J A Milton Upholstery
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Open Workshop Week
Our Open Workshop Week at J.A.Milton Upholstery School Of Excellence, Ellesmere. Monday 10 June to Friday 14 June 2019 - 9 am to 4 pm
Its FREE, come along and have a look at our facilities, courses, Workshop and range of Upholstery Products. Our courses include
Traditional Upholstery
Furniture Restoration
Wood Finishing/French Polishing
Meet our Tutor Tony Dickin. He will be happy to answer any questions you may have and discuss the courses on offer at the School.
Book a Taster Day or Days, during the week and try your hand at any of the course’s and see if its suits your needs before having to commit to a longer course.
So, if you have ever wanted to learn a new craft, why not come along?
Any Questions just call us on 01691 624023
E mail Sales@jamiltonupholstery.co.uk -
How To Surface Button A Cushion
There are several ways to breathe life back into an old cushion or to add the finishing touches to a cushion you have made, but surface buttoning is by far the most classic way to add a simple but charming finish to your cushion.
This finish can be achieved with one button in the centre on each side or with several strategically placed for effect by you.
Before you begin adding your button to a cushion you will need to choose which buttons you want to add and make sure you have all the equipment you need to do this. You will need:
A Tip Before You Start: Whilst thread can be used to button a cushion, twine is better as it is less likely to break due to wear and tear.
Once you have all the equipment you need and have chosen your button, all you need to do is follow the below steps to add finish to your cushion:
Step 1 - Mark the position of where you want to place your button with an ordinary pin on both sides of the cushion.
Step 2 - Then cut a piece of upholstery twine (linen or nylon) about 5 to 12 inches long and thread it singularly through the loop on the back of your button. The length you cut can depend on the depth of your cushion.
Step 3 - Thread both ends of the twine through the eye of your needle.
Step 4 - Push the needle through the cushion on the opposite side to where you marked the cushion with a pin, ensuring that you keep it straight as it goes through.
Step 5 - Pull the needle all the way through and unthread the twine.
Step 6 - Insert the twine though the loop on the next button for the other side of your cushion and tie in place with a simple knot.
Step 7 - Then apply pressure to the button, pull one of the twines until the button pulls down to the depth you would like, and tie another knot to fix the buttons in place.
Step 8 - Tidy up by cutting off the ends of the twine and tucking them under the button.
We hope these steps have provided the help you require in order to surface button your cushions! If you would further advice or information, please contact our team on 01691 624023.
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How To Replace The Webbing On A Chair
Do you have a favourite chair that has recently lost the support under its cushion? Replacing the webbing on your chair is a great way to bring it back to life when it’s unable to be used, as well as ensuring it continues to provide support and comfort to the user.
There’s no need to throw away your old, loved chair when you can mend it!
Finding Your Webbing
Before you start mending the webbing of your chair, you’ll need to remove the cushions to get a clear idea of how the chair has been webbed previously and what the best webbing to use is. Once you know what sort of webbing you’ll need why not peruse through our selection of webbing and tools to find the best for you?
Top Tip: Don’t forget to order tacks to hold the webbing in place!
The First Step
When you come to re-web your chair, make sure to take a picture of what the webbing looks like before you remove it. You don’t want to do all that hard work just to find that its not how it should be!
Once the old webbing has been removed you can finally begin to bring new life to your beloved chair.
Let The Webbing Begin
Step 1 - Fix the webbing to the first side of the frame, ensuring that your tacks are not fixed in a straight line otherwise this may cause the wood to split.
Step 2 - Try using an M or W formation. When fixing the two tacks on the outer edges try to get them as close to the edge as possible as this will make sure that the webbing is as taught at the edges as it is in the middle.
Step 3 - Now bring the webbing across to the other side of your chair frame, securing good, even tension. To keep this tension, fix your first tack in the middle, before placing the next two tacks on the very edges. Maintain the tension whilst doing this.
Step 4 - To finish off your first piece of webbing, cut the webbing from your roll allowing a turn over of about 30 to 40mm and place the last two tacks as if finishing off the M or W pattern you began with the first three.
Then repeat over the rest of your chair until all your webbing has been done.
A simple but effective way to rescue your favourite chair, eliminating the need to throw it away! If you would like further advice, please contact our team on 01691 624023.
