How hard is it to do a caned chair?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I had to pass on this lovely Trinidadian hall bench at a local auction today, but I wasn't too upset because I would prefer to build it. Have any of you done a caned seat? It looks tedious, but doable. Sorry for the blurry cell phone pic.

[Jim Ritter]

I've done a few caned seats for adirondack guide boats, it is not hard but it is tedious you are right. There are two types of caning, hand and prewoven pressed caning. I've only done the hand caning with the individual holes. My sister did it professionally for a while for all the local antique stores. She did some really complicated ones. If you can remember an over/under pattern you can do it.
Jim

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Thanks Jim,

I would love to see pics of that guideboat. I build strip boats but my waters are not right for a guideboat. I have always loved them.

I splice line and do a lot of decorative rope work. I checked out some books and videos and it looks fairly straightforward. I think my rope experience would put me ahead of the curve.

[Greg Wease]

I have only used the pre-woven version--looks like the pattern in your bench photo. It is pretty straightforward.

Lots of materials and info here: http://www.franksupply.com/

[Jim Ritter]

Malcolm if you search my company name in the tag line you will find my website. It has photos of a strip built boat and more.
Jim

[Shawn Pixley]

I've done both. Neither is particularly difficult but it is tedious.

[Jack Curtis]

...I would love to see pics of that guideboat. I build strip boats but my waters are not right for a guideboat. I have always loved them....

Are guide boats better for calm water?

[Jim Ritter]

Jack they handle any kind of water. I was in my 12' boat out in wind and waves that I wouldn't dare think of in any other boat.
Jim

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Guide boats are awesome boats, but they are for inland waters. I paddle offshore where the low freeboard would not be suitable. Here is me in my 19' cedar kayak on the way to Jost VanDyke.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I have only used the pre-woven version--looks like the pattern in your bench photo. It is pretty straightforward.

Lots of materials and info here: http://www.franksupply.com/

Thanks for the link. Now I need to either find a pattern for a double chair or combine two singles and make my own. I have a trip to my parent's house coming up and might trace and measure one of the chairs my grandfather made and draw something up on my own. This chair was very simple in that it was fairly flat in the back. It would be fairly simple other than the caning.

Anyone have a link link for a similar chair- photos or patterns? I wish I had taken more pictures.

[Jack Curtis]

Thanks Jim and Malcolm.