Caning a Small Chair

This is my third caning experience. I'm getting better at seeing mistakes--hope that means my skills are improving.

Pandemic passtime...

My Second Caning Adventure

I finished the corner chair two years ago and recently turned my attention to this bent-wood rocking chair. You can view photos of the deconstruction and the finished corner chair in my 2019 post, Can I Cane a Chair?

Honey, an elderly Norwich Terrier, is my caning companion.

A rolled up piece of cane is soaking in the purple tub for about 10 minutes before I can use it. I found clothes pins helpful in keeping the the roll under water.

It was so exciting to get to this final stage of adding the edge over the holes in the seat. At this point I was seeing the cane pattern on the backs of my eyelids whenever I closed my eyes!

Completed project--not perfect, but it'll do.

Small Chair Restored

This chair was wobbly and uncomfortable. So the project required glue, foam, and new fabric.

Deconstructed...

Re-glued and a coat of walnut Restor-a-Finish...

New foam and a layer of Dacron...

Finally, the fabric...

Can I Cane a Chair?

It's time to learn how to cane chairs.

    

                   

So far I'm learning a lot from Peerless Rattan, and while I'm waiting for supplies to arrive, I'll take the old caning out of the rocking and corner chairs, and reglue the loose connections in the corner chair.

Old caning removed, chair wiped down, coat of walnut Restore a Finish applied: ready for new caning.

Took the old cane off a third chair. Opened the loose connections and reglued. Painted the corner chair and small arm chair with Rustoleum, Satin, Claret Wine color. I also decided to add 4 angle supports to the corner chair for more stability.

               

Question: would it be easier to cane the back of the rocker with the piece detached or should I screw it back on the chair first? Fixing a table while I wait for the cane to arrive. 

Found a drying rack to hang my strand cane. 

Decided to begin with the red corner chair because the seat is square and removable. I'm getting help from a very clear YouTube video: Weaving a Cane Seat Using the 7 Step Method created by Ed and Cindy Hammond. Here's a phot0 of beginning Step 1:

Step 1 completed:

Step 2 completed:

Step 3 completed and Step 4 started:

The perfect combination: tedious step 4  and day 2 of the British Open.

Step 4 done!

Photo of Step 5 completed:

Step 6 done, on to Step 7--binding the edges.

Finished project:

Round 2--Davis Chairs

Four Dining Room Chairs that need Seats Recovered:

Part I--Taking it Apart

 First time I've worked on a factory built chair seat and seen this kind of pressed wood frame and rubber webbing.

I was surprised that there was no muslin or dacron over the foam and underneath the fabric.

The problem with this webbing is that it stretched out at every staple. I think the doubled over jute webbing will stay more firm.

Until I saw the fabric off the chair, I didn't realize how worn it was.

Part II: Reconstruction

New webbing

 Added a layer of dacron

Covered in muslin

One done, three to go...

  

Last two--woohoo!

Finished August 21, 2018