Installing cording in the grove to finish an edge

[baileyuph]

Remember the chairs (occasional chairs?) where the covering fabric was stapled into a grove, next to show wood - built about 50 to 60 years ago?  There is an inside/outside back, plus a deck and a unattached cushion and a lot of cording used to finish the edging where fabric meets show wood (typically walnut and possibly cherry). 

Well, got one in and it has the original upholstery that is being removed.  But, first the cording in the grove has to be removed.  That is where the process is now.

Starting removing the cord, which I have installed with hot glue, and noticed back then the cord was trimmed close to the seam, pushed in, and stapled with a very narrow staple, possibly 1/4 inch wide at most.  I suppose the chair was made before hot glue was used in the factory.

The interesting thing I noted was how well the original installation was able to shoot the holding staple through the side of the single welt  without it showing and it Held!

You older timers remember seeing this I suppose?  Were their guns something significant different back then?  I looked at the narrow staple being removed and it looks the same size as my narrow stapler uses.

It got my detailed attention because I like the idea of being able to staple the welt down into the groove without the staple showing.  Some reason I see it as a challenge to attempt.

The dynamics of their technique does suggest that the worker pushed the short seam allowance  sewn cord into the groove and then held it to the side and shot the holding staple through more from the side that way.  Then, was able to straighten the welt back into a centered alignment to gain invisability of the holding staple.

Got me?

Remember seeing this and done this?  The staple is angled into the welt cord from the top side of the welt (opposed from the floor side of the welt or the wood side of the welt of the wood would be a better way of describing this.

This chair, again is so perfect original condition, wood looks like it was hardly used.

I probably will hot glue the single welt in place because of the concern of the staple showing.

As a side comment about this chair, the padding used latex which is so old it is hard as a brick.

Challenges ahead, it has a diamond back chair -as you know means buttons will be involved.  So recreating that type tufted back will use some newer type foam and dacron, I suspect.

This post will be easier to relate to by people who have been in this business a good while, I am sure; so my apology.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

I've seen that technique many times. And I've employed it myself.

The main thing you have to do, is grind the nose of your gun down so it will fit into the tight groove. And grinding the nose also helps when stapling between the 2 rows of double cording.

You just have to be careful not to grind too much

[kodydog]

The only objection I have is pulling all those extra staples out of that groove. Its hard enough getting the staples out that hold the fabric in place. Personally I would use hot glue to reattach it.

[baileyuph]

I am really leaning toward the hot glue, it  has worked before.

Do you guys understand if if any factory work in 1950 would have used hot glue?

I am admiring what the factory did in shooting the staples in at an angle, can't see where they failed on any attempts.

Pulling staples out of the groove.......sure have to be careful to not damage the frame! 

So, I have this job set up to where I work on it when not in a hurry.

This business is interesting, sometimes it is hard to catch up, lately it has been coming in the door in abundance.

This hot humid weather sure makes one sweat (some work is not done in AC).

Doyle

[gene]

I prefer to hot melt glue single welt cord into the groove.

Sometimes the grooves are not very deep and you have to cut the lip of the welt cord very close to the stitch line. I found that using a small stitch length makes it easier to repair (glue) the fabric where you cut into the stitches.

When removing staples from the groove I use an ice pick. I push the point under the staple and lift up with the handle. This lifts the staple up from the groove high enough so that I can pull it out with my nippers.

One reason these chairs take so long is the slow pace of removing staples from the groove so you don't scratch the wood.

I looked it up and it seems that the hot melt glue gun was patented in the early 1970's.

I wonder what folks used before the staple gun? Did they use hide glue? I can't imagine using tacks.

Maybe the invention of the staple gun made this type of edge finish possible.

gene

[MinUph]

I remember before I had staplers and would run into a chair or piece that had the grooves we would fill the groove with a spline. Usually the rush type and then we could tack the fabric on. Had to finish with gimp. There want double welt yet either. At least not in small shops.

[baileyuph]

Yes, Paul I know what you describe - all interesting. 

This chair I have to do has been in their family some two or three generations.  It means a lot to them.

It was padded with latex foam and is so old the latex is hard as a brick.  I probably won't use latex as a filler, instead will diamond tuft in the proper  poly foam weight and use dacron for surface softness.

The chair has coils and of course webbing for the base.  This is a job that I will not rush.

The quality and detail in this furniture, not many could afford to buy something like this new today, assuming it is available.  The furniture market, like everything it changes and I doubt there is a lot on the market even close to this chair.

Who, or what American brand today would be able to reproduce this chair?

Doyle

[MinUph]

Doyle,
  The only place to have a chair like this made today is by a small builder that does one of a kinds. I'm sure it can be reproduced but quality wise it wouldn't happen in a factory today. Probably a 5-6 thousand dollar chair to be built if not more.

[baileyuph]

Paul you are thinking like me on the current production of a chair like this.  Off the top of my head, I guessed at $4k plus today to obtain a near equal.  So many of the younger market don't have the interest in such.

The material hasn't arrived yet, so I work a few minutes at a time on this job.  It isn't stripped yet.  I did notice after further pursuit of the stripping task, staples to hold the cord are likely to split off the show wood.  I had to glue back a piece caused by the cord stapling.

Doyle