THE HANDY MAN’S CORNER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 10

THE HANDY MAN’S CORNER.

UPHOLSTERING AN EASY CHAIR.

(Special.— Fob the Witness.)

Easy chairs of the type illustrated are generally upholstered by the method known as “stuff-over.” The first thing to do is to strip off all the old upholstery, sacking, stuffing, and so Torth. When this has been done, a number of springs will be revealed. Assuming the chair to be in a bad state, the springs and the supporting webbing should be removed and, if necessary, the joints of the chair frame taken apart anchre-glued, pinned or screwed. The next 6tep is to obtain some new webbing. This should be good quality up. holstercr’s webbing about 2in wide. Commence by nailing the webbing across the bottom lower part of the seat frame, spacing the webs about 2in apart. Secure the ends of the webbing with 5-Bin clout nails or very strong tin tacks, using at least three at each end of the webbing, doubling the latter over for extra strength. It is important to draw the webbing very tightly, doing this by fixing one end and drawing the webbing tight with a pair of strong pliers. The webs are placed in this wav from side to side and from front to back of the seat frame, interlacing them over and under alternately. Treat the back of the chair in the same way, though the webbing may be spaced rather more widely. Next clean the springs and fasten them to the webbing with stitches of thin string, using a packing needle for this work. The idea of the general arrangement of these springs can be gained from Fig. 1. After the springs have been fixed to the bottom webbing the upper ends are fastened together with string, the outer rows of springs being fastened to the seat frame, as can be seen in Fig. 1. The strings should be tight enough to compres the springs slightly and keep them taut. Now nail to each side a piece of rough sacking or scrim, also shown in Fig. 1, and either use the old cane or a new one to support the roll of the seat. This cane is bent to its shape by damping and warming it and is then fastened loosely to the frame with a lashing of string. Take care that the springs on the front of the seat are well supported. But before actually fastening them, place a double piece of canvas beneath them and fasten this to CUT THIS OUT:—Subject o

the frame. Put a similar double strip of canvas between the upper parts of the springs and the case for the seat roll. Next cover the springs entirely with canvas. This is known as spring canvas, and is sewn at the tfdges and fastened with tin tacks to the frame at the bottom and back, thereby totally enclosing the springs. This canvas should not go over the outside of the cane. Make a separate strip for this, slip it over the cane, and

fasten its lower edge to the spring canvas at its lower part with strong stitches. Now comes the stuffing. The first stuff, ing is preferably of horsehair. This is spread over the spring canvas and arranged so that it lies smoothly and with good shape. It is sewn where necessary to the spring canvas with fine twine, the purpose being to prevent the hair moving about. The whole of the horsehair is then covered with a second rough scrim or canvas tacked to the frame at the back and sides and finished at the front by stitching with fine twine. Take care to draw the canvas tight so that the springs f next week’s article: “OVERHAULING

are kept in compression. The second stuffing, consisting of another layer of horsehair, flock or other desired material, is then applied. Whatever material is used, it must be well teased and spread with uniform thickness. Stuff the seat first, cover it with good quality canvas as before, and then treat the bacit and arms in a similar manner. The roll at the front, with the cane spring edge, should be stuffed during the second stuffing, and at this stage will be entirely worked in under the covering, its shape being maintained by stitching between the upper surface of the seat cover, through the stuffing to the front part of the cover beneath the spring edge, thus forming the roll. Rolls can also be formed on the edges and back and front of the arms, by working the stuffing into the corners and covering and sewing in a similar manner.

The back and arms are then stabbed by stitches of string passed through the material and the stuffing, and fastened to little discs of leather or the like, the purpose being to draw the stuffing together and give a good shape to the chair. The work at this stage is shown in Fig. 2, and in this condition the seat is ready for its final covering. First, however, tack a piece of canvas over the outsides of the sides of the chair, and also over the back. The covering can be made of any material, and may be either a permanent fixing or in the form of a loose cover. For the regulation cover, tapestry is as good as anything, and as this is expensive, it is best to make a paper pattern first and cut the tapestry accordingly. Commence by covering the whole of the seat, back, and arms with a smooth layer of wadding. Lay the cover, ing piece in its place and tack it to the frame, if necessary making sewn joints at the corners or elsewhere. For neatness, the edges must, of course, be turned in. The cover is best fixed with small black upholstery tacks and the joints completed with gimp similarly tacked in place. The chair is completed by laying it on its side and covering the under side with a piece of canvas, shown in Fig. 3, this being simply turned in at its edges and tacked to the under side of the frame. THE LAWN MOWER.”