Finishing off my seat frames

mvettori · Post by **mvettori** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:46 am

I'm finding that I have downtime while I'm waiting for the glue to set in my strips (its getting colder down here in Philly!). During that time I figured I'd get a head start on my seats. I followed Gil Gilpatricks book for framing them out. I finished the frames earlier this week...so far so good. My question is this...now that they are framed, before I actually cane them do I apply varnish to the bare wood or do I need to apply resin first?

Also, I'm assuming that the caning is the very last thing I do to them before I install them, so the finishing work should be complete before I cane them...is that accurate or do I apply another coat of varnish after they are caned?

Mike in Collegeville, PA

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 10:26 am

That depends. If you will be caning with natural cane, you do the varnishing when the caning is done. If using plastic cane, you varnish the frame before caning.

Juneaudave · Post by **Juneaudave** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 11:38 am

If I read your question correctly and you are going to seal the wood with epoxy resin, followed by varnish. So go ahead and seal the wood with epoxy, then follow Glens instructions for the varnish...ie...If you will be caning with natural cane, you do the varnishing when the caning is done. If using plastic cane, you varnish the frame before caning. I don't think you want the epoxy top coat the natural cane, if used. Does that make sense?...Juneaudave

mvettori · Post by **mvettori** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 12:23 pm

Yes it does...Thanks! I've since re-read Gilpatrick's chapter on the topic and he says the same...I guess I should have done that first before posting this!

When I apply the epoxy resin to the bare wood, do I use straight resin or do I need to use hardener as well?

Mike

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 12:51 pm

You have to mix your resin and hardener just as you would to apply it to the glass cloth on the hull. If this boat is stored upside down on racks of some sort, I don't see the necessity of coating the seat frames with epoxy. I would just use a few coats of varnish.

Erik, Belgium · Post by **Erik, Belgium** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 3:20 pm

I 'm oiling the seat frames when the caning is done. Oil is easy to renew after a season, soft to sit on, and isn't slippery.

Erik, Belgium

Todd Bradshaw · Post by **Todd Bradshaw** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 7:20 pm

With the type of use that most seats get, epoxy coating the frames isn't needed and probably won't show any kind of long term benefits over the years. The typical varnished or oiled seat frame will last for decades without using any epoxy on it.

On the other hand, I would certainly varnish or oil my frames BEFORE caning. Otherwise, there are going to be gaps in the finish under the strands and inside the lacing holes which are just asking for water intrusion into bare wood. This eventually leads to stains, lifting varnish, weathered wood and possibly fungus around the holes and it's just a matter of time before it happens. I would varnish or oil the frames first, paying close attention to the insides of the lacing holes, since they're end-grain and will suck up water like a sponge. Once varnishing is done the cane can be woven without gaps in the finish underneath the strands. After caning you have the option of leaving it natural or giving it a couple coats of varnish if you like that look better (tends to stay a bit cleaner but gets that golden varnish look after a while, so it is a different look from raw cane). The other problem with caning onto bare wood and then varnishing the whole thing at once is that the five or six coats of varnish which the wooden frame needs will actually glue the cane to the frame. This makes future cane repairs or re-caning much more difficult. I do suggest sealing the ends of the seat cross-bars with two or three coats of epoxy before varnishing the rest of the frame. Otherwise, you may need to apply fifteen coats of varnish to the bar end-grain before it's actually sealed from water.