Almost eight months ago we had decided to build a new home. I really wanted a set of Eames shell chairs and a Eero Saarinen dining table, with that idea the hunt began. When I got thinking about the total price I cringed a little so I resorted to a Burke table. My area does not really offer the opportunity to grab these very cheap. eBay and Etsy were the places I found my shells. Some were in great shape and as you can see the two blue ones were pretty bad. With out reinventing the wheel I read up on the restoration processes via Chairfag. I pretty much followed most of the steps but added a few of my own. Make the jump to read the steps I took and see the end results. These two blue shells were in pretty bad shape. They were pretty dirty and very faded. First step was to remove the old shock mounts. Some of the mounts were in OK shape but I decided if I was going to replace some, I would replace them all. A tip here would be NOT to pry up on the mount once you have the tool under the mount.
If you pry up you could remove more fiberglass than you want to. The white shell was a perfect example, the old glue really held on to the fibers. Just continue to tap around the mount until you are all the way through. Once you have removed the mounts, you have to now sand the remaining glue from the shell. I used a hand held sander and some medium grit sandpaper. While I sanded, I kept the area wet using a spray bottle and just a little dish soap. Always use something to cover your mouth and nose, You do not want to be breathing dust and fiberglass. After the glue was removed I then used a finer grit to finish up the area. Next I sprayed down the shells to get rid of any dust that had been left behind. I let them air dry for a day before the next step. Finding replacement shock mounts was easy. I just went back to Special K Products. I used their shock mounts for a couple of DCM chairs that I restored. You can also get the two part epoxy from them. I have to say that they worked perfectly, two for two from these guys!
To mark placement of the shock mounts, I attached the mounts to the base and then placed the base on the flat spots where the mounts are supposed to go. I then used a pencil and traced the mounts leaving an exact guide were to apply the epoxy and the mount. I mixed the two part epoxy, which is quick set and placed just enough so when the mount is pressed to the shell a little presses out around the edges of the mount. After you have set the base on the shell and pressed, you will need to hold it in place for a few minutes until the epoxy is firm enough to unscrew the bolts and remove the base. You could also just glue these on one by one now that you have the exact location. Zach, from chairfag has a better method but I did not have the old base part that he used. Now that all of the mounts were on, the chairs needed to be cleaned and sanded. I read somewhere that OxiClean worked good on embedded dirt. I found a gel spray from OxiClean, I first prayed down the chair and then sprayed the chair with the gel and let it sit for a few minutes.
I then used a fine sanding block and started to work the gel into the chair. I have to say that the combination of sanding and the OxiClean gel worked amazing, it really cleaned up the two blue chairs quite nice. On the other shells I just used a scrub sponge. After I was satisfied I rinsed them off really well and let them air dry for a couple of days. Make sure you wear a mask and keep the area wet during this process. The next step is applying the Penetrol and in the UK it is called Owatrol. It was pretty easy to put on. Wear gloves and use a lint free rag. Soak the rag and apply it to the shell. Pay attention to the surface and whether you are putting too much on, you will be able to see pooling or over glossy areas. I used a dabbing/rubbing technique for the application. Apply to the backside then screw the base on, next apply to the front side. I did not apply it to the white shell as it may turn yellow over time. I actually ended up putting 3 coats on the blue shells, one heavy coat and two lighter coats to even out the shine.
This is an oil based product so it will need a few days to cure before you go sitting on them. The next challenge was to find some basses. My first love is the walnut dowel base but I had mentally written these off due to cost. I did a little research and came across a company called Modern Conscience. They offer the whole range of reproduction basses at some pretty good prices. All of their basses are made in the US. I took the plunge and ordered 6 bases. At first inspection the quality was there. The walnut was beautiful with a great wood grain. My day time job has me working as creative director for a manufacturer and we see a lot of finishes, coatings, nuts and bolts. I can honestly say that even the hardware for these bases are quality. These last few images are of the final chairs done and assembled with the new bases. I am pretty pleased with how these turned out and they look great under my Burke table. Now to find something to put in the middle of the table! Shock Mounts – Special K Products
Dowel Basses – Modern Conscience"Is the 23 inches depth the depth of the plastic chair portion or of the whole piece? i.e. the bottom gliders?" Hello jlpera, this item is approximately 23 inches deep overall. Thank you for shopping with us.How high is it at the top of the arms? Hello justin w., thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, the information you have requested is currently unavailable. You will receive an email notification once an answer is posted. Have a great day. "This is another chair I am very interested but is it designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller®?" Hello LindseyO, we are unable to disclose the manufacturer of some of our products; stands behind every product we sell. When necessary we can contact suppliers if a product issue arises. Thank you for shopping with us. "Does this chair come with a prop 65 warning label when shipped to california?" Hello curious, this item does not have a proposition 65 warning label.
