We have had these same dining room chairs for more than 40 years. The rush seats started giving out a few years back. My sister Joan, who comments here so often, is pretty handy, and she has redone both rush and cane seats. Joan described the process to me, and so I thought, "I could do that!" So I bought some rolls of rush, and bought a book and set about replacing one of the seats. You can see how far I got. However, the work was a killer, in terms of the pain in my hands. You have to grip the rush, and pull it tight, and hold it while nailing it down with a hammer. You can see how far I got with only one seat. We checked the price for having the seats done commercially, and it was $160. So I gave up, and we bought both a new dining room table, and 6 new chairs. I hate having to give up. What made me feel good was that I put the chairs out yesterday, and this morning someone came and took them all!
14 comments:
I don't know where to begin. Something about this story doesn't add up. I have never known you to be stumped over a maintenance project. We have the same four-slat ladder back chairs (2 arm chairs & 6 straight back) and bought them after admiring yours back in our Sea Cliff days. I even stained them the same color (golden oak, I believe). You guys must have used your chairs for gymnastics or something; ours are still near perfect and show very little wear after forty years, too. I think these unfinished chairs cost about forty bucks; definitely not over fifty. Some lucky person must be very happy you gave up!
And I'll bet you paid more for each new chair than the original $40 plus $160 each for repairs. All in all, very uncharacteristic behavior.
Wow. I agree with Ken Schwarz. For a guy who straps on mountain climbing gear to do his own 2-story roof, builds his own telescopes, makes all kinds of repairs without blinking - to give up on these chairs because pulling the rush was a little tough - well, all I can say is, Holy Cow. I'm a bit disappointed. You've been an inspiration to me with your "I can do it; get it done" attitude about everything. You wanted to fly, so you learned to be an expert pilot. You wanted to become a cyclist and voila! You're pumping better than people half your age. But these chairs? I would've thought that if the material to reweave the chairs was really too painful to handle that you would have saved this project to do with Liz and Amy, who probably would have enjoyed restoring the chairs they grew up with and were part of their everyday lives. Putting the chairs to the curb? Does not compute, does not compute, does not compute. Bring back the inventive, I-can-do-anythng-I-put-my-mind-to Ken Spencer! He's our hero! The guy who tossed out the chairs is a wimp.
Ken, don't listen to these critics - great decision to put these chairs to the curb and move on. Life is too short to spend time on things you are not enjoying (I sound like Amy !!). Look at all the winners.
1. The Spencer family gets brand new chairs. 2. Ken can now spend his free time on things he loves. 3. Kathy gets more time with Ken. 4. Some lucky person gets some great used chairs. 5. Furniture store gets a nice order. All good. LOL.
I don't feel like I'm criticizing Ken. We who know him, know his nature, his determination to find out how things work and how to do the best job to fix something "good as new." We find it hard to believe that he would actually give up on a task. No offense, but all the points Anonymous mentioned are the reasonings of a lazy person, someone who will come up with excuses that sound great, and necessary because the person is repelled by elbow grease - that's not the Ken Spencer I've known for years. But who knows, maybe these days it's a lot easier to slack off and think up excuses that justify the change in attitude.
Oh Man. I cannot believe you gave up and those chairs would have matched my dining room table.
I only have 2 arm chairs with rush seats. Fill in with kitchen chairs on the holidays.
Joan
Have never commented on this site but I just have to say something about the second to last comment above. This is one of the most absurd things I have ever heard - someone who decides not to finish a task is a "lazy person" ??? So you think Ken should simply have finished the chairs so he can then tell everyone he finished them, blindly following what he is "supposed to be doing", at least in your mind. I follow this blog because I like the fact that Ken does not always do what is predicable - so for me this was the perfect outcome, something I didn't expect. Not one other than you would label Ken a lazy person, and why would he have to justify his alleged change in attitude ? Is Ken lazy for going to Starbucks and not brewing his own coffee every day ??? Get real.
I didn't label Ken the lazy person. Quite the contrary. I was saying the excuses made by Anonymous were those that a lazy person would come up with, rather than finish a difficult task, which Ken is known to do. Unpredictable? Spencer is anything but. You can set your clock by him. Maybe you're thinking of another Ken Spencer. And gee, maybe you should get help for your hostility issues.
Keep it up guys! As a psychotherapist and Ken's wife, I am having a ball!
Dear Opie (assume that is your name as only someone from Mayberry uses the term "Gee" anymore), your logic is absurd, even your buddy barney fife knows it. A blogger comments that maybe Ken changed his mind about the project to spend more time with his wife but you think Ken is so predicable that he would never drop something for any reason much less spending more time with his wife - what does that say about Kathy ?
Kathy - what do you say to all this ? Is Ken predicable as Opie thinks or is he spontaneous and apt to follow a whim from time to time ?
Well, you're predictably obnoxious. And, gee, I guess that counts for something.
I too am a first time commenter and I say if Ken is the amazing guy that all of these folks claim he is then he is my hero and if he wants to spend his time on other projects, well, so be it. Who are we to say what ingenious project he now has up his sleeve!
And not only that but bravo for letting the chairs go out there to some other brave soul....think of the 'rush ' someone is getting from those darn chairs.
mpayne , Nice France
Wow, wow, wow... This is the longest and most spirited thread that has ever been, on my blog. I have to say this: I am feeling a lot of love and support from so many of you. You flatter me and my abilities, and I can't thank you enough for your kind words.
My brudder ain't no quitter!!! At first I was surprised that he gave up working on the rush chairs. Then I realized that he just wasn't "feeling" the excitement of trying a new project and making something new; especially if it hurts. Good for you - making a change and buying something NEW is not a bad thing. Can't wait to see the new set...bsk
Thank you, Uncle Ken, for this great blog site. I totally enjoy all the photographs- some strike me as more awesome than others! What I wanted to add, however, was how much I enjoyed all the comments and perspectives on the same photo. It shows how interesting and diverse and funny people can be!! Trace
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