chari caning

[falcon]

I don't know if this is considered woodworking or not, but it is a chair and it's made of wood.  Anyway, I'd like some input as how to cane this chair seat.  I've read all I can about the subject and from what I have read, I don't have the correct hole pattern.  But the chair was caned before.  I don't have any idea how the seat looked with the original cane since it's quite old and I had to repair and refinish it before I could cane it.  I'll try to send a picture.  Not sure how that will go.

[MichaelMouse]

I don't know if this is considered woodworking or not, but it is a chair and it's made of wood.  Anyway, I'd like some input as how to cane this chair seat.  I've read all I can about the subject and from what I have read, I don't have the correct hole pattern.  But the chair was caned before.  I don't have any idea how the seat looked with the original cane since it's quite old and I had to repair and refinish it before I could cane it.  I'll try to send a picture.  Not sure how that will go.

Well, take a look at the lady's picture here, and then follow.  https://www.wickerwoman.com/seatweaving

[falcon]

Yeah, I watched her cane a chair, but it's a little different than mine.  The hole pattern is different and I haven't been able to get the diagonals to come out right.  Still trying to figure it out.  But, thanks for the information and website.

[R Clark]

LOML has caned a number of chairs over the years...and I had her take a look at it.  The two sides have 15 holes each; no problem there.  The front has 16 holes, the back has 14; there's the rub.  However, it's not that unusual.

LOML says that you'll want to determine which holes in the front align with holes in the back.  Using a straight edge, look for alignment front to back and perpendicular to the sides.  Start in the center and work your way out left and right.  You might find the best alignment for those two end holes on the front is actually the  hole on the side nearest to the seat back.

The embedded pic shows a chair LOML did some years ago.  In this chair, there are 23 holes along the front; 18 along the back.  She matched up the holes toward the sides along the front with holes that are actually on the sides of the chair.  She says there will be at least four strands of cane going through each hole, and sometimes 5.  This makes for a very tight fit.  You'll have sore fingers by the time you're done.

   

Key is matching up those holes for best alignment.  Good luck.

[MarkSingleton]

I have been watching this with interest. In the "projects waiting list" are some chairs and at
least one will require caning like this. After reading this thread, and watching some of the videos
it does not seem an insurmountable problem.  So, it will stay on the list, but now I have at least
some idea of what will be required.

Gotta love WoodNet!!!

[falcon]

LOML has caned a number of chairs over the years...and I had her take a look at it.  The two sides have 15 holes each; no problem there.  The front has 16 holes, the back has 14; there's the rub.  However, it's not that unusual.

LOML says that you'll want to determine which holes in the front align with holes in the back.  Using a straight edge, look for alignment front to back and perpendicular to the sides.  Start in the center and work your way out left and right.  You might find the best alignment for those two end holes on the front is actually the  hole on the side nearest to the seat back.

The embedded pic shows a chair LOML did some years ago.  In this chair, there are 23 holes along the front; 18 along the back.  She matched up the holes toward the sides along the front with holes that are actually on the sides of the chair.  She says there will be at least four strands of cane going through each hole, and sometimes 5.  This makes for a very tight fit.  You'll have sore fingers by the time you're done.



Key is matching up those holes for best alignment.  Good luck.

Yeah, I understand that, but I keep hearing about leaving the corner holes empty until caning the diagonals.  With this chair that is a big problem.  The corner holes "don't look right" (for a lack of a better term).  I will try to take another picture and show you what I mean.  I've tried three times to cane this chair and I've come up stymied all three times.  Any help would be very much appreciated.

[falcon]

Yeah, I understand that, but I keep hearing about leaving the corner holes empty until caning the diagonals.  With this chair that is a big problem.  The corner holes "don't look right" (for a lack of a better term).  I will try to take another picture and show you what I mean.  I've tried three times to cane this chair and I've come up stymied all three times.  Any help would be very much appreciated.

OK.  So here is what I am talking about.  One picture shows how the front and back holes line up fine, but then it falls apart for me.  If I don't use the corner holes I end up with open holes.  If I use the corner holes, I can't get the diagonals to come out right.  I hope your LOML can give me a hint as to what to do with this chair. 


I hope you can see the pictures.  I tried to resize them so they wouldn't take up so much room.

[falcon]

OK.  So here is what I am talking about.  One picture shows how the front and back holes line up fine, but then it falls apart for me.  If I don't use the corner holes I end up with open holes.  If I use the corner holes, I can't get the diagonals to come out right.  I hope your LOML can give me a hint as to what to do with this chair. 


I hope you can see the pictures.  I tried to resize them so they wouldn't take up so much room.

I'm trying to send better pictures.  I don't think you can see the details on the ones I sent before

[R Clark]

I had my in-house expert look at your progress so far.  I'm only referring to the bottom picture.

This is how my wife said she would proceed.  Referring to the bottom picture, and the bottom row as pictured with pegs on each side.  I'll call the bottom peg on the left Peg1, and the bottom peg on the right Peg 2.  Presuming that you have a cane tail going out the bottom of of the hole at Peg 2, then you want to finish that back and forth.  Take the cane up through the hole immediately below Peg 2 and then across to hole just below Peg 1, down that hole and then back up through the next hole down, which is actually on the side of the chair.  Then take the cane back to the next empty hole below Peg 2.  

You then need to go up and down with a layer of cane between the sides of the chair, then another layer straight front to back and then another layer side to side.  These layers will each overlay the previous layers, and there is no weaving to this point.  You will have a total of four layers (two front to back, and two side to side) before you begin any diagonals.  The diagonals will involve the weaving.

Edited to add: Just because you use a hole doing the front to back doesn't preclude using that hole going side to side.

[falcon]

I had my in-house expert look at your progress so far.  I'm only referring to the bottom picture.

This is how my wife said she would proceed.  Referring to the bottom picture, and the bottom row as pictured with pegs on each side.  I'll call the bottom peg on the left Peg1, and the bottom peg on the right Peg 2.  Presuming that you have a cane tail going out the bottom of of the hole at Peg 2, then you want to finish that back and forth.  Take the cane up through the hole immediately below Peg 2 and then across to hole just below Peg 1, down that hole and then back up through the next hole down, which is actually on the side of the chair.  Then take the cane back to the next empty hole below Peg 2.  

You then need to go up and down with a layer of cane between the sides of the chair, then another layer straight front to back and then another layer side to side.  These layers will each overlay the previous layers, and there is no weaving to this point.  You will have a total of four layers (two front to back, and two side to side) before you begin any diagonals.  The diagonals will involve the weaving.

Edited to add:  Just because you use a hole doing the front to back doesn't preclude using that hole going side to side.

Thanks a ton for the information.  I'll surely give it a try.  I was at my wit's end trying to figure it out using the logic I was reading from a book.  The book didn't give me enough information.  Of course, it only gave the instructions for simple caning, not for the more "different" procedure.  

Give your wife a big thank you from me.  I really do appreciate it.