"David Hunt: Awards time," in the Spotlight on Flooring Professionalism forum, begins: "I was so recently blessed with some kind comments by a comrad that I much admire...... I wonder who you ..."
I was so recently blessed with some kind comments by a comrad that I much admire...... I wonder who you guys have as a 'special' person in the trade. We have all done some selfless efforts in assisting someone else in some project............. what and who?
Dobby... you da man that saved my ass and made me look like I knew what I was doing a while back. Like you, I love helping out here and everywhere. (I tip my hat)
It's been a while back, so many might not know what Dobby helped me with.
It was a landing on a stairway with a Karastan woven runner............ patterns on runners as we know need to follow form as they make the bends around a landing.
Here's some pics as the story unfolded.
First pic was an experiment as I was looking to see how to make a 78 inch pattern look symetrical on a 72" landing.
I first centered the pattern and was going to split the difference.
Didn't look bad, but the pattern at the miter was way off of perfection.............. a 13" by 15" pattern did not make the match any easier to fudge, even tho a perfect match at the miter was not even possible........... OK, round II
Yes, I had sewn carpet prior to this, but a woven runner was new to me, especialy one with two miters on a landing.
Miters at 45 degrees with a runner having serged edges was a challenge........ untill I talked to Dobby.......... what was the bill for 2 1/2 hours Dobby?
Seal the back side of the serging and let it dry for 20 minutes before cutting the diagonal.............. this keeps the serging from unraveling like some exploding popcorn....... after cutting, gently seal the cut ends.
...... OK, OK, slobber it all over as long as it can't be seen from the topside.
Wait till the latex dries, then make a complete cut all the way acoss with a new blade.......... you do not have a second chance with wovens in an application like this............ It's right, or it's wrong.
.... cut once.
More to the point.... miters are lookin' purdy nice (pat on head)
Hey dude... the pattern dimension is still 6 inches off to fit this landing!!!
Dobby of course was nowhere in sight at this point .......... he kept telling me to........ " think outside the box"
Dobby... I wanted some FREEKIN answers damnaggit! .. and you simply said "think outside the box" ......... no help was you, my carpet icon and guru buddy.
............. I was fit to tear down the entire temple............... yes candles and all!
Here is another view.................. still doesn't look right does it? Miters are good... dang good.......... but as you can see, we need to shrink the pattern 6 full inches.
OK, I 'thunk' outside the box............... I spent way, way more time thunking outside the box, than I did actually touching this nice piece of goods........ $74 linear foot as I recall. ....... yes, I really did spend a lot of time looking, staring, thinking, and contemplating this project.
I guess it was a work of study.... a work of thought.
Looks pretty fine missing 6 inches of pattern in 6 feet don't it?
I think there was 14 feet of seams on that little 2 and a half foot wide landing to make the pattern work.
......... anyone see what happened to shrink 6 inches out of the 6 foot wide landing?
Yup, it was finally installed .... the process was an experiece of a life time. May seem trivial to some, but in reality, very, very, few installers are offered work like this.
I was blessed with my own street smarts, yet I relish the the addition of learning from guys like David.
Thank you Dobby.................... you probably have no idea what you have contributed to us 'regular' folks.
I would have declined the job mentioned above without your devoted assistance.............. and that 2+ hour phone call that you offered to me.............. That phone call gave me the confidence to go on with it.
Dobby...... you are a gem.
Dobby, if you don't recall, I chastised you pretty bad on my very first flooring forum venture....
You and Ken were having a 'child fest' like vocal exchange............... I had no idea who you were, so I gave you a whippin' for your comments to Ken.................. Later on to find out you are ...........like, you are...>>>> "the man"<<<<<.
Like it or not "Dobby"...... you will always be 'da man' in my book. Thank you so much for your recent comments.
Please continue to contribute to TFP when you can find the time.............. you are a one of a kind in your specialty....... WE NEED YOU here!
This is a wonderful tribute to a very deserving gentleman. Thank you, Randy, for the opportunity to put a great professional in the spotlight - and inaugurating this brand new forum here at The Floor Pro Community.
If anyone else wants to bring our attention to a deserving professional, member of our site or not, feel free to begin a new topic here in this forum and tell us something about them.
Thank you again, Lo Down, and to Dobby Tappet, the first inductee in our Spotlight on Professionalism.
This is a wonderful tribute to a very deserving gentleman. Thank you, Randy, for the opportunity to put a great professional in the spotlight - and inaugurating this brand new forum here at The Floor Pro Community.
If anyone else wants to bring our attention to a deserving professional, member of our site or not, feel free to begin a new topic here in this forum and tell us something about them.
Thank you again, Lo Down, and to Dobby Tappet, the first inductee in our Spotlight on Professionalism.
I'd spill it.... but keepng Dobby's secret is like.... that CIA stuff........ I'll keep him undercover if everyone else does.
I agree, I have been following David Hunt around for many years and have a ton of respect for him. He is always there to help out a fellow installer. Good thing I don't install carpet because I would be needing him on a daily basis.
For me it is hard to single out one person .. So many have helped me with various questions i don't want to point fingers and risk missing someone .. The inspectors do a great job of posting questions and photos , and other members contribute with their input .. So i say thanks to all and take the fifth until otherwise advised by my mouth piece to name the guilty ..
My own personal tile work, and all of my employee's work would not be near the quality it is now if not for Bud Cline, Bill Vincent, and Tileman (more affectionately known as Rd). Although they don't know it, my customers thank you even more than I do.
Anyone who has a special person in mind to put them in the spotlight here is welcome to begin a new topic with their name in it. That's what this forum is for. We all know some very deserving flooring professionals - even if they aren't members of this site.
