Eames Chair and other Project Updates

You may be wondering why the Eames chairs have been taking us forever, I promise we aren’t lazy just busy and learning as we go 🙂

David has some experience polishing car parts, so he has a basic understanding of what to do, but still needed to try a few things to see what way would be best. We first started with the dremel tool, but the attachment that worked well, wore out too fast and was too expensive. So David decided that hand sanding would be the best way to go. We stopped by our local hardware store down the street, and found a large a large assortment of sandpapers specifically designed for metal and a metal polishing compound. I’ll ask David to go into more detail later on each step, but basically he started with a medium grit sandpaper and finished with a super fine. Then the polishing compound enhanced the shine and protects it. 

Here is the first one done (yellow is the reflection from the garage door light) Doesn’t it look amazing? This took him several hours, but now that he knows the steps, it should go a lot faster!

and here is the before. Hard to believe it is the same chair!! David did an amazing job!

Here is the fabric with the seams removed and the plastic that connects the fabric to the shell.

Looking at a close-up of the fabric you can see the original fabric color (upper right) and yes, it was that bright! Also, after removing the seams, I could see that the fabric is intact in the center and then the spacing allows it to lay flat, but when sewn conforms to the curve of the seat. After taking it apart I am pretty sure I can handle the fabric, but I have no clue how I’m going to get the plastic back on.

It was sewn to the fabric with an industrial sewing machine (at least I think so) and then clips tightly onto the fiberglass shell. I considered using something else to finish the edges, but as of now I have no good ideas. I’m planning on taking it to an upholster to see if they could do it, hopefully at a pretty good price? I have no clue what something like that would cost.

So that is where we are with the chairs. Hopefully it makes a little more sense why we are taking forever! We’ll pick this project back up in January when we get back from the east coast.

and in other project news … I guess my wreath wasn’t meant to be. I’m thinking the extra weight from the fabric combined with the cooler weather caused the 3M hook to fall off the door. I hung it with the same gold ribbon from the Christmas tree (see it below the the top ring?)

I saved the rolled fabric flowers for later and trashed the rest … oh well, better luck next year!

and I finally decided how to finish my project made out of two doors …

I think it’s going to look amazing! But that’s all I’ll say for now, considering that I’m trying something new 🙂

I’m wrapping up my Etsy orders to go out before we leave on Thursday and then I’ll get a chance to work on a few projects that I’m hoping to get done before we leave!