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How to Reupholster a headboard
Reupholstering your headboard is an easy and effective way to give your bedroom a refresh. Perhaps you have recently redecorated and would like your headboard to complement the new décor or you would like to make the headboard the focal point of the room. If this sounds like you, follow our steps below to learn how to reupholster a headboard.
Step 1 - Choose your fabric
There’s a lot to think about when choosing the perfect fabric for your headboard. You want to go for a fabric that reflects the décor of your bedroom such as matching your curtain fabric or an upholstered chair. You should also choose a soft fabric that is durable and easy to clean (especially if you have little ones in the house). Fabrics that look great on a headboard include leather, suede, cotton or polyester.
We have a large selection of fabric in a variety of colours and textures, take a look at our fabrics page for inspiration.
Step 2 - Remove headboard fabric
Remove the headboard from your bed or wall - the headboard should be easy to remove by undoing the screws. Once removed, you will need to take off the current fabric using a staple remover.
Step 3 - Measure, cut and attach padding to headboard
Next, measure the padding for the headboard. Our furniture foam can be cut to any size, shape and thickness, making it ideal for padding your headboard. Once measured to size, cut and attach using a staple gun.
Step 4 - Measure, cut and attach fabric to headboard
An easy way to measure your new fabric is to use the previous material as a pattern. Simply lay the original fabric onto the new fabric and cut around it using fabric scissors, making sure you leave enough room for the fabric to be pulled behind the board and stapled.
If you damaged the original fabric when removing it from the headboard, don’t worry, you can still measure your new fabric to fit. Just measure the size of the headboard, leaving around six inches to overlap onto the back. Mark the fabric with tailors chalk or fabric markers to ensure you cut straight lines.
Attach the cut fabric to the headboard using a staple gun. The easiest way to do this is to lay the headboard on top of the fabric and pull the fabric tight and staple the fabric into place at the back of the headboard.
Step 5 - Refasten headboard back on the wall or bed
When you are happy with look of your headboard attach it back onto the wall or bed using the same screws as before.
Ta-da! You now have a reupholstered headboard!
Tools you
Tailors chalk or fabric marker
We hope these steps have helped you reupholster your headboard. If you would further advice, please contact our team on 01691 624023.
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How To Attach Clips To Pirelli Webbing
How To Attach Clips To Pirelli Webbing
In this weeks video we show you how to attach clips to Pirelli webbing using a workshop vice or Pliers. We also show you which is the right and which is the wrong side.
If you having difficulty with a certain tool or you would like to know if there is better way of doing something then do not hesitate and send us and email and we may make a video to help you out. Please send your request to adam@jamiltonupholstery.co.uk
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How To Use Rubberised Hair
Rubberised Hair is a great alternative to a traditional loose hair filling and a step up from foam. In the video we show you how to add a Polyester Edge Roll using Tacks or you may want to use Staples, it is up to you. We also demonstrate how you would cut the Rubberised Hair to create a shaped seat or back.
If you would like to recommend a feature in this spot then please email: Adam@jamiltonupholstery.co.uk
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Chair Caning Course
Great News! Out Chair Caning Course is back! On Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th of November our Chair Caning course will be running for another 2 days with tutor Brian Crossley.
Course Information
The courses are two days long and will take place in J A Milton’s workshop in Ellesmere. You can either bring along your own piece of furniture or you can purchase a sample frame to work on. Sample frames take on average 6 hours to complete so make an ideal first project.
The classes will be from around 9:15am until 4pm including a cold buffet lunch and refreshments throughout the day. If you would like to come to us for a course we can recommend some of our local accommodation.
Dates
Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th November 2017
Booking Your Course
A complete two days will cost just £190 for the 2 days (+ VAT charged at the standard rate which works out at £228) including a cold lunch buffet and refreshments. We accept Credit, Debit cards and Paypal as well as Cheques and BACS payments. Please telephone Sue, Chris or Lee-Ann on 01691 624023 to book or learn more. If you're looking to buy a course as a gift for someone, we can provide open-dated vouchers so the recipient can choose when to attend
About The Tutor
Brian has 55 years experience of chair caning. He is a Member of the Basketmakers’ Association and a Yeoman Member of the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers. Based in Chester, Brian takes commissions from all over the UK and has recaned furniture dating from 1670 up to the present. Brian has vast experience of teaching and gives talks and demonstrations of his craft to various groups around the world, as well as acting as an adviser to museums with regards to the historical significance of their collections of cane furniture.
