Seat Weavers' Forum

So I am using tweezers to pull the cane and can only weave one hole at a time. It's going very very slow. Any tips?

I just recaned my first chair with pressed cane - a plantation chair with a 24 x 48 in curved seat. Probably not exactly ideal for a beginners project, I am aware. It was not an antique, but rather some type of mass reproduction, that had been fixed rather poorly before. The groove was very wide and not very deep. When I bought it, the reed spline was round and not the usual shape for pressed cane. I was able to attach the new cane and get it nice and straight. Clamping the reed spline was impossible due to the shape of the chair and i eventually gave up and added nails with a nail gun every 6 inches to hold it in place. I understand that this is not the normal way, but the reed spline (Largest Size my cane supplier had) would not stay in. In hindsight, I should have probably gone back and gotten the round type before proceeding. I was very happy with the turnout For my first one, until we noticed a few days later that the reed spline was lifting up a bit after it was drying. I laid a wet washcloth on the area to soften it up again and added another nail right in the spot it lifted up. Left it to dry. Unfortunately, my husband sat in it after only a few hours and before it was completely dry again. The reed spline stayed in place like I had hoped, but the pressed cane slipped out from underneath it right there. Is there any way to fix this or do I have to start from the beginning and tear it all out again? Any advice is greatly appreciated... Andrea

Many of my cane chairs that I redid a decade ago have sagged, and so I decided to re-cane one of them to see how it went. Much to my annoyance the cane that I am using is continually breaking mid "row" when I am weaving. No doubt I am doing something incorrect, and I would really appreciate any advice?