The Rocking Chair Project Photo Gallery by Jason Smith at pbase.com

The Rocking Chair Project

I recently received my great grandfather's old rocking chair and decided to refinish it and try to figure out how to weave a new seat on it. I found info on caning pretty sparse, so I decided to document my progress (good or bad!).

Unfortunately, I didn't think to start taking pictures until I was almost done sanding the original finish off, so I don't have any pics from before I started working on it. The original seat was long gone though and had been replaced with plywood and a cushion. There were SLIGHT hints remaining that indicated the type of material that was used on what I assume was the original seat, so I made my shopping list based on that. I used 3/16" flat oval reed for this chair.

With regards to the chair seat, I make no claims to this being the "right" way to do things, but it's how I did mine! Many thanks to Jan, Mindy, and Mical at this forum: http://disc.server.com/Indices/220033.html for all of their great tips. They helped me tremendously by explaining some steps that I was unable to find in the books I had referenced.

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Removing Old Finish	Removing Old Finish	Removing Old Finish
Ready to Stain	Ready to Stain	First Coat of Stain
First Coat of Stain	First Coat of Stain	Soaking the Reed
Ready to Weave	Ready to Weave	Ready to Weave
Ready to Weave	Joining Ends	Joining Ends
Joining Ends	Joining Ends	Joining Ends
The Join	The Join	The Join
The Join	The Join	The Join
The Join	Rocking Chair	Several Wraps of the Warp
Several Wraps of the Warp	Several Wraps of the Warp	Several Wraps of the Warp
Several Wraps of the Warp	Hank of Reed	Still Going
Still Going	Warps Complete!	Warps Complete!
Warps Complete!	Warps Complete!	Halfway Done
Halfway Done	Starting the Weave	Starting the Weave
Starting the Weave	Starting the Weave	Starting the Weave
Weaving the Topside	Weaving the Topside	Weaving the Topside
Weaving the Topside	Weaving the Topside	Weaving the Topside
Weaving the Topside	Second Row	Second Row
Second Row	Second Row	Second Row
Extra Weave	Ends of the Weavers	Progressing with the Weave
Progressing with the Weave	Progressing with the Weave	Progressing with the Weave
Progressing with the Weave	Progressing with the Weave	Progressing with the Weave
Progressing with the Weave	Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides
Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides
Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides
Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides
Working on the Sides	Working on the Sides	Clipped the Back
The Claw (Patent Pending! Haha)	The Claw (Patent Pending! Haha)	The Claw (Patent Pending! Haha)
The Claw (Patent Pending! Haha)	The Claw (Patent Pending! Haha)	The Claw (Patent Pending! Haha)
More Work on the Weave	More Work on the Weave	Back to the Sides Again
Back to the Sides Again	Back to the Sides Again	One Side Done!
One Side Done!	One Side Done!	More Weave
Loose Ends	Loose Ends	Loose Ends
Loose Ends	Loose Ends	Left Side
Left Side	Left Side	Left Side
Done!	Done!	Done!
Done!	Done!	Done!
Done!	The End	The End

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comment |

Jennifer		12-Sep-2013 13:24
if you wanted to change the color of the weave....how and what needs to be done? im looking to make a chair for my nephew and i want the weave to be a different color

Jason Smith		03-Dec-2009 02:39
Thank you! As indicated by the 6 month delay in responding, time hasn't been on my side lately! In fact, I went back through the pics and wondered myself where I had the time for that. So... Good question! I'm going to be on the lookout for it again though. All work, no play got pretty old.

pennelmore		09-Jun-2009 15:40
Wow, that is a project + 1/2. Where do you get the time? - Penn Elmore - Frisco, Tx

sharon dempsey		15-Apr-2007 00:03
Jason, thank you very much for sharing your step by step pics., as well as notations. I'm catching up on my e-mail & got to see all the steps at once, no waiting. You are a very talented person, who knows, maybe someday you'll have your very own shop. Please let us know what your next project is when you decide. Thanks again, sharon

Katherine Kreymborg Wilson		14-Apr-2007 11:12
Jason, you a very mechanically inclined young man. I actually have the same rocker which is my grandparents but just don't have the time to put a new seat in it :-) You did an incredible job for someone replacing a seat for the first time. I love that style clamp vs the clamps that I use and your little tool is very cool. I've gone thru many finger nails doing that but now that I've seen that little tool you invented I'll have to have my father make one for future use :-) Keep up the good work and now you'll need to find other different chairs that need your special touch so you can experiment with with other materials and weaves. Congrats!

Mindy King		12-Apr-2007 00:22
Excellent job! it's an honor to be mentioned in your thank you list. Mindy

Gayle ( Dad )		11-Apr-2007 19:18
Jason, you'll have to add this to one of your many Godgiven talents. It' really a thing of beauty. I guess you'll never stop amazing me! Dad

James Folmar		11-Apr-2007 14:05
Jason, I think you are pulling our leg! Your progress to date on the chair is not the progress of a "Newbie". You are doing an absolutely beautiful job. I have been doing the porch weave for 7 years and can't do any better than you are doing. Also, I had never thought of running double strands on the weave. It looks great! Keep it up!

The Wicker Woman-Cathryn Peters		11-Apr-2007 13:06
Hi Jason, So great to have you join us on the Seatweaving Forum and to have posted all these wonderful pictures of your basketweave seat rocker! Fantastic photography work there. Sorry you had to figure out this weave on your own basically, guess you didn't have a copy of George Stern's book, "The Craft of Chair Seat Weaving" or Jim Widess's new book, "The complete Guide to Chair Caning" to go by? I recommend those and others on my website, WickerWoman.com/seatweavingfaq.html Anyway, you did a great job, hope you continue in this field, seems like you are a natural at it. And "The Claw" is a totally new and very, very cool tool, congrats! Join us anytime you are able on the Seatweaving Forum, love to have you, Welcome!

Craig Phillips		11-Apr-2007 12:33
so far so good now you are on the down hill side of the gr-grandfathers rocker/ new hobby, good luck Craig

Jason Smith		10-Apr-2007 22:17
Thank you Jan, and thank you again for your help!! Jason

Jan noall		10-Apr-2007 21:28
Jason, I am probably going to be spending a lot of time looking at your photos! I went to the Oklahoma one, and was in awe. I will return to view the rest. I will register now. Thank you. Jan

Janet Noall		10-Apr-2007 21:23
Jason, You amaze me!Your work is absolutely beautiful! You should be VERY, VERY proud! I love your little "pulling" tool. ( I usually use a "pushing" tool, that is just a wedge.) I really think you have found yourself another hobby. Obviously you are a photographer, and an excellent one at that! You GO, guy! Good for you!! I really am amazed!Beautiful, just beautiful! Most sincerely, Jan

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