So to book your place or to find out more information then do not hesitate and give our office call on 01691 624023
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Which staple gun?
Your staple gun will give you years of service provided it is used correctly. Some hobby models, if plugged in too long, may overheat: To avoid this do not leave the tool plugged in for more than 2 hours per session.
Electric staple guns can jam if you fire them too rapidly: Please allow time for the mechanism to return before firing the next staple. Rapid firing is for pneumatic (air) guns.
Electric guns are put into three categories, hobby, semi pro and professional guns. Remember that some pressure may still need to be applied and there is a kickback on electric guns as the working mechanism is in the nose. Do not try to repeat fire too quickly or this can jam.
- A hobby gun cannot be used for excessively long periods or it will overheat it will also not be as powerful as a professional gun making penetrating hard woods and mdf difficult.
- Semi Pro. This is a little more powerful and can be used for longer periods.
- Professional Electric gun. More powerful and can be used for longer periods without overheating. Also it will use a professional wire staple (71 series) which come in boxes of 20,000 making individual staples cheaper. This is the same staple generally used for upholstery in a pneumatic gun.
Follow the link below to view our range of electric guns:-
Air (pneumatic) Guns
Obviously the outlay is a little more when setting up your kit but the advantages are many. Repeat firing is not a problem as there is only a blade to return into the nose each time rather than a spring mechanism. Very little pressure is required when firing and there is no kickback.
Follow this link for air gins:=
Follow this link for compressors:-
http://www.jamiltonupholstery.co.uk/products/staples-guns-compressors/compressors
Follow this link for hose and connectors:-
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Frequent Questions and Answers
Here at J A Milton's we have frequently question's asked on a weekly basis as we wanted to help you we put the question's over to Joan for her advice and to ask her for any possible hints.
What glue can be used?
"This is not a straight forward question as whatever is used will need to be tested on small areas first. It will also depend on the fabric content because spirit based glues can melt some synthetic contents in fabrics. Alternatively water based glues can seep through to the top side of the fabric and dry leaving marks.
On some fabrics it will be with our spray glue. This will be fine as long as it is used sparingly with a light spray on both surfaces. When allowed to dry (go white) it will act like contact adhesive. Do not allow the glue to create puddles, spraying from the right distance and not too heavy will prevent this. This will be pretty permanent.
If the fabric is not too thin, like cotton or linen, a thick mix of wallpaper glue or PVA can be used this allows a certain amount of movement before it becomes permanent.
In any case it is really important to make sure that any method is sampled in small areas before going ahead."
My nails keep bending in the wood, why this is happening?
"Fancy headed nails have a domed head and in order to knock them in straight, without bending the shaft, they need to be hit squarely in the center which is where the spacing tool helps by holding the nail square. It also helps to use either the nylon tipped hammer, which is made for the job, or by wrapping the tip of your hammer with leather. This helps prevent it from slipping when it hits the nail head and also stops it damaging the head.
Another tip is to make a very shallow pilot hole with the very tip of a bradawl (don't go too deep as most bradawls are wider than the shaft of the nail and will make the diameter of the hole to wide). It is very important to make sure the pilot hole is not at an angle, the spacer tool can help with the cantering this hole.
The nail spacer tool also relies on you knocking the nails home straight to prolong its life which is where the small pilot hole helps. The tool has to be made of a soft material in order that it clasps the shaft of the nail but this of course does mean it will wear but used correctly it does have a reasonable life expectancy."
To view our full list of hints and tips click here
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Our Newest Members of the JAM family
Baby News...
You may have spoken on the phone to Becky in the past and know that she left us to have her second baby. Becky had a lovely baby boy, Caleb Ezra Oliver Newson born Sunday 30th October 2016 at 16.32 weighing 6lb 12oz.
Caleb quickly started to struggle with his breathing so was rushed over to intensive care within special care baby unit with a chest infection and sepsis.
With Caleb on oxygen a drip and antibiotics he was finally on the mend was moved on to high dependency. With lots of help and care from all at Wrexham Maelor hospital Caleb and Becky are finally home and adapting from having a family of 3 to a family of 4.
I am sure you will join us in wishing them a very Happy Christmas now they can enjoy their new addition to the family.
Meet Lauren
Lauren joined us at the beginning of December as an apprentice in our Warehouse and Buying Department. She will be working over the next few years towards her qualifications in Supply Chain and Warehouse Management.
To read more about Lauren, please click here
