First Chair
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- This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by Richard Guggemos.
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30 March 2017 at 3:35 am #310741
So, I had this idea for a set of deck chairs. Never having made a chair before – closest thing was a quilt rack with through-tenons keyed in place, all done with machines – I thought “Why not? It will be a good learning experience, and good firewood, if the chair crumbles when I sit in it – which I fully expect it to do…”. A rough sketch was drawn up, cushion sizes were researched, and dimensions were storyboarded. I really like the idea of a Morris chair’s “Recliner system” – simple, yet very effective. I thought that strength in the back that was going to rest on the long dowel that makes up the recliner system was probably a good thing, and so a ladder back design was what I went with. The prototype is attached.
The body is pine. The armrests are clear-grained hemlock. Both are big box store bought. When I started this, I didn’t own a plane but the S4S boards are supposed to be square and straight, right? Well, no. And some of my joints show that lack of square.
But, there are no nails nor screws in this prototype. It has 28 hand-cut mortise and tenon joints, plus dowels holding the corbels and the seat slats in place. The curved pieces are done with a tenon saw and chisels. No machines were used in my shop to build this prototype. It sits flat on it’s legs.
I purchased a #4 Stanley (Actually, got two at double the price… lucky me?!) and learned how to sharpen and set them via Paul Sellers videos.
And then, before I glued up the back slats, I happened across a video series on building a door by Paul Sellers. One thing struck me in that video – Mr Sellers was adamant that the wood used to make the door be absolutely square with zero twist because the door is attached to the carcase via a hinge, not a joint. And that got me thinking that my ladderback seat back has that same potential concern – it rides on a through-dowel and is supported by a dowel rod stretched between two stops. No joint attaching the ladderback to the chair. So, I spent a LOT of time learning how to check for, and remove, twist. And a LOT of time verifying that the boards used were straight.
Basically, it didn’t fall apart when I sat on it, and with cushions, is a very comfortable and solid chair. The seat cushion is 24″ deep X 22″ wide to give you an idea on dimensions.[attachment file=”prototype_top.jpg”]
[attachment file=”prototype_with_cushions.jpg”]
[attachment file=”recline_prototype.jpg”]
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.30 March 2017 at 3:44 am #310745In fact, it worked so well, that I’ve started on its companion seat. I’ve already cut the mortises and glued up the seat back. I have not glued up the chair frame – I am at the “dress rehersal” for the glue up today. Adding Clamps to prep for the glue up allowed me to sit in my new chair – and it’s as solid than the first one!
I have made some modifications to the second chair – I love my spokeshave, and chisels, so I added some cloudlifts and shaping to the cross rails.[attachment file=”cloud_lifts_rail.jpg”]
I wanted there to be some shape to the feet, so I carved them out.
[attachment file=”chisel shaping.jpg”]
[attachment file=310755]
Missed cleaning up some pencil lines…
[attachment file=”foot_pencil_lines.jpg”]
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.30 March 2017 at 3:50 am #310749I wanted a different shape to the corbels, so I experimented.
[attachment file=310750]
I wanted the through-holes for the dowel rod that the seat back rides upon to not be visible, so the corbels cover up that through hole and provide stops to keep the dowel rod in place.
I wanted the seat to have a slope towards the back – but not as much as a Adirondack chair – so I provided a 25:1 slope by setting the rear cross rail 1 inch lower than the front cross rail.
[attachment file=310751]
I have learned to plane – it’s amazing how clean and crisp pine from the box store becomes when you have a sharp plane! I’ve learned to epoxy moving through-knots (Thanks again to Paul Sellers for showing this in the Chest of Drawers video). I’ve had a big learning experience in collapsing mortices of less than 25 degree micro bevels on chisels – especially on pine. I’ve learned to saw straight both Cross and Rip cutting. I’ve learned how to sharpen a saw. Heck, the learning experience alone has been worth the minor cost of lumber. Minimal power tools (table saw to cut chair slats bwfore I learned to cut straight… ) were used in my shop to make this chair (eBay sellers and FedEx/USPS, however, have enjoyed my new-found love of hand tools…) . And surprisingly, I enjoyed it MORE. The skills I learned – just the ability to work a spokeshave was worth doing this by hand – have been a pleasure. I absolutely love the spokeshave!
Anyway – feedback/critique would be appreciated.- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins. Reason: Correction
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You must be logged in to view attached files.30 March 2017 at 3:52 am #310753And I still need to varnish the chairs. Thats the next step after i get it all glued up over the next few days. I’ll post pics afterwards. Oh, and the pictures show pre-glue up. I’m fairly pleased with the fqct that it stays together quite well with just the tension of the mortises and tenons. Obviosly, all I can see are its flaws… 🙂
It’s going to be an outdoor chair (under a covered deck, but outdoor), and I live in the wet and rainy PNW, so varnish is the primary option, I think… I really don’t want the plasticene look of varnish on pine, but unless I do them in teak or cedar, I am thinking varnish is my best option.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spencer Gaskins.
30 March 2017 at 2:54 pm #310764Great job! I love this style of chair and I have one on my long-term “to do” list to replace the store-bought recliner that is not aging very gracefully in our living room. I’d like to do that one in oak, but you have made me think that a pair in cedar would look very nice on our covered front porch.
I’d agree with you on varnish for outdoor use. I used a spar varnish on my front door several years ago and the stuff seems to be practically bullet proof.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by aarontobul.
4 April 2017 at 11:06 pm #310888That looks great and it’s a wonderful vantage point from which to study your next project.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by Richard Guggemos.
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