Chair Caning Help

There is a new DVD set on Chair Caning that I wish was around when I was teaching myself to restore chair seats. The four DVD set ($79.99) covers the 7-step method, pre-woven cane, fibre rush, and splint-type weaving. If you only are interested in one aspect of seat weaving, you can buy any individual DVD ($24.99).

As for books, I can personally recommend Seat Weaving by Ricky Holdstock and Chair Seat Weaving for Antique Chairs by Marion Burr Sober. The former is a great resource with lots of pictures. The later is a 64 page booklet with line drawing diagrams, glossary, and easy to follow instructions for hand caning, rush weaving, splint weaving, and Shaker tape weaving.

Here are some online resources for instruction:

Pickin’ up the trash

One of the hazards of being a recycling woodworker is the drive by pick up. Sometimes it is worth an immediate stop and sometimes it sticks with you and you have to go back for a closer look. It all depends on what part is broken or in need of repair, what tools you have and what the cost of replacement parts or materials might be.

Sometimes it is a wasted trip upon a closer look–such was the case today. A rocker along side the road at 35 mph looked like a repairable thing, but at a dead stop it was too far gone to be worth it. Sometimes you get lucky–like the time I grabbed an Adirondack chair off a trash pile and all it needed was some sanding, screw tightening, and a new finish. Bonanza!