Hi! I just came across your video and was wondering what screws do you recommend for strap installation? My Barcelona chair is a replica, not the real deal. Thanks!
Karen ... If your chair is a replica, it may not have the straps affixed with screws. More often than not, I've see them affixed with rivets. The screws on the real deal are just classic sheet metal screws with a hex head driven in by a Phillips screwdriver or a properly sized hex driver on a screw gun. The key is the screw pattern has to match what is created by the manufacturer. If riveted, then the rivies are pulled and through the work of a metal machine shop, ne resulting hole is tapped to accept a screw.
Not sure every version of the chair is the same but I just measured the screws on mine: M4x0.7 (10 mm) - because I'm sure one or two will go flying somewhere once I get going on the strap replacement.
While that strategy would indeed tighten the leather as it shrinks, it also will cause pH damage, which affects long term durability. The typical pH of tap water is around 8. Whereas Leather's pH is around 4.5 to 5.0. That pH differential creates a chemical reaction which weakens the leather.
@@KevinGillan Thanks for the prompt reply. Obviously, I'm not a chemist. Considering the life of the strap, would the difference between natural vs water-installed be significant? Would either need replacement within 20 years? That's when my warranty will probably expire :o) PS. Would using a leather conditioner to soften the strap around the frame wrap be worse than using water?
@@enrbanjo6850 You'd likely be fine, however I'm a bit anal about doing the right thing. Yes, you can use a leather conditioner to soften the leather at the turn. Be sure to check the pH of the conditioner for the same reason as the water. I created a form originally from wood and eventually had a metal fabricating shop make it from aluminium. It has two slits in it spaced apart by the thickness of the barcelona frame. The slits are slightly bigger than the width and thickness of a strap. I then feed the strap into the slit on one side and back in the other side mimicking the shape of the frame. Then, with a vise I compress the leather wrapped form. The leather then takes the shape of the metal of the Barcelona frame.
ENRbango, you had a great idea. Soften the leather with beer, ph is the same as leather. Your way would give a tighter strap with a sharper corner edge. The video “master “did a sloppy job. He cut the strap uneven and too close to the screws causing a weak tear point. He knows that your method was better and could not admit it. Even if the leather weakens from a momentary ph change it would not weaken and break very quickly if at all. His method will produce baggy straps.
@@KevinGillan Love the beer concept! The new, tough leather didn't seem to tightly wrap the frame, so I could foresee a sagging chair over a short time. Moistened straps would bend more easily and dry taught. If beer solves the pH issue, I'm all for it. If moistening reduces the useful life to 20 years, rather than 25, I'm still for it. I've got two, curbside-found frames with deteriorated straps waiting in the garage. Hope to get to it this year. Should be fun. Will be great chairs for kicking back and playing guitar or banjo!
