Videos that help

We have had so many great comments from people who are caning or rushing using our videos for the first time.  Here are a few pics of some of their work.

Different Rush Frames

Over the years we have come across different types of rush frames.  To be honest we have to study them, take pictures and be very careful to pay attention when we remove the old rush.  Here are a few we think you may see and hopefully help you.  One is a frame with no corners and the other is a frame with wrapped corners.

Click here for video for a frame with no corners

Click here for video on frame with wrapped corners

What to do with Spline?

I remember years ago when putting in spline, I used to say to myself as I inserted it around the corners "please don't snap, please don't snap" but I still had many pieces snap on me.  That was very frustrating!  That's when I decided to soak EVERY piece of spline before I use it.  In the years since, I have not had one piece of spline snap.  Even a very brittle piece becomes so pliable after a half hour soaking that I can wrap it around any corner easily.  Some may say it will expand...maybe a little...but not to the extent that it should not go into the groove.  Soaking also makes it easy to miter the edges without any breakage. This material is the same material that flat reed/splint comes from...and of course you wouldn't think to use this material without soaking it.  It just makes sense. 

Below is a chart to help you select the size of spline you will need.  Measure the actual groove width and then it will correlate with the size in the left column.

My Caning Mentor - A Thankful Memory

35 years ago I took my daughter to the home of Betsy Joslin.  My family knew the family and when I had a chair to do, my mother remembered that Betsy did that type of work.  When I called her to see if she could teach me, she was thrilled.  She was winding down her business and wanted the craft to carry on.  (although she was only 85)  We spent two days together but I think that she would have made it more just to get the company and especially since my daughter was with me. Betsy would be happy to hear that she is also a fantastic caner.   She served us pea soup - a soup in which I am not fond...but tried to gulp it down the best I could so as not to hurt her feelings.  She gave me my first awl, a crock to soak the cane, and some pegs as well.  Since that time Betsy has gone home to be with the Lord.  Someday I will see her and thank her again for the start she gave me. 
Who was your Caning Mentor?

It has been baffling to me.

Why have some antique dealers put a padded seat over the original cane on chairs?  It not only is ugly - it is just not right!  Hopefully we can rescue some of these chairs before they get a hideous pad on them!

Rush Frame with no corners - special weave

There are many different specialty weaves for rush and in the next month or two we will be describing a few of them.  This one is a frame with what we say has no corners.  Before you attempt any type of seat like this...examine it and take pictures as you remove the rush.  It is good sometimes if there are two chairs so you can refer to the other one as an example.  Click on to these video instructions if you would like to attempt this special rush weave.

Splint Seats

Click here to view our video on how to use splint or flat reed in a chair.   

Some of the tips for flat reed:

• Don't use hot water or soak the material too long as it will cause the hair to stick up on the reed
• Make sure you tighten up each strand as you will end up running out of space in the front.
• You can stain the seat by using most stains.  Just know that if you stain the seat after you put it in, and use it, there will be marks where the natural material will show through.  You can avoid this by either staining the strips before you put them in or use smoked reed which appears to be stained.  You can purchase smoked reed from Peerless Rattan.

How to Replace a Pressed in Cane Seat

 Here is a link to our latest video on Pressed in Cane Seats.  

More tips about removing hard to handle spline:

• Use vinegar in the groove to soften the spline
• Drill small holes into the spline to break it up
• A good spline chisel and razor knife.

Use a water soluble type glue - Hide Glue or Elmer's...using anything else will make it very difficult for the next person removing the spline - and that person could be you!

Grandma's heirloom chair

One of our customers recently visited her old homestead and found a chair that she as a child remembered sitting in.  She took it for refinishing and also wanted it to be caned as it had one of those cardboard seats on it.  So we drilled out holes so we could cane it and it turned out beautiful.  Probably if you were to visit grandma - you too would remember certain pieces of furniture or trinkets that she would love for you to have so you too can pass that memory down to your grandchildren.

Hand Caning using the NO KNOT Method

I have started using the no know method - especially on backs of chairs where you would see the tie.   The only downside to this I see is that the holes could get filled up making it more difficult during the binding...the upside is that you don't have to tie anything and it looks beautiful when you are done.  Here is a link to our no knot video No Knot Video

Cathryn Peters - The Wicker Woman

Cathryn Peters started caning in 1975 and since then she has become the go to person when it comes to caning plus many other interesting arts and crafts.  She developed the Wicker Woman site that has so much valuable information about all types of seat weaving, basketry and more.  Her blog is where you can state your question and get answers from accomplished caners.  For more information about Cathryn, how to instructions, and much much more - click here http://www.wickerwoman.com/blog

It's Canoe Time Again!

It's that time of year again when the canoes get pulled out and they may need new seats.  They take both hand cane and pressed cane.  I guess the idea is that cane is a porous material that can get wet as well as a comfortable seat that contours to your seat.  Hope you caners out there get the opportunity to repair one of these seats...and maybe even use one!

