4. From wooden rod to backrest
Now the bending begins: the benders turn both sides of the rod inward by 70 degrees with full power. To create the slight outside curve of the back legs, the ends of the rod are then slightly pulled against the bending direction. The material is then secured in the bending mould. For the backrest of chair 214, the famous Vienna coffee house chair, at least two benders are needed; the backrest of chair 209 even takes the effort of four specialists.
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5. Drying
In order for the bent backrest to stay in its new form, the wood spends two days in a drying chamber in its bending mould. After this process, only a small amount of humidity is left in the wood, which is then removed from the mould.