT IN WITHOUT WRINKLES IS WHAT MATTERS.

  14. Just started working at an Upholstery Shop in July,One of the very first lessons I learned not do again was to steam around on on Perforated leather.Wasnt good decision but i was able to replace the panel fairly easily.Also when installing aftermarket seat covers,make sure you double/triple check and cut the holes in the right spots,I cut holes in the wrong spot for the headrests,luckily we had the same material in stock so i was able to replace the panel but damn.I couldve really F’d myself.Sewing pleats,go in the same direction each time or it will pull your material every which way.Of course i was sewing a mexican wool blanket into a seat,i doubt it will matter much on vinyl but the blanket had a particular pattern in it that needed to be incorporated into the seat so i had to resew it.Analyze and get a good before you start anything,some stuff can be very costly to fix and other stuff can be very costly to replace.

  15. With the internet there a lot of resources available for new trimmers and for those of us who have been doing it a long time too. Some good videos on youtube , tutorials here and on other sites.
    My advice is to get good at sewing , and always try to do very good work.
    Some people may complain about the price( some always complain!) but if you do good work they can’t complain about the quality.
    And just because someone else will do it cheaper doesn’t mean you have to! There are unfortunately a lot of hacks out there, this is a skilled trade and we should charge well for what we do.
    After 35 years I’m still learning new things almost every week, as the market and car interiors are constantly changing.