Sellers Home Rocking Chair: Episode 6
Posted 17 March 2021
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In this episode, we finesse the connecting tenon to the mortise joint of the seat, to the posts. This critical juncture relies on a well-fitting connection. The process might seem a little tedious, but it is so well worth it just for the feeling of satisfaction. Following that, we have the process of carving the seat scallop and hollow, so we show how this is done purely with the traditional methods using traditional hand tools. This seat becomes a kind of three-dimensional hub for all the connecting parts. From here on you start to see the chair come together as a whole.
I have carved a good number of chair seats over the years using a variety of tools and methods. The fastest and crudest way is to use a 4 1/2″ grinder with shaping wheels. The slowest and most refined way is to use hand tools, as Paul is doing in this video.
All things considered, and speaking only for myself, I have come to agree with Paul. The hand tool method yields the best results and the best experience of woodworking. It is not noisy or nerve wracking; it does not create bothersome clouds of fine dust that cover every surface in the shop; it is less likely to result in a disastrous mistake; it is also far safer.
I really appreciate my hand-held grinders, but I use them for metal work these days. This suits me fine.
Thanks for the video!
Very interesting episode and I agree with Jurgen01 that the method used by Paul with hand tools is the safest and most satisfying, also cuts out the noise and dust.
One thing that I found interesting is the last wooden hand tool used is that a special convex spokeshave with a radius for that purpose? I did make the small curved plane for the stool project some time ago and that works well, i spread it out over a couple of days so that it was not so hard on the hands.
I cant wait to see how this progresses, I enjoy the lessons Thanks
That last tool is a travisher, essentially a curved spokeshave for removing some of the undulations caused by the rougher tools. An alternative is to use a finer set on the rounded bottom plane.
In episode 5 Paul made his seat tenons 1/2″ wide but in this episode they are 3/8″ as they are in earlier episodes were he specs and cuts the mortises at 3/8″. The printed instructions also specify 3/8″ tenons.