: Hi,

: Anyone know of a good on-line (or otherwise) how-to on making cane seats?

: Thanks,
: Stephan

Try this for information on how to cane the seat. You'll need to make a frame for the seat first, though. Assuming this is for a canoe, you make two crosspieces, or seat thwarts, from 3/4 to 1 inch thick hardwood stock. These are about as wide as your thwarts, and long enough to go fit across the canoe. you amy want to make then a bit longer than you need them so you can do a bit of trimming when you actualy fit the seat into its mountings. Connecting these are two sides which are the same thickness as the seat thwarts, but can be a bit narrower. If you want the seating area (the open area between all the wood) to be 17 inches wide and 12 inches deep then you'll need to cut the sides about 14 inches long, and cut a 1 inch long tenon on each end.

The sides are inserted into 1 inch deep mortises cut into the longer seat thwarts. You don't need to glue these joints, but you can if you wish. The wood pieces are held together by the caning, and the seat mounting bolts, so nothing is going to come loose if you don't use glue. Look at the folowing document and you'll get the idea of where to drill the holes that you'll put the cane through. Don't try to make the holes too close to each other. If you make the holes for your weaving a bit further apart you'll have a more open weave pattern which will be a bit easier to work with. Also, with the holes further apart you'll have fewer holes on each side, and thus fewer holes to lace up.

http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~vista/html_pubs/weave/weave.html

Craft stores that sell cane als sell booklets on how to use the materials. You can also check with your local Boy Scout headquarters and see if they have any merit badge books on seat caning. Merit badge books are inexpensive and clearly written instructional guides which are frequently overlooked as resources by those who are not affiliated with the Bou Scout movement. You don't have to be a scout to buy them, either.

hope this helps.

PGJ