3 Mar 2016

Leather work bag repair

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent, Contract Sewing, Marine & Sails | 0

Repairs in 10 minutes, no problem, book in and we will repair while you wait (where possible).

With continued exposure to sunlight and weather the threads we use are formulated to prevent colour fade and retain strength by spinning a sheath of cotton around a core of continuous filament polyester. It is then coated with an anti-wicking agent to prevent water absorption and water migration along the thread, thus assisting the thread to maintain its dexterity.

We offer concept design services through to consumer project management and everything in between including: concept consultancy, design, fabric textile specification, prototyping, knife and laser cutting, product fabrication.

Outdoor Sewing Solutions are currently undertaking work for companies from a wide spectrum of industry sectors mostly involved in the leisure activity sectors such as Caravan accessories, Caravan awning manufactures, Climbing walls manufactures, Marine servicing, Boat building. We have also taken on work for others including The Institute for Outdoor Learning.

The Heavy-duty sewing machines in our workshop allow OSS to handle a massive range of material weights.

12743970_589322954553430_520717928415607462_n-225x300 Leather work bag repair — Leather work

12745709_589322917886767_894820432636951129_n-225x300 Leather work bag repair — Leather work

22 Feb 2016

RS Tera North Squad Training at Ripon Sailing Club

by Martin Miller | posted in: RS Tera | 0

19 Feb 2016

Contract Sewing Services

by Martin Miller | posted in: Contract Sewing, Glamping | 0

Specialising in heavy duty sewn products with a broad range of services across many sectors.

Oss can supply bespoke solutions from free issue items for sewing only to Full design to production services.

Free issue manufacture
- You supply all components and Oss will stitch you product together charging labour and overheads only.
- Have your product digitally cut by one of our partners, deliver to OSS then on to your requested destination.
Design
1. Manual and digital design options
Prototyping
1. Confidentiality for new projects
2. spend time on site with us to get the results you are looking for
On site production
High volume manufacture from China
Rectification work
Digital cutting for higher volume items

Sewing machines:

Straight stitch walking foot, any weight
Zig Zag
Triple stitch, 6 step

Small items to heavy duty sewing. 10mm thickness is no issue for some of our machines.

19 Feb 2016

Caravan Awning Size

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent | 0

What awning size is right for my caravan?

The below links will help you measure your caravan to insure you chose the correct awning size for your purchase or alterations.

Awning extension and reductions

We can alter your awning up to 75cm. Anti wicking threads keeps seams from leaking.

Find your awning: Ventura

4 easy steps to buy your awning: Bradcot

Whats my Size? Measuring your Van: NR awnings

Alterations up to 750.00mm maximum

Caravan awning extensions – £140
Caravan awning reductions – Starting from £124

16 Feb 2016

Tent, Caravan and sailing season upon us

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent | 0

8 Feb 2016

Tent and awning materials functionalities

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent | 0

Breathable
Cotton cloth and textile materials which have a microporous coating on the outside have a strong breathable capability that allows air and water vapour to pass through. This increases comfort and creates a pleasant climate in the tent.

Dirt repellent

The cloth or fabric has been given a finish that ensures that dust and dirt adhere to it less readily and the fabric does not attract them.

Flame-retardant
The use of inherently flame-retardant fibers ensures extra safety and protection. Textile material that is flame retardant inhibits fires from starting and delays their spreading.

Stability
Various types of fiber have a low degree of shrinkage. Thanks to special methods of production and professional processing by the manufacturer, the tent fabric remains stable. This enables a tent or awning to be stretched taut.

Sun protective
This fabric resists the nuisance caused by sunlight and the heat resulting from sunlight. TenCate tent and awning fabric is well able to withstand UV radiation and thus provides effective protection from the sun.

Colourfast
The right choice of dyes and colourings with excellent colourfastness ensures that tent and awning fabric retain their colour, even when they are exposed to sun and rain for many seasons.

Durable
A number of studies and tests have proven that the best raw materials, the right combination of fibers, the weaving technique chosen and

good finishes result in excellent durability. Good maintenance will increase lifespan even further.

Moisture regulating
Fibers like cotton and PVA have a high moisture-absorbent capability and are able to get rid of moisture quickly from this textile material.

Strong
An ingenious combination of fibers, yarns, weaving and finishing gives the textile material its strength. The right processing and smart construction enhance this feature.

Water repellent
The combination of fibers, construction and processing results in a textile material that repels water.

8 Feb 2016

Tent fabric care, increase the life span of your tent.

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent | 0

After you have bought your tent, the cotton tent cloth may in the first instance still allow a little moisture to pass through. However, during the first shower the fabric will become saturated, causing it to close as it were and thus allow no further water to pass through.

Every type of tent cloth requires maintenance, however strong and weather-resistant the material may be. The following tips will enable you to enjoy your tent for even longer.

Make sure the tent cloth and the slope of the tent are correctly tensioned. This will enable rainwater to run off more easily.
Never touch the tent with greasy hands. If you have used suntan lotion, wash your hands first, as grease can harm the waterproof qualities.
Never place chairs or similar objects against the tent cloth. Friction can easily cause damage, which may result in leakage.
Do not touch the tent cloth while it is raining, as this will allow water to remain ‘suspended’ where the tent cloth has been touched, thus increasing the risk of leakage.

