6th April 2021
The first of our new decking furniture was delivered today. It was a hanging egg chair, of course it was one of China’s finest, like everything that you buy in America. Even the stainless steel screws I used on the decking came from the people’s republic.
The box had everything in it, even the tool for tensioning the fabric shell. I was excited, it was a bit of an impulse buy, because I thought it might tempt Kelli outside.
I set out all the parts just to check everything was in order, there were no little Chinese children hidden in the packing, just bits of metal and fixings.
The main cradle structure was easy to construct, just large bits of tube, the fabric part was a bit more of a challenge. This is where the Chinese supplied instructions fall down. The photos showing how to tension the fabric were terrible, in colour they would have been fine, but photocopied in black and white they lost all definition. After a few tries I worked it out. The tool was a lever to stretch, and move a spar just enough to drop a bolt through holes to keep everything in place.
I fitted the nuts, and using the supplied allan key and spanner began to tighten. Ping! went the allan key, it flew in the air and landed on the deck, the disappeared down the gap, a great start.
Fortunately, I has a set of metric keys for just this emergency, and it was a full set.
It was also the hottest day of the year so far, and me in my flannel shirt began dripping in a very short time.
I fitted the hanging strap and hooked it on to the support structure, adding the loose cushion, and it was done.
I tried to get Kelli to give it the first sit, but she didn’t feel up to it, so it was down to little me to test it out.
Now for just over two hundred bucks it wasn’t bad value, but if it was American made it would have been a thousand, and the quality wouldn’t be much better.
That is the fundamental argument that is made over and over again, the Americans hate the fact the Chinese can make it, ship it and pay the “Trump” duty on it, and it’s still cheaper than anything made in the USA.
I bet there is one factory in China just making these swinging chairs and churning them out by the thousand every day. That is the reason why there are many outlets selling the same product.
I sat in the seat looking out towards the lake, the storm clouds are gathering, “ it’s not supposed to rain today” I thought, I’ve just got this bloody thing built, now I have to take the cushion inside, damn Michigan!
Earlier I went to buy the timber to make a raised bed. I decided to build it with cedar, like the cold frame, so I loaded the truck up with half a tree, wondering if I was making it too large.
My initial plan was to make it eight foot by four foot, and two foot off the ground, but I’ll make it three foot wide to match the width of the gardening fabric I have already, now I have to plan it in to my workload.
Another Lifetime to go 