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Need help to dismantle a Tulip Chair for restoration purposes  

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kevin.retrodesign
(@kevin-retrodesigngmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 22
07/07/2010 7:05 pm  

Knoll
Hello Barry,
Thank you for your suggestion. That was, in fact, my first step.. Since I haven't got any reply from Knoll ever since I decided to post it in this forum hoping someone might be able to help me out. So far I haven't been sucessfull. I hope I get the hang of it and find out.
Thank you all for the input, though.
Best regards


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greatwhite
(@greatwhite)
Trusted Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 60
08/07/2010 3:05 am  

Are you sure the bolts are...
Are you sure the bolts are welded? Looks like corrosion to me. I would spray some penetrating oil on one of the bolts and try to pick away around the bolt head with a brush and awl/pick. Then try to loosen that bolt. Heat will also help by means of a propane torch.
I'm guessing these chairs swivel and the ball bearings are frozen. You will also be able to clean the bearings and races once that top plate is removed.
Good luck, Mike


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kevin.retrodesign
(@kevin-retrodesigngmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 22
08/07/2010 4:40 pm  

Bolts
Thank you Mike.
I have already tried some penetrating oil as it was my first guess as the bolts don't really look like they are welded, despite the debris being very hard.. It did nothing.. I used Plus Gas as I've read across the internet that it's the best oil. Better than WD40 as they say this last one is weak..
I was wondering if you have a tulip chair you can post some photos so that I understand the mechanism and parts involved to help me figure out an alternative solution to dismantle mine.. I'm not familiar with the parts you describe like the ball, etc..
If you prefer, I can give you my e-mail address so you can send photos.
Looking forward your reply
Best regards


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ball
 ball
(@ball)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 271
08/07/2010 9:22 pm  

cut them off with a grinder...
cut them off with a grinder but before you do that make sure you can find replacements. By doing this you'll have an idea of the goings on of the inners
I could help you but I'd need to have it in front of me and there's fat chance of that
Have you looked on 'youtube', everything appears on there sooner or later


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rockland
(@rockland)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 984
08/07/2010 10:38 pm  

.
I don't mean to discourage you from separating your chairs, but...
my first tulip i found in a trash heap. It was in two parts.
Knoll did get back to me but would only sell the entire base and
not connection/swivel hardware only.
I opted for a mint used pair
on e-bay for the cost of repairing the free one. Actually it ended up a bit
cheaper. If i had gone with a new base, my original shell would not have
matched. Double headache.
Reconsider taking them apart. Unless you can do it with ease.
Mine were sent in one piece. They are put together in the factory to travel
that way i believe.
I did end up bolting this one together with a metal plate and local
hardware. It is fixed. I prefer the swivel.


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whitespike
(@whitespike)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 3499
09/07/2010 12:11 am  

Simple reconsideration could...
Simple reconsideration could have fixed this design. Why would Saarinen design it to NOT be able to separate with ease. In addition, it would seem like Knoll would have made this change eventually for shipping purposes. Ah well.


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Riki
 Riki
(@riki)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 1395
09/07/2010 2:48 am  

Has Lucifersum
weighed in on this thread? I think there is a well-known knockoff of this chair that starts with "K", not Kraft but something very close, can't recall the name. Perhaps y'all are assuming this is real when it is not, hence the ongoing confusion.


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kevin.retrodesign
(@kevin-retrodesigngmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 22
09/07/2010 2:59 pm  

Knoll label
Hello and thank you all for your reply.
Well, Ball, if nothing else works I'll consider your proposal.. I can do that to one of them and then see how I can detach the others.. Are you close to London?
Ricki, the chair has a what I think is the Knoll "K". At least it looks like it.. See photo.
Best regards
http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y360/kevin_retrodesign/Tulip%20Chair...


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kevin.retrodesign
(@kevin-retrodesigngmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 22
09/07/2010 3:03 pm  

Your tulip
Rockland,
Can you post larger photos of your chair? From what I can see your chair is, indeed, the fixed version with one of the early circular plate/ washer. If you don't like it, I do. 🙂 I actually prefer the fixed version.
Also, if Knoll sells the base already with the swivel mechanism then there is a way to attach it to the seat. What I need the most is to detach the seat from the base. If I can dismantle the whole thing afterwards for cleaning and maintenance, even better. What's the looks of the base with the swivel mechanism on?
Yes, I also think that Knoll could have thought about this issue as well..
Best regards


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ball
 ball
(@ball)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 271
09/07/2010 3:11 pm  

sorry kevin.retrodesign
I...
sorry kevin.retrodesign
I was writing tounge in cheek.....I'm in Sydney Australia and ahh not that close to London
we could always skype?


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rockland
(@rockland)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 984
09/07/2010 9:40 pm  

.
The photo posted does not have the plate. It is the one found
in a garbage heap without the hardware.
I did snap an iphone pic last night of my swivel base...
This plate cannot be removed from this seat position.
Now that i have studied the chair a bit, i prefer that
it is so well constructed. And not so easily taken apart.
It does add to the strength. If it was a homeowner assembly i
fear that would add to a weak connection. As a single stem, its
success is holding up over time and many swivels.
I'm a wiggler, so the swivel is nice for in and out of the chair.
Otherwise the base must be dragged around a bit.


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kevin.retrodesign
(@kevin-retrodesigngmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 22
11/07/2010 7:49 pm  

Hello everybody and thank...
Hello everybody and thank you for the continuous interest in my problem.
Ball, I don't have skype or a webcam. Must take care of that issue, though.. DO you have tulip chairs like mine, or you may think that you can help by looking at my chairs? Can I provide any specific photo for you to take a look?
Rockland, Thank you for your photo. Well, from what I can see, your chair looks a lot like the one posted in a previous thread. In that one, the owner was able to remove the seat from the base by taking out the C-Clamp piece that is the only part that holds the seat to the base.. If you look at your chair you might see this piece in the joint between the seat and the base.. If you remove that, the seat comes off if you pull it up..
Unfortunatly this isn't the case of my chair.. I wish it was that simple..
Can I have a closer look at the inside of your tulip base (the old one), and a closer look at the seat portion where it touches the base? There may be something there that might help me out..
Looking forward your reply
Best regards and once again, thank you all for your input and help.


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ball
 ball
(@ball)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 271
11/07/2010 8:22 pm  

I've pulled apart a few and...
I've pulled apart a few and they were difficult
One cost me more money to repair the damage I did and then what I made from the respray....yep I gave up dismantling chairs
If you can post animage or two of the rusted bits


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rockland
(@rockland)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 984
11/07/2010 9:06 pm  

.
I don't have another pic of the older one.
It is back together and just a hardware store repair.
It was too costly to repair correctly since it was a freebee.
But it did serve a purpose. I realized that it was the style chair that
we wanted for our breakfast table so i looked for newer ones.
It now sits as a spare and holds elder newspapers and junk mail.
(and it does shift and need tightening on occasion though hardly used as
seating)
I think someone took it apart and realized they screwed up and tossed
it in the garbage. Giving it a powder coat intact and not separated
would be my personal advice.


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ball
 ball
(@ball)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 271
11/07/2010 9:11 pm  

in the ideal world I would...
in the ideal world I would dismantle to it but the reality is 'How much money do you have'?
someone will do it for you but it's all $$$$


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