Ed's Easy Method for Rushing a Chair

Over the past 35 years Ed has developed lots of tips for rushing chairs.  We have a new video on our website that shows those tips.  Here's a link... http://peerlessrattan.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=122

What Size Cane Do I Use?

One of the most asked questions -  What size cane do I use in my chair?  We recently had an incident with a shop owner about this.  He couldn't wrap his head around the idea that the size of the actual hole and the distance apart from center to center determines the size of cane you use.  The back of the seat was done and the holes were not drilled the same and farther apart so when it came to the seat - he wanted the same size which would have meant cramming the cane into the smaller hole.  He thought that because it was a large seat - it required larger cane.  WRONG!  Just because you get a chair with a certain size cane in it doesn't mean that is what you put back in it.  Somebody else made the determination which was not the correct size.  Be sure you point this out to your customers to avoid any problem especially when they have a back with larger drilled holes. Most people trust what you say because after all you are the professional, and have done many chairs.  In my case - I would say probably thousands - really...it's hard to think I'm that old!  You can check out our size chart on our website http://peerlessrattan.com/strand-cane.html

New Video on 7 Steps of Hand Caning

Check out our first in a series of videos available on our website. We start out with the 7 steps of hand caning - the old fashioned way. Other videos coming are no knot method,the rush on chairs and frames, pressed cane - taking the old out and putting the new in...stay tuned. Check it out here:
http://peerlessrattan.com/video-instructions-for-seat-weaving.html

Making Splint Chairs from Scratch

John Berkshire makes furniture down in Central Arkansas. He enjoys making ladder-back style chairs in the old time fashion - splitting and riving parts from oak logs, then shaping the parts using a draw-knife, spokeshave, and lathe, then steam bending and assembling all the parts using wet dry joinery and other traditional methods. Pictured is his first painted and woven splint piece. It's black milk paint over red. This is a prototype he built from a white oak log he bought from a sawmill up in the Ozarks. John says they're awfully fun to make. He loves this splint woven seat. He's looking forward to doing more. Isn't it amazing? Beautiful job John!

Round Hand Cane Seats

One of the most asked questions for new caners is "what hole should I use in a round or non-square seat?" We had a set of chairs where each one of our caners took one, and each one was done a little differently...they all had the same final look where they had "x's" on each side, and yet they all used a different hole along the sides, front and back. I always lay a piece of cane from front to back or side to side and "guess" which hole is even with the rest of the horizontals or verticals in the chairs. You will always have to skip holes, and double up on holes in each corner...sometimes two or three times in each. The more chairs you do, the better you will get at knowing which hole to put the cane. Below are several photos to show the skipping and doubling up of holes along the sides.

Notice how holes were skipped Notice how we doubled up strands in the corners

Notice the "x's" along the front, back and sides

Stuffing Rush Chairs

Over the years we have discovered very interesting things people use to stuff rush chairs. Rags, newspaper, raffia, folded up paper and even cotton. Ed even found a silver dime wrapped up inside some paper. We have seen seats stuffed on top, bottom or sometimes nothing at all. We recommend stuffing because it helps maintain the form of the seat for a longer period of time. In our workshop we keep a huge supply of heavy cardboard cut into various triangular shapes so it would be easier to stuff the seat with them on hand. We also recommend stuffing both the top and bottom. Some of the newspapers have interesting articles dating back to the '60's. The prices of things have sure gone up! Sometimes we will find someones name and address on cardboard. Hum...that would be good to do. Good luck with stuffing your chairs - if you need more help or suggestions with your rush chair click here

Meet Jan Noall - a Special Caner!

Jan Noall is a special caner. Well I should say she is just a special person. She volunteers her time helping Seniors (and really anyone) that wants to learn how to cane. The group meets weekly in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio at the Park and Recreation Center. They meet Mondays from 9am to 2pm. These classes are FREE! What starts out as a teaching session turns out to be a group of good friends.
Jan has a home based business, with over 30 years experience in all types of chair seat weaving, wicker furniture repair and basket repair. She also makes structural chair repairs and for a small fee will pick-up and deliver. You can call Jan 1-330-929-0715 or email her janol@att.net To check out more about Jan and her group, click here

SAGE Eldercare - New Jersey - great volunteers

The mission of SAGE Eldercare is to support the independence, well-being and quality of life of older adults, their families and caregivers, through the provision of client-centered health, social and support services.

As one of the oldest and most respected senior service agencies in New Jersey, SAGE Eldercare helps thousands of frail, older adults, their families and caregivers each year. We are proud to offer a wide range of programs and services that support seniors in the challenges they face during the later stages of life

Check out more about their caning and furniture restoration shop - http://www.sagenj.org/workshop-resale-shop/index.html