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
When you redo the chair with new material if you find the spline is too small for the groove, add piece of cane into the inside of the groove to hold the spline tight.
You may be wise to do a dry fit with the spline in before cutting the excess, adding extra lengths of cane on the inside of the spline where needed to make sure it’s tight. Mark these areas, the. Remove the spline, cut excess, add glue and set spline with extra cane where necessary. This should do the trick.
Hmm..not sure you would be able to stretch it back into the groove and there would be the old glue to contend with. You have nothing to lose. When the groove is bigger than the spline I add strips of cane on the inside of the groove the groove to fill up the space so it sits tight. Clamping can be a pain.
Did you apply a bead of glue before inserting the spline? You should wait 24 hours before sitting on the chair the allow the glue to set, holding the cane and spline in place. I don’t think you can stretch the cane back into the groove now.