seat caning in Maine
- Thread starter Matt C
- Start date
Lots of options
You can send the seats to Vermont and I will do it, but I'm sure there are a lot of folks closer by. Have you tried Dan and Linda at the Small Boat Shop in Denmark , ME? (smallboatshop@pivot.net) They are nice people, and I'm sure could help. Caning is not too hard to learn if you want to do it yourself, though it does take some time. Materials are readily available and relatively inexpensive; the cost is in the labor.
Don in Vermont
You can send the seats to Vermont and I will do it, but I'm sure there are a lot of folks closer by. Have you tried Dan and Linda at the Small Boat Shop in Denmark , ME? (smallboatshop@pivot.net) They are nice people, and I'm sure could help. Caning is not too hard to learn if you want to do it yourself, though it does take some time. Materials are readily available and relatively inexpensive; the cost is in the labor.
Don in Vermont
Daniel Day
Enthusiastic about Wooden Canoes
Have you tried your local antique shops? A friend of mine owns a shop that refinishes furniture and he keeps a lot of cane material on hand. Got both seats done for $15 (your cost may very) and they look great.
Just a thought.
YMHS
Daniel Day
Spokane, Wa.
Just a thought.
YMHS
Daniel Day
Spokane, Wa.
Two possibilities
I should have mentioned that there are two basic approaches to seat caning. The old fashioned way involves weaving individual strands of cane through holes drilled in the seat frame. It is time consuming and therefore expensive if you pay someone to do it. Canoe seats made in the past 50 years or so probably use a pre-woven cane fabric that is cut to shape and attached to the seat frame by splines that are pounded into grooves in the frame and hold the cane by friction. This approach involves much less labor, hence is less expensive. In either case, don't send the seats to me if you expect the pair to cost $15! I have paid to have the less expensive version done by a professional caner, and it cost close to $50 per seat. A hand weaving job would cost at least twice that.
Don in Vermont
I should have mentioned that there are two basic approaches to seat caning. The old fashioned way involves weaving individual strands of cane through holes drilled in the seat frame. It is time consuming and therefore expensive if you pay someone to do it. Canoe seats made in the past 50 years or so probably use a pre-woven cane fabric that is cut to shape and attached to the seat frame by splines that are pounded into grooves in the frame and hold the cane by friction. This approach involves much less labor, hence is less expensive. In either case, don't send the seats to me if you expect the pair to cost $15! I have paid to have the less expensive version done by a professional caner, and it cost close to $50 per seat. A hand weaving job would cost at least twice that.
Don in Vermont
There is a place called Logan Furniture that has a sign advertising caning services. The phone number is 207-829-3021 and the address is Robert S. Logan, 71 Gray Road, West Cumberland, ME 04021. I have never used them so I can't offer any more information.
Benson
Benson
smallboatshop
Restorers
Thank you Don for the kind words. We do hand caning and mat cane replacement. Mat cane @ $40/seat, hand cane @ $80/each - repair to seat frames is at shop rate of $35/hr.
Linda & Dan
smallboat shop
394 Hio Ridge Rd.
Denmark, ME 04022 207-452-2687 smallboatshop@pivot.net
Linda & Dan
smallboat shop
394 Hio Ridge Rd.
Denmark, ME 04022 207-452-2687 smallboatshop@pivot.net
Paul Reagan
Curious about Wooden Canoes
There was a fellow in Wiscasset who did the caning for Old Town Canoe for years. I don't know whether he still does it, but he's a bit closer to Yarmouth
GRIMES, EVERETT 207-882-7633
W Alna Rd
Wiscasset, ME 04578
GRIMES, EVERETT 207-882-7633
W Alna Rd
Wiscasset, ME 04578
I have just learned that William Ambrose, 416 Walnut Hill Road, North Yarmouth, ME 04097, 207-829-3523 also does caning if you are still looking for alternatives. Good luck,
Benson
Benson
