Danish Modern

[bobbin]

I have a chair and stool to do.  "Danish Modern", does the name Frem Rojli mean anything to any of you?  It looks like it's mahogany and the joinery is interesting, screws and hinges to assemble it are brass (I think), and lines are clean and graceful:
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Here's the back edge of the seat where it's hinged to the back of the piece:
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The back and arm attachment:
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The webbing was attached with 10 small staples (5mm x7mm?):
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I have 2" Elasbelt and this gizmo that I've never used before:
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right tool?wrong tool?

[kodydog]

Some Questions Bobbin. But first, WOW that's some really neat tile you have on your floor.

But now back to the question at hand. First are you sure you need to replace the webbing. I know that rubber stuff doesn't last forever but it doesn't look that bad to me. I think its cool how the webbing is made in Denmark like the chair. But if its shot its shot.

Second, Does the back recline? The hinges would suggest that but the way its connected to the arms says no.

Third the gismo is a webbing stretcher for sure but generally on rubber or elastic webbing I don't stretch the tar out of it. Hand tight is enough.

Frem Rojli doesn't ring a bell but I'm no expert on "Danish Modern". Best to do a Google search. Or check out E-Bay to see if any are for sale.

Looks like a fantastic chair. Is it old. Where did you find it.

[bobbin]

First off, there is no tile in my workroom.  The off white and taupe is nothing more than paint over Advantec sub-flooring.  I used phenoseal to fill the nail holes and the gaps between the sheets of Advantec.  The blue and copper pattern is a floor cloth.  Nothing more than paint on cotton duck (a lot of paint and several coats of polyurethane). 

I did a Google search on Frem Rojli and turned up several very high end antique shops.  I was unable to find an armchair like the one in my shop (the backs weren't as high), though I did find several similar and the match to the sofa and ottoman.  It's not mahogany, it's teak.  And the chair doesn't seem to recline although it may be adjustable to some extent.  The webbing is toast.  It's cracked, brittle, and there is no oomph to it, at all.  It might support a cat but that would be about the extent of its usefulness. 

I think the pieces are circa 1965, thereabouts.  The original cushions were also foam rubbber and it had decayed to the the consistency of a brick and was turning into dust inside the covers.  Shot.  The cushions were not very thick and they were connected, two pieces forming the back and one for the seat, but they were perfectly reversible.  I love to make cushions and they should be fun to duplicate. 

[sofadoc]

Yeah, I wouldn't use that webbing stretcher on Elasbelt. The spikes will cut through the elastic strands. Like Kody, I just pull it tight by hand. They do make a couple of stretchers designed for elastic webbing, mainly to achieve a uniform stretch. If you pull Elasbelt too tight, you might as well use jute webbing.
I have yet to see any rubber webbing over 5 years old that didn't need replacing.

[bobbin]

OK, so I'm back to the subjective "hand tight".  I am not a weakling by a long shot but there isn't a lot of stretch in the Elasbelt, at least not compared to clothing elastic, and it takes some muscle to actually pull it enough to put some tension on it.  That's why I wondered about using a stretcher of some sort.   

There is a recessed channel for the webbing on all the pcs..  I was going to "butter" the raw end of the Elasbelt with my hot knife to reduce ravelling (I tried it and it worked nicely) and then place the raw edge on the inside edge of the channel and staple toward the back of the channel, pull the webbing over the staples and staple again toward the inside edge.  Make sense?  I guess, I will do the same thing on the opposite edge, except I'll have to fold the allowance over the top of the webbing since I won't be able to bury it.  I'll give the ottoman a go first and then give it the "sit test" and see how I fared with the tensioning of the Elasbelt.    I have 3/8 and 1/2" staples in my arsenal, they're larger than what was used originally (see above), which would you use and would you drive them in straight up and down or at an angle (I think it was Paul who mentioned driving them at 45 degrees?).  I don't want to mangle the wood as this is the first time the piece has been redone.

The suite came out of a very modern home in MA that was being cleaned out after a death.  They are in remarkable condition, save the ottoman, which seems to have an issue with some sort of connecting hardware in the legs, which is loose and allows the stretchers to become disconnected when the piece is lifted.  I will leave that repair to someone more competent than I.

[kodydog]

One more thing you can do with the Elasbelt to make it a little firmer is run it both ways. Basket weave.

[sofadoc]

Here is a nice instruction page:

As Paul mentioned before, it isn't really necessary to fold the ends over before stapling. And this instruction page does not recommend running it both ways, although that would add firmness if you desire. You want it to have a certain amount of "give".

[bobbin]

I have been washing the windows in my shop and just refreshed this thread.  (a worthwhile endeavor; they were really grimey)

Thank you very much for the good information.  I am going to stick with the one way webbing application because there is no channel on the other ides to receive any.  At least when I'm done with it you'll be able to actually use the piece!

[Joys Shop]

Don't fold over the edge of the rubber webbing!!!

That is only done with jute webbing

[bobbin]

Is there a reason not to fold it over, Joy?

[Peppy]

I had a chair almost exactly like that for a time. Mine reclined and had a foot rest.

[Lynn]

From what I can tell Frem Rojli is the maker. You see lots of pieces saying Designed by Hans Olsen for Frem Rojli.

Happy New Years Everyone!!

Lynn