Help with a peacock chair

So today i trip upon a slightly used peacock chair at a local thrift shop. Anybody have any info on how to do some repair work to it? While some of the canning is unwrapped, it looks like it has been in storage with something stacked against it. The base is out of round but ok if it can be re-rounded. The major damage looks like someone jerked it out of above said storage pile. The back of the bottom has come loose and is sticking out. looks like it can be fixed but am looking for a "right" way (instead of my way :) )I remember seeing somewhere that the canning needs to be dampened or steamed so it will soften?? couldn't pass at 8 bucks but would like to get one Mai Tai out of it.

ka'lenatiki,

Check out this thread http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=18485&forum=18&522

Included in there is discussion of refurbishing rattan chairs starting around page 5 or 6, including step by step pics.

Bear

ahh, that was the page I remember seeing before! thanks. any thoughts on re-shaping??

Sorry, but I wouldn't have any idea. Now, if I were you... as it's Tikiskip's thread and his expertise with the rattan, I'd contact him with a PM or email and ask him to look at this thread (after posting pictures of the chair in question to show the issues with it) and ask for his advice on how to proceed... But that's just me. :D

Bear

Hey Skip here,
Pictures would help.
But... I don't think it is going to work that well as
those chairs are made with thin strands of rattan all kind
of banded together from the ground up.
I could be wrong.
Tell the guy you will give him $5.00 and make this light
out of it instead.
You can cut many long strands from the back of those chairs.
Thats what I do when I find one of those at a curb.
Good luck.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2011-05-13 16:41 ]

Tikiskip
lol... well ,maybe.......

Would like to try to fix it first. The seats redone now, and i'm starting on the back/bottom. looks like it just came untucked and I hope to be able to streach them back into place.

The big problem i forsee is re-rounding the bottom.

If I can get it fixed up, I think I'm going to put a pedestal under it to suport the weight better. with the cushion on It should blend in.

any thoughts on the re-rounding?

[ Edited by: ka'lenatiki 2011-05-14 09:37 ]

That is so odd.
It's like they never cut off the extra rattan in the back.
I don't think that tucks in, most time that is cut off.

"any thoughts on the re-rounding?"

Yes, I would measure the base on the bottom.
Then cut a round circle out of 3/4''plywood about that size, next
keep cutting and sanding till it fits nicely
inside of the circle this will give strength and reshape.
Now take a dirll and drill small holes the size of a bamboo
skewer and glue the skewer through the base of the chair and into the plywood.
It may help to glue the area you drill and let glue dry before you drill.
This will help keep the bamboo wrap from comming off where you drill through it.
I don't think you will need to wet anything to do this.
Hope that helps.

Thanks tikiskip. I think the plywood round idea will work just great with the idea I had of putting a pedistal base under it. The parts sticking out do go back under the seat area. Looking at the inside front where they are not damaged, they deadend inside at the 2 bands on the outside of the seat area. Looks like someone pulled it to hard and they pulled to far out and popped out? I can pull on the base and they slide back a bit so we'll try that first.

all this so I can have a T.V. Mai tai chair :lol:

Yeah maybe some lard ass like me sat in it and put it
outa wack.
The chair is not in that bad o shape.

Going to do this glue and peg thing next week.
Will post pic's here.

Well they DON'T deadend at the band :( like I thought, they bend under the seat. Mine are broke off... tucked under fine but pop out with preasure on the seat. will have to look at the lower suport me thinks

"Mine are broke off... tucked under"

Yep, that's how those chairs are made.
That size rattan won't bend, so they kind of
break it, but the rattan is so fibrous that it
still has strength.
One thing of rattan would not hold you like this,
but many put together can.

Your big problem is those ends need to go under that ring
that goes around the chair and lashed back in.
I don't think that I could do it, but have never tried.
Franks Cane and rush is where you get what you need to lash this.

This is what you will need.
Franks is a great store!!!
If you can take the chair there they maybe able to help.
This cane would need to be put on wet with a wetting agent as well.
http://www.franksupply.com/caning/hand-caning.html#bindercane

"Natural strand cane or chair cane, as it is commonly called, is made from the outside bark of rattan (a tropical vine). This bark or peel is cut by machine to various widths for use in cane seating. This cane is used only with those chairs which have holes drilled around the seat frame. The size of cane to be used for your chair can be determined by matching the hole dimensions with the sizes listed on the chart below. The best method is to include a sample with your order so we can match it exactly"

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2011-05-16 09:28 ]

Thanks tikiskip, will check them out. I wish they had skipped the cool look and went with a practical base design like the ones used on the small chairs. I've seen them listed as " little queens or princess" chairs. low back with a round basket type base. Looks stronger. I got a good look at one yesterday and with the wider opening at the base, was able to see how the pc's break and go under the seat. wow.
Can you imagine what it must be like the first time staring at the pile of rattan and such and thinking " you want me to make what out of this?" :lol:

I know some guys from Cambodia and they used to work with rattan/bamboo.
What they said was that it cut your hands up working with it.
Bamboo gets sharp when spilt/cut.

Ok here are the pic's.
This is how I attatch things to rattan.
See the paper I used to keep rattan in place so I could drill it.
Plus glue the sides and the skewers before putting in.
You should use bigger skewers, here I use toothpicks.
Also finished with twine to finish the look.