# Help for cane chair seat (and source)



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Hi all,
I bought some old chairs in Paris because I find them beautiful, and they were so light in waight and construction, that they impressed me.










But as you can see the seats are broken, and or really tired, so I want to put new seats.
I have no experience with this, but would like to do it my self…










Does anyone have some good diy books, guides or advice?
Does anyone know where I can buy the cane material for the seats, I heard it is possible to buy it prewoven?

Hope someone can be helpful,
MaFe


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

try here mads
they ship worldwide

http://woodworker.com/c-Caning/

and here is a hand book about the work

http://woodworker.com/fullpres.asp?PARTNUM=857-154


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

Hello Mads 
either you want the same look or a new look to the seats it isn´t so hard on theese kind of chairs
you can buy the same prewowen here in Denmark
I have two books about rstoring things and restore furnitures some where in a movingboks on the loft
they are on Danish I will dig them out so you can get the title and auther so you can borrow them
on the libary , I´ll Pm you

take care
Dennis


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Those do not look to be seated with pre-woven cane.
Cornell University bulletin number 681 "Cane seats for chairs"-revised edition will give ya all you need to know. It takes some time, and your hands will remember the project for some time. Use glycerine in the water to soften the cane and make it easier on the fingers.
Cornell Univ.Resource Center
7 Business and Tech. Park
Ithaca, NY 14850
Bill


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## dustbunny (May 18, 2009)

Hi Mads,
I have done caning on chairs.
There is a lot about caning that the books can't tell you.
Like proper tension on the cane.
If you pull the cane too tight while it is wet, when it dries and shrinks, it tightens.
This can actually become so tight it can break the chair at the holes drilled for the cane.
My recommendation-
Before you try to cane the chair is to make a frame 12" x 12", drill holes for the appropriate size cane,
and do a practice to see how you do. My dad taught me how to cane by doing this first. Gives you the "feel" 
of tension, and how to twist and lay the cane coming through holes.

Here is where I buy my supplies.
Hope this helps,

Lisa


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Hi,
Thank you David, wonderful source.
Dennis: do you know a Danish supplier.
Bill: I'll try and look into this.
Lisa: Thank you a lot, I will get back to you if I run into questions.
I will do as you say, to make a frame, and make a test first, think this will be a clever investment in skills.
I have just offered a book of 'making chair seats' this book should cover most types including cane, so I look forward to make some reading.
The chairs are in Paris, so I have to bring them home two and two, but I can get started with the frame Lisa suggest. If I can not find a dealer in Denmark, I'll order from one of your links. 
Thank you a lot for the help, I'm full of confident now.
Best thoughts from my heart,
Mads


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

that was a smart move ,
leaving the chairs in paris .

now you can go and be with 
caroline again , LOL !


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## dustbunny (May 18, 2009)

Mafe,

The link I posted ships internationally. I think it is in the top left corner of the web page. 
There are a bunch of flags, click on them.

Lisa


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## anneb3 (Feb 23, 2014)

40yrs ago, right after I bought a used Shopsmith I saw an article about making a caned stool. So I learned to cane. Gave the finished stool to my sister in law who used it all over the world. Its final home was in the arid southwest where it started to lose its flex and started to break all the strands.
No problem, I would just recane it. Lugged it down to the shop, where I had the leftover cane.
What a diseaster. I knew the cane had to be damp, so I put a couple of strands in a bucket and let them set for a few minutes, figuring that was enough. Got the first row installed just fine. Second row , pulled the strand half
way through and it busted. Too dry. Gathered up the rest of the cane and put it a plastic container. Added a cup of water and fastened the lid down tight. Figured by morning that cane would be damp enough to start again.

Wrong. The cane had sucked up all the water, so I added 2 cups of water, waited til the next day, the container was dry again. Added another cup of water, Hooray, started again, making sure that I kept wetting it down with a spray bottle containing a few drops of glycerin and water. Got all the verticals done.
Time to quit. Stored the whole thing in a plastic bag with another cup of water and a few drops of glycerin and a damp cloth on top.

This time I will soak the strands 1/2 hour and keep my wet cloth on top.
More later.


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## EPJartisan (Nov 4, 2009)

I may never do caning again.. I cut myself too many times on the sharp edges of the cane, but I was using a 1/4" wide strips.. I also learned the hard way about pulling the cane top tight and about how long to wet the cane. Never found it rewarding enough.. but I am very happy I learned how and could use it in other projects if needed.

I got all my supplies from Royalwood Ltd. they carry a lot more stuff than just cane supplies. Unsure if they ship over seas.


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## anneb3 (Feb 23, 2014)

Chapter 2. The materials. I had read up on just what was need. The articles on the net lists all the misc. tools needed, including something called a streamer which is a rod 21 inches long with a slot at one end, so I decided to order one. What a waste of money, esp for a small stool. Just not room to feed it over/under/over.

My previous job I bought a short needle, maybe 3inches long with split at the end and a little tip thing.
Open it, slip the end of the cane, clamp it shut with your fingers and you are on your way over/under/over.
Guess they don't sell them any more. More later


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## anneb3 (Feb 23, 2014)

Chapter 3. How to actually cane. Most of the info is right on the net. First part is easy, 
pick the center of the front row, feed the cane up through the bottom, go clear to the back, down through the hole and up the next hole till you have done all the holes. Make sure to do this part leaving some slack.
Step 2 Do the same thing again but this time leave more slack
and make sure the rows lay to the right.

Then the fun begins. Look at the pictures and instructions on the net'

If they are not clear don't start, get some yarn or black thread and run a few rows using it. Lots easier than actually weaving and then undoing it all.

Last statement. For beginners, don't think you can knock it all out in a short time.
I read somewhere that folks are paid 50 cents a hole. At rate I am going with 50 holes and then the binding phase
I am losing money,
BUT AS A PRESENT FOR MY BROTHER's WIFE I WILL BE PAID WITH A PECAN PIE.
Can't beat that.
The end


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Thanks for all the info and sharing the thoughts and work,
The chaise are still in Paris…
So I might never get these done, but who knows, life is still so full of miracles.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## fernandoindia (May 5, 2010)

Hi Mads.
I,ve been through the same process a couple of months ago. With 5 children you can imagine the caning holes of my chairs.

I bought a piece of Pre-woven Cane Webbing enough for 2 chairs, and it cost me equivalent to 70 euros. We are a very rich country, so we can afford such price .

Cleaning the groove where the spline will be inserted was the most difficult part. In my case, such spline was glued, and brad nailed in some places. Well that part was a pain. I left the cane webbing submerged in water during one night, and after installed on the chair hammering with 4 pieces of wood in opposite directions, so as to present the webbing correctly. Thereafter splined it. All the oral directions were given by the webbing vendor. And frankly I found this part quite easy. For an experienced architect, this should be a piece of cake.

The best


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Smiles. ;-)


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I've routed grooves in old cane chairs over the holes to accept 
splines. It's way easier to replace the cane with pre-woven cane.

Whether this is appropriate depends on the value and condition
of the chair.


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