Paint Roller to Webbing Stretcher

[James Combs]

Getting ready to replace some springs and re-upholstery an old Cherry rocker for a customer. Haven't done one with webbing spring support before so needed a webbing stretcher(according to tutorials I have found ) to tighten the supporting webbing. The original springs were mounted on three metal rails attached to the underneath of the chair seat frame. Four of seven springs were broken and the rails were also in bad shape so decided to use web support for new springs but did not have all the tools required for that.

Looking online, eBay, I noted that Osborne #253 style stretchers ranged from $24 new/used to $50+new. Decide that was too much for possible only a one time use so I thought "I can make one of those" and what follows is my attempt at it.

I had a relatively new 4" paint roller that I had not cleaned up from a small shop paint job I did a couple "years" back. It had been wrapped in plastic bag for all that time so dug it out and remove the old roller and roller support. The handle was a little twisted and broke off when I tried to straighten it leaving just the steel frame. I wire brushed the frame to remove any dried on paint and tossed all the rest of the "junk".
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Also had 9-10" glue-up of some maple used for "something" in the past, forget what but it was about 1.5" thick and 2.5" wide. Cut a piece of it the length of the bottom of the paint roller frame and drilled & slotted it to accept the frame.
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Ripped the resulting piece intwo, dirilled some pilot holes for #9 1.5" deck screws to use as the sharp pins.
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Continued in the next post.

[James Combs]

Drill a small piece of 1/2" dowel to accept the deck screw to hold it for grinding a point.
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Install the now pointy screws into the drilled section, install the steel handle, it is a friction fit at this point.
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I already had a tool handle I had made a couple years ago and decide it was too small for the original purpose. Pulled it out of storage and assembled it to the steel handle section of the frame. Over all the assembly resulted in a tool about 14-15" long. That's about 5" longer then the Osborne version, not sure what effect the extra length will have on usability but for this one time I think it will do fine.
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I did not have any rubber to act as a chair edge gripper so I wrapped the business end with some 60 grit PSA sand paper.
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Will post later and how well it works.

Comments and or suggestions welcomed.

[Bill White]

Sure looks like my Osborne.
I keep corks on the pins so I don't stab myself when it is in the tool chest. Its a good excuse to buy wine.
Bill

[James Combs]

Sure looks like my Osborne.
I keep corks on the pins so I don't stab myself when it is in the tool chest. Its a good excuse to buy wine.
Bill

Thanks Bill, "Osborne" style is what I was going for. Here is a couple pics of it in action.
BTW with the way I have it designed it can be taken apart to replace any of the pins if they happen to break.
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It worked pretty good for me, not have ever used one I didn't really have any way of judging it except that it did the job. My only observation was that the handle felt a little less substantial then it could have but since it was already made and available I'm not complaining.

[Paul Cofrancesco]

Really cool, thanks for taking pictures and inventing.

[glenn bradley]

Nice one James!

[Morey St. Denis]

Your work appears exemplary James, and cleverly resourceful to boot! Any chance you may have taken some photos of the later stages where those upholstery springs get applied and secured in preparation for the seat padding?.. I'm working toward recreating a matched set of Art Deco period channel back chairs with similar seat construction, except that these seats would be circular with a semi-circular chair back flaring upward into a rounded shell-like support carrying the swirl-fluted upholstery channels. Believe I could learn quite a bit more useful insights regarding your technique and craftsmanship that may further assist in visualizing and accomplishing my goals. I can already see how the webbing stretcher could be modified with a concave curvature better matching the radius of my particular seat frame. Keep up the good work!

Morey

[James Combs]

Your work appears exemplary James, and cleverly resourceful to boot! Any chance you may have taken some photos of the later stages where those upholstery springs get applied and secured in preparation for the seat padding?.. I'm working toward recreating a matched set of Art Deco period channel back chairs with similar seat construction, except that these seats would be circular with a semi-circular chair back flaring upward into a rounded shell-like support carrying the swirl-fluted upholstery channels. Believe I could learn quite a bit more useful insights regarding your technique and craftsmanship that may further assist in visualizing and accomplishing my goals. I can already see how the webbing stretcher could be modified with a concave curvature better matching the radius of my particular seat frame. Keep up the good work!

Morey

My apologies for not getting back to you sooner Morey. Yes I have pics of the entire project, if you don't mind Facebook you can see them there. Scroll down 4-5 screens and you will see them there.

[Tom Hargrove]

James - nice job. I cobbled together a "straight" version for a one time use on a chair I was working on. Not nearly as elegant, and I disposed of it when I was done since it was a 2x4 block and some sharpened finishing nails. I have used an Osborne, and other than the handle being less robust, I'm sure yours works just as well. If you are going to use it again, I would replace the sandpaper with rubber of some kind. Most hardware stores sell 6" diameter rubber discs in the plumbing department that are used as gaskets for DWV saddles. They are cheap, and will work just fine.

Morey - YouTube has lots of upholstery "how to videos." Insert "mjamsdenfurniture" in the search box to find a pretty good series of videos on re-doing a wing back chair, including the springs. Springs have traditionally been sewn to the webbing with a heavy gauge thread/cord. I strongly suggest you use hog ring nails instead unless authenticity is your goal. The rings are much easier and much faster.