Chair Construction

Steve Austin writes:

Well, Groop, you'll be happy to know that the manufacturers who put their chairs
together with staples have improved their system. The bad news is that they've
replaced the staples with a heavy T shaped nail so that no matter how loose the
leg gets, it won't fall out of the seat.

Even if you manage to get ahold of the nail, it won't pull out. I had to take out the
stretchers and twist the legs so the nail wraps around the leg to get the leg out
of the seat. Then, I straightened the nail, pounded it through, and still had a hard
time getting the nail out of the leg without damaging the wood.

At least, they didn't staple the stretchers into the legs like they usually do or I'm
not sure I could have gotten it apart at all. It took me an hour as it is. I won't be
getting rich today, I've got another set with staples in them. The staples are a lot
thinner and will bend, but they're in every single joint.

You know, both of these sets are good, thick, solid oak. The chairs are really
heavy. I don't understand why they would go to that trouble and expense and
then construct them so poorly, design wise, that they won't hold up. There's a
reason that the older chairs have so many stretchers or one continuous back
leg, or a square frame under the seat and corner blocks. Even the depression
chairs are built better than these modern chairs are and most of the older
chairs are made to take apart and put back together.

How much more expensive would it be to make them right?
 
   
Steve Austin
-NY




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