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           *THE SEAT WEAVERS BUSINESS GUIDE!        
                                   By Ronnie P. Goff
                         Copyright October 26, 2008

     It is extremely easy to say, "GO FOR IT" to anyone whom desires
to start a "SEATWEAVING BUSINESS!" 
     In cold hard reality you really need top notch business advice from
a Chair Caner, or Seat Weaver whom has not only "BEEN THERE, DONE
THAT;" but has a long term proven profitable "SEAT WEAVING BUSINESS"
with solid references from clients both commercial, & residential!
     Immediately after I received my One  Continuing Edcation Unit for
Chair Caning along with my certificate I started my "Chair Caning Business!"
     That was sooooo long, long ago in 1975!!!  And I'm still in business today
passing my "Master Seat Weaving" knowledge on to the next generation!
     Fortunately for me my learning curve was very, very short thanks to the
kindness of an antique dealer, in a upscale neighbor of Richmond, Va., by
the name of Helen Callahan whom was kind enough to allow me to hang my
"Chair Caning" shingle out at her shop, & get business from her customer
base!
     Of course this was financially reciprocal for Helen & her antique shop, as
well as myself, & my Country Seat Weavers TM chair caning business!  Further
more it benefited Helen's regular antique customers as well, & brought in
new customers as a direct result of the chair caning services etc. offered!
     This was a real genuine blessing both businesswise, & financially because
it gave me the best of both worlds by a genuinely caring, & honest business
lady!
     It gave me an instant cash flow, & she was kind enough to share some of
her business wisdom with me!
     One lesson I remember to this day!
     I was quoting a lot of refinishing jobs, & not getting very many of them,
and made a remark to Helen one day about it!   And her reply I remember to
this day!   She remarked, "You"re to cheap, & they think you do cheap work
also" or something to that effect!
     Then I raised my prices to be competitive with the rest of the professional
furniture refinishers, & I immediately began to get all of the work I could
handle, & wanted!
     *NOTE:  FURNITURE REFINISHING!  This is a business where you 
absolutely need to do absolutely everything pertaining to that hand caning
chair you are doing, or that rush bottom, or splint bottom you are replacing,
or that wicker repair or restoration you are doing to earn a living!
     If you do not have any FURNITURE REFINISHING KNOWLEDGE take
a class in FURNITURE REFINISHING at your local high school, or community
college for adult continuing education!  You will forever be financially thankful
you did!
       If you charge cheap prices in the beginning to get "Chair Caning" work
your current clients may pass that cheap business label on to future clients 
then you may have stuck yourself with that cheap business label, & find
it may be extremely difficult to lose that cheap business labor label!
     If you deceide to make your business "A HOME BASED BUSINESS"
get the proper "LICENSES, & PERMITS" that are required to start that
"HOME BASED BUSINESS!"
     INSURANCE!!!  Have the correct coverage for a "HOME BASED BUSINESS!"
     When you get business cards for your business try to get a business card
that is different, & unique!  My personal business cards tell my clients 
"How To Care For Your Chair Cane, & Wicker!"  It is not thrown away because
countless clients have put them on their refrigerators so they can take care
of their prized antique furniture!
     ADVERTISING!  I have a very cute, make you laugh turn of the century
business sign for ANTIQUE POX TM with antique dealer's name, & phone
number at the bottom as well as my business information!  Dealer's love
them as well as their customers!  It's a make you laugh business sign
which antique dealers & their clients frame for their bussinesses, & homes!
It also gives them a turn of the century ANTIQUE POX sign they can
sell advertising their business or advertiising they can give to their
customers!  It's win win advertising sign for everyone involved!
     *NOTE:  SEE SEATWEAVING ADVERTISING FOR ANTIQUE POX ADVERTISING!
     *HOW DO YOU DETERMINE HOW MUCH TO CHARGE?
     "The rate you set most definitely says everything about how you
personally value yourself!"
     "Here's a tried, & proven business formula to use for a small business
with absolutely no employees!"
     *DESIRED ANNUAL SALARY + ANNUAL FIXED COST + DESIRED
ANNUAL PROFIT DIVIDED BY ANNUAL BILLABLE HOURS = YOUR
HOURLY RATE!"
     "DESIRED PROFIT - THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE IN BUSINESS FOR, 
NOT JUST A PAYCHECK!  WHAT ABOUT 40 PERCENT ABOVE
YOUR SALARY AND FIXED COST?
     Determine what the market will bear!
     GET SCORE OR A SIMILAR AGENCY INVOLVED IN YOUR BUSINESS
FROM THE ABSOLUTE VERY BEGINNING!  THEY ARE FREE, OR
ATTEND ONE OF THEIR SPECIALIZED WORKSHOPS FOR A VERY
SMALL FEE WHICH WILL PAY FOR ITSELF MANY, MANY TIMES OVER!
     A complete business plan is absolutely necessary to arrive at the
absolute right price!
     *TWO EXCELLENT BUSINESS TOOLS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
          "THE SMALL BUSINESS START UP KIT (NOLO $29.95)   
     TO BE CONTINUED!!!  TO BE CONTINUED!!!  TO BE CONTINUED!
     Some of the subjects we will be discussing:
     CONTRACTS FOR SEAT WEAVING SERVICES!  NON COMPETITIVE
CONTRACTS FOR SEAT WEAVING MASTERS WHOM TEACH THEIR
SEAT WEAVING MASTERY TO OTHERS!

