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

Special People!

One of our recent customers came to our shop with this rocking chair and wanted us to repair the seat. It had been put together with string and a cushion sat on top. They thought it might be a good idea to have a new seat put in. The chair came from their barn. Mr. Watson said that his dad told him that he was rocked in that chair when he was a baby, and he was born in 1890. Mr Watson and his lovely wife still live in the same house the family built in 1850. Both are now in their 90's. What a great story - I'm sure that chair has many more years of rocking to come.