Crafting with Rattan and Cane
Cane and Rattan furniture and other artefacts are work of art, hand-made by skilled craftspeople. Starting with preparation of wood till completion, it takes much effort and time. This is truer especially for the Wicker furniture.
Key steps involved in the making of Rattan, Cane furniture at Trinity Crafts are:
Getting the right wood-
- Procuring the raw material of optimum quality, from reliable sources found after intense search. Raw material includes Rattan Stems, Rattan Core, Cane and associated things.
- Right types of materials are selected for each product. It involves choosing the right colour, thickness, malleability, suppleness and grades.
- These are cut into pieces of required lengths.
Getting the wood ready-
- Being a plant of its kind, it is natural for Rattan to have some bends, curves and twists. So, the primary step is to straighten all the pieces, cut for the desired product.
- Some pieces may need rubbing, buffing, scrapping and heating to get those ready for using.
Bending-
- Rattan stems are bent into desired shape with due application of heat. This ensure that the stems are bent without compromising their strength.
- Required forms are produced using appropriate jigs, fixtures and tools.
Scrubbing-
- The shaped parts are scrubbed with light sandpapers and other suitable means to clean burn marks or scratches.
- These are then wiped clean to get the finally usable part.
Fixing and assembling-
- Various parts are assembled and fixed with nails to create the core framework.
- This framework is checked for its correctness and dimensions.
Winding and reinforcement-
- Cane is wound around the joints to reinforce the framework and provide more stability.
- Wherever needed, Rattan Core is affixed to the frame as cross-members.
Weaving and Braiding-
- In Wicker Furniture weaving and braiding is done with dexterity.
- This involved work with Cane and Rattan Core as the design may require.
Flaming and Smoldering-
- This is done to the finally assembled product before finishing and polishing.
- Soft flame is used to roast off fine fibers and splinters caused by processing of the wood.
Finishing and coating-
- After the final product is crafted, it is treated with primer coats to seal a few pores it may have.
- Spray-coats of requisite lacquer or polish are applied to give the final protection and look to the product.
- Though it is treated, tough wood, Rattan furniture can last for decades with a little care.