     
    

         * Hand Caning Curved/Oval Backs/Bottoms Chairs

                        * Having A Museum Quality Chair
                                     By Ronnie P. Goff
                               Copyright April 13, 2006

     Tools necessary for doing your curved/oval backs/bottoms of your
hand caned chair.
     TIP #1: Find the dead center of the top, & bottom of your curved/oval
hand caned chair, & put a piece of common cane in the dead center of
the top, & bottom of the hand caned chair held in place by two hand
caning pegs!
     NOTE:  This will give the curved/oval back/bottom of a hand caned
chair a museum quality curve or oval during the hand caning process!
Thus a museum quality curved/oval chair back/bottom when completed!
     TIP #2:  Find the dead center between the bottom, & the middle, the top,
& put a piece of common cane in each place with four (4) hand caning
pegs before you begin weaving step four (4). 
     This will continue to give your Lincoln Rocker (or any curved/oval
back/bottom hand caned chair) a museum quality curve/oval back/
bottom during the chair caning process!

COMING SOON!
Machine Cane Jig(s) For Doing Breur Chair Frames!

     Binder Cane Ruler tm, Rush Ruler tm, & Splint Ruler tm alll
serve the same purpose which makes it extremely accurate, &
easier to do, & layout a Binder Cane Chair Bottom, a Rush Chair
Bottom, & a Splint Chair Bottom!
     When I complete my tear down for doing a Binder Cane Chair,
a Rush Bottom Chair, or a Splint Bottom Chair I NEVER reach for
my Ruler 1st, instead I reach for my trusty antique wire cutters,
or antique shears, & cut a Binder Cane Ruler tm, or a Rush Bottom
Ruler tm, a Splint Bottom Ruler tm for an extremely accurate
ruler to measure, & "Square Up" which ever kind of seat bottom I
am doing!
     It is cut to the exact lengh of the back rung! 
     Any irregularities in the rung MUST be included in the
Binder Cane Ruler tm, Rush Ruler tm, or Splint Ruler tm
measurement for absolute accuracy! 
     Then you can use it to "Square Up" your seat bottoms!!!
      You simply place it on the front rung when weaving a
Binder Cane Chair, or a Splint Bottom Chair, & you will
immediately know when it is "Square" by simply laying your
Binder Cane Ruler tm, or your Splint Ruler tm on the front
rung!!!  Absolutely no guessing, & no ruler, tape, etc.!
     *A Rush Bottom Ruler tm is also cut to the exact length
of the back rung; but is used differently for accurately
"Squaring Up" a Rush Bottom Chair not only the first time;
but absolutely every single solitary time without missing
a Rush Chair beat!
     The Rush Bottom Ruler tm will be "Shared" in a uncoming
class with tutorials, & photographic illustrations! 

          * How To Do A Denatured Alcohol Test

              * Having A Museum Quality Chair
                           By Ronnie P. Goff
                    Copyright April 13, 2006

     Items absolutely necessary for doing a Denatured Alcohol Test!
     ITEM #1:  Denatured Alcohol
     ITEM #2:  Q Tips
     ITEM #3:  A very soft cloth
     Simply locate an inconspicuous spot on a Hand Cane, Machine, or
Rush Bottom Chair using a very small amount of Denatured Alcohol
on a very soft cloth, or Q Tip to do your Denatured Alcohol Test!
     The chemical Denatured Alcohol reaction will be as follows:
     *SHELLAC:  Dissolves
     *VARNISH:  Slow reaction to Varnish
     TIP #1:  You can also do an  Acetone Test to get the same results!
     Item #1:  Acetone
     Item #2:  Q Tips
     Item #3:  A Soft Cloth
     The chemical Acetone reaction will be as follows:
     *Polyurethane Sheds
     *Lacquer Disolved in 30 Seconds with Rubbing
     *Varnish/Shellac Gets Sticky/Gels
     *NOW YOU CAN PAY YOURSELF (Instead of Somebody Else) by doing all
of your very own Furniture Touch Ups on all of your clients Seatweaving
Chairs with the knowledge you now have, & a little bit of practice!
     Happy Furniture Touch Ups on all of your clients Seatweaving Chairs!
    

     For Chair Caning Instruction(s) (Lock Step Method), Rush Seat
Weaving, Etc., Instructions:
     Please leave your Full Name, E-Mail Address, & what type of
instruction(s) you desire so we can be of service to you!
     We cannot be of service to you withiut this information!
     SEE HOME PAGE TALK BACK!

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