to fit and clamp
together the chair with the seat rails only, taking pains to have all
angles perfectly true, and then to take the exact measurements for the
lower rails directly from the chair. The same method may be used for
laying out a stringer between the lower rails.

If it is desired to bow the rails of the back, which are above the
seat rail, this can be done by boiling them in water for 30 minutes
and then clamping them over a form of the proper shape, with a piece
of stiff sheet iron on the outside, as in Fig. 299. They should be
thoroly dried in a warm place. Then the tenons may be laid out on
the ends parallel to a straight-edge laid along the concave side. The
chair bottom may be made of solid wood, either flat or modeled into
a "saddle seat;" it may be covered with cane or rush, or it may be
upholstered.

[Illustration: Fig. 299. Bending Boards into Shape after Boiling
Them.]

To upholster a chair seat, a frame should first be made of the shape
shown in Fig. 298, C. The strips are about 2" wide and 1/2" thick with
their ends half-lapped. The seat rails are rabbeted 1/2" deep and 1/2"
wide to receive this frame, which should be 1/8" smaller all around
than the place to receive it. The returns at the corners fit around
the legs at 1/8" distance from them. This 1/8" provides space for the
coverings. After the frame is fitted, it is covered with 3" webbing
tacked firmly to the upper side. The webbing which goes back and forth
is interwoven with that which goes from right to left. Over this is
stretched and tacked (also to the upper side) a piece of unbleached
muslin. A second piece of muslin is tacked to the back edge and part
way along the side edges, leaving for the time the corners unfinished.
In the pocket thus formed horsehair or other stuffing is pushed, care
being taken to distribute it evenly and not too thick. When the pocket
is filled, the muslin is tacked farther along the sides and more hair
put in, until the front is reached, when the muslin is tacked to the
front edge. The corners are now drawn in tight, a careful snip
with the scissors parting them diagonally so as to lie in well. The
partings may be turned down and tacked on the under side of the frame.

Finally the leather or other covering is stretched over the whole
as evenly as possible. The corners should be left to the last, then
clipped diagonally to the exact inside corner and the partings drawn
down and tacked, as was the muslin.