The following pictures are of our Open Air Series Models from the 1970’s to early 1980’s. Up until our seating division closure, we were frequently manufacturing these durable seating units for replacement some 45++ years after the initial manufacture of this collection. This is a very viable option and relatively easy to make at home using the correct resin coated yarn material
The idea with this is that your frames may be in decent to very good condition. Outside of the first two “options” emailed to you, the best options may be to make these Open Air Seires sling seating units yourself and put them on your frames. It is a very viable and cost effective method to continue with the function and use of your beloved Samsonite Furniture. Will it be perfect ? Possibly not, but who is going to critique ? You will have completed the project yourself with relative ease and continue to have your furniture. Win Win
Below you will find images / pictures of how the material is cut, rolled (looped over and ready for hem), finished seat/back, being installed on frame (seat & back) / what type of material to use / where to purchase the material / and instructions on how to get dims for the amount of material needed
Open Air Series Dining Chair # 5357 Open Air Seires Chaise # 5317 Open Air Series Sling Background with
Strap Series in Foreground
Plan on the FIRST piece being a sample or test sling. It will may take some experimentation on the first one to dial in the exact dimension on LENGTH that you need for a tight / taut fit. No biggie here.
Start with a rectangular sheet of resin coated yarn model material. The LENGTH will depend upon your WIDTH dims on YOUR seat and back tubular frames. The height (depth) will generally run 12 to 15 inches. Image 2 to right above, roll over the length ends (end to end) and piece them together and run a hem line about 3/8 of an inch. Invert the material so that the hem line is on the INSIDE and try it on
In the above SIX images you see an example Open Air sling for seat and back. The top row is just the sewn hem sling laying down flat. In the next group of three you will see the sling staning on an open end and these images are just here for you to see and get and idea of exactly what we aer talking about here
You will also notice that WE have also sewn a 3/8” hem on the top and bottom just so we do not have a raw cut edge and this adds to the “dressiness” (is that a word?) of the sling - Trust us it is worth the 30 seconds to do this. You will also notice we have INVERTED the sling so that the hem is on the inside
OK, here we see the Open Air sling “being installed” on the bucket frame. Use a lubricant to slide the sling on and this “should” take some elbow grease if you want them to be taut (AND YOU DO !)
Again, experiement with the first one to dial in the dims just perfect. Junk this experiement and make all you need. You will need TWO for each chair product (one for seat and one for back).
Full disclosure here - we do realize that a few models DO HAVE A TAPER, and generally if present, it is on the back portion of the frame so the back and seat “may be diff” on a few models. Your dimensions will determine this, but if so, the taper is minimal
OK smarty-pants, you have told us ‘roughly’ how to do this and you mentioned “resin-coated yarn material” How is anyone on earth supposed to know what that is and where do you get it ? Good thoughts………
The resin coated yarn can be purchased quite inexpensively online and you can buy by the LY (Linear Yard). Well then, how much do I need to purchase ?- Duh….. OK, the material “generally” comes standard at width at 54” in width. This combination of Length and Width on the material will REDUCE your overall needed material needs - YAY ! CONFIRM THIS 54 inche width dim WITH YOUR VENDOR ONLINE PLEASE ! You will buy LY by determinining your needs (discussed directly below)
Measure your bucket frame LENGTH in inches or your sling on your frame currently. Use a “sewers-tape” so that you can measure accurately here please. If you get 36 inches, then your needed length is about 40 inches. If you measure length at 45 inches, then I am buying 50 inches. (e.g. if I need 50 linear inches then divide by 36 inches and you will get your needed LINEAR YARDAGE NEEDED
Yeah, yeah, yeah…. big talk but you still have not told us where we can purchase the LY online big guy. See below a couple very good vendor options. Not sure that Phifer will sell direct to end user by the LY but if they do, GREAT ! If not, then Sailrite is the go to company. And, we do not even get a commission here
PHIFER https: //www.phifer.com/product/phifertex-plus/
Sailrite https: //sailrite.com/shop/fabric/outdoor-living-fabric/sling-chair-fabric
You can generally purchase by the Linear Yardage and they will ship on a core spool to you so that there are no creases (as in a folded shirt). Oh, and do not get too fancy with the material such as fancy construction and all that because the thicker the material, the more difficult it will be to sew hems on a standard sewing machine. Matter of fact, you likely cannot do so and therefore stay with the “plus” type materials from the link above. You can purchase material, by LY, in the range of $ 15 per LY to $ 29 per LY
You may now have a thousand questions. All good. Just email for assistance:
customerservice@sfpatiofurniture.com