Thank you for shopping with us! "The pictures at the bottom of the description also show beige and gray models. Hello susan, we are sorry, the Vinnie Small White Cradle Chair in gray, is unavailable. Have a great day. "What is the width of the actual seat (sitting area)?" Hello Cindy, the seat is approximately 16"w. Please let us know if you have any further questions. "Do you carry any of the Baxton Vinnie rockers which are large instead of small in size?" Hello ottawaks1, unfortunately, we do not carry any in the large size. Thanks for shopping with us! "I have two questions for you guys 1. is the plastic material ABS or Polypropylene? 2. I would like to know the height of the actual back of the chair- looking for how tall it is from a back support standpoint? so would like the measurements from where the butt of the chair is to the top on the middle." Hello krvall2783, seat measures approximately 15 inches high x 17 inches deep. "Can someone explain the measurements to me?
When it says "seat" is 15" high and 17" deep, does that refer to the seat's height off the ground, or the height of the back of the actual plastic seat? I'm trying to determine how high this sits off the ground. I've sat in a real Eames rocker before, and I can't determine if this is actually smaller or spot on." Hello pinkmoon, you are correct, the 15 inch seat height, is the approximate measurement from the floor to top of the seat. "Does this rock well on carpet?" Hello nightbird65, this should rock just fine on carpet. Have a great day! "Would this be comfortable to rock and/or nurse a newborn?" Hello nightbird65, this could be comfortable to rock or nurse a newborn, the seat is made out of plastic so it is going to get uncomfortable after sitting long periods of time. "Why did you choose this product?" It's a nice contemporary chair for my bedroom. It does not take too much space and can easily been placed in another room. It's good price and references from other buyers are good.
Needed a small rocking chair for our nursery. My son is hyperactive he needs to move while seated. This is perfect for him. Price and positive reviews! I bought the same chair about six months ago and realized how much I would enjoy having a matching set with a little table in between them! i was looking for a modern look I think it will be perfect for our first baby's nursery. My friend has this chair, and my mom said her mom had this chair without the rockers, so it is sentimental in style. prefer the all plastic (i saw another version with padding -- seemed like it would get dirty). I liked the classic, mid-century styling. I love any furniture that resembles Eames design Thought it would go well in a hotel lobby. Guests sit for a short period of time so didnt need anything too big or cumbersome, but also wanted something with a soft home style feel to it Do you know what shipping would be to Timmins, Ontario, Canada? Hello Garlandy, I am sorry but I am not able to calculate the shipping for you.
It will let you know the shipping fee once you add your address information in the check out area and before you submit your order. Thank you for shopping with us! "Is this white chair a snow white color of white?" Hello adele0216, I would say it is a bright white. Thank you for your question and Happy Shopping! Yes - very bright white. Not off at all. Bright white is a good color description "I'd like to use this chair on my covered patio. How is the material for outside usage? Hello staceyvargas, We do not recommend for use outside. "How do I clean the dirt marks off this chair?" Hello anastasia1212, We found good information on the following website for cleaning your chairs. We hope this helps, and thank you for shopping with us. "What is the actual wood colour on this chair? the two pictures on white background show a dark walnut type colour, but the third picture is a lighter natural/yellowish finish...?" Hello apokras, It will be the darker wood finish as shown in other colors of this chair.
It's not as dark as it looks in the picture. It's lighter in person than what the pictures show. "we have managed to loose one screw at atime since purchasing it, the last screw fell off last week and our housekeeper tossed the screw along with the washers, how can i find out where or how to replace all screws, we really love this chair and it is in great condition!" Hello maddiemonk, please call Overstock Customer Service. They will provide excellent assistance! "What's the texture of the chair seat (white)? Is it very smooth, shiny or rather textured and matt?" Thank you for contacting us claudiaws. It is like matt. Very smooth and yes matte "I just received this chair in the mail and it did not come with any instructions, could you please send me some?" Thank you for your inquiry; you will be contacted by Customer Care. Just look at the picture on the box or online and attach the legs so they will match the angle shown in the picture. We just looked at the pictures, too.