Do not hang washing or wet towels over the tent cloth. These may still contain some soap residues which can be transferred to the tent cloth and affect its water-repellent properties.
For the same reason, never clean the mud skirts or ground sheets with soap.
Ventilate the tent well, even if it is not or rarely being used.
Avoid cooking in the tent or at least make sure that there is adequate ventilation to remove any condensation formed.
Clean the tent cloth before storage.
Make sure the tent is thoroughly dry before storage.

Tent repairs

Repairs from £30 or talk to us and we can supply options for you to do the repair at home yourself saving even more money.

From small hole to zip, ground sheet and panel replacement.

Tent poles

We are able to order in poles to match your current sizes, lead time required to buy in the sizes you want.

Pre season servicing

Service you awning before you put it away and before the pre-season rush. prices start at £60.00 plus materials.

For more information in regards your tent and awning, please feel free to contact OSS or go to the site at OUTDOOR SEWING SOLUTIONS

7 Feb 2016

How a sewing machine works

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent, Marine & Sails, Uncategorized | 0

Walking foot sewing machine as used by OUTDOOR SEWING SOLUTIONS

A needle shoves thread up and down, and somehow a seam is formed.

Here’s a little YouTube video of this:

What is that thread latching to? How, if the needle just bobs up and down, does the thread lock in place?

A great GIF reveals what is going on inside the machine as the needle does its little dance:

CLICK ON IMAGE TO MAKE IT WORK

Beneath the needle (as the GIF shows at a very slowed down speed) a hook rotates, capturing the thread from above and looping it around another thread, this one reeling from the bobbin below. The two threads interlock around the layers of fabric, binding them to one another.

So it’s not magic; it’s mechanics. And to me, that’s even neater.

hpm_0000_0003_0_img0148-300x143 How a sewing machine works — A stitch in time

16 Jan 2016

Beginner’s guide to boat cleaning

by Martin Miller | posted in: Marine & Sails | 0

Find out the boat cleaning jobs you need to do to get your vessel into excellent shape before she heads out on the water

Cleaning_boat Beginner’s guide to boat cleaning

When it comes to boat cleaning we’ve got all the tips and advice you need to leave her sparkling.

First off, make sure you have all the boat cleaning products you need to hand to do the job properly. After all, there’s nothing worse than putting in the hours to find out you’ll have to do it all again, or worse, you’ve damaged your boat.

The essential equipment and products you’ll need

Soft bristle brush
Shammy leather, towel or dry rag
Boat wash (Phosphate free)
Fibreglass polish
Boat wax

Begin by taping the waterline of the boat so as not to get any products on the underside or remove the antifouling as you clean.

Next, give your boat a good hose down with fresh water and then apply the boat wash liberally using a soft bristle brush. Make sure you’ve gone over all of the boat and work to improve the appearance of any substantial marks using a stain remover.

Once this is complete, rinse the boat down again so as to get rid of any soapsuds that may be left on. You can pick up a good boat wash for £7 to £14 from various outdoor stores or chandleries. Well-known brands include Starbite, 3M and Pro Marine. And if you like doing your bit for Mother Nature, there are also a number of environmentally-friendly boat cleaning products you can get your hands on.

Be careful not to use a household detergent such as washing-up liquid when cleaning your boat as it will strip existing layers of wax off the boat, meaning you’ll have to apply wax to it more often in future. Washing-up liquid also wasn’t meant for the marine environment and can be bad for waterways.

Using a dry cloth, apply an even layer of boat polish on to your vessel. Once you’ve covered the boat fully, wipe her down with a dry rag or towel, helping to remove any dust from the boat before you apply the wax. A good boat polish could set you back up to £18 with a number of brands offering good products.

Next thing on the list; in circular motions, cover your boat in boat wax. Ensure that you don’t miss any patches, as the wax is what will give you that fantastic shiny finish. Once you’re done, go over the wax with a dry towel to reveal a sparkling clean hull – as good as new. You should be able to pick up a good boat wax for between £10 and £20 from chandleries or outdoor stores.

Read more at http://www.ybw.com/expert-advice/beginners-guide-to-boat-cleaning-1032#vjIPMdWcDQ1PM1Bt.99

Source: Yachting and Boating world

16 Jan 2016

How do I clean my acrylic canvas covers?

by Martin Miller | posted in: Caravan, Awning & Tent, Glamping, Marine & Sails | 0

The cover should be soaked in lukewarm water (not exceeding 40 degrees). It should then be scrubbed lightly with a mild soap (no detergents), use Fairy, Lux or a Simple soap. Flakes are preferable, but you can rub the bar of soap over the canvas. This can be done on board in situ, on the pontoon, at home on your patio, or in the bath!. Rinse the cover with warm water and leave to dry naturally. Any windows in the cover may be washed in the same way, using lukewarm water and a mild soap, but do not use abrasives or bleaches. DO NOT PRESSURE WASH. After washing, you may wish to consider re-proofing the canvas. i.e. adding the protective waterproof coating to the top side.

Author Archives: Martin Miller

Specialising in heavy duty sewn products with a broad range of services across many sectors.

What awning size is right for my caravan?