Hi. I am getting the fever to try and build a couple of chairs. I've never done this before, but I have done other small woodworking projects, am pretty handy, and have most of the tools I need (I think). I am looking to build an Arts & Crafts type chair, and came upon this website. Have any of you used this as a resource, or have any comments? Are there any other sites that might be better?
Thanks for any comments,
dwhite
Which website?
Brian.
Oops. I copied the link but forgot to paste it. Maybe that's why I got little response 'cept yours! Here it is:
thanks for any comments, dwhite
That's called a "Radial Arm Saw", and it should be fine, _but_ go to and spend the 15 bucks for the download then do what he says. A properly set up radial saw is a marvelous tool and far more versatile than it's detractors realize, one that is not properly set up is going to give you very disappointing results.
You should be able to rough the outside of the back supports with the radial saw. For the inside you can turn the blade approximately 45 degrees to the carriage and use the edge to cut a trench--take light cuts and go slowly--make pass, lower the blade a little, make another, once you're close to the mark at one spot raise the blade, move the piece, clamp it down--and you should be able to hog out the inside that way a little at a time. Once you're close to the line, put a sanding drum on the arbor (if it's the 5/8 arbor that is most common on radial saws you can get one at Sears inexpensively) and use it to finish to the mark.
Or you could make yourself a bow saw .
That's good advice. Thanks, J. Clarke!
dwhite
Dan,
I'm in the process of making a set of the chairs based loosely on the Popular Mechanics article you saw. I used the plans for basic dimensions and construction protocol- type of joints, order of assembly, etc. I modified the back slat design, choosing to use three horizontal back slats, each about 3" tall x 3/4" thick and loose tenon joints. I don't have a bandsaw either, just a table saw, although I do have a thickness planer and a joiner. To bend the backslats I resawed white oak on the table saw into 3/8" x 3 1/4" strips about 2" longer than the finished dimensions. I then put them through the thickness planer until they were 1/4" thick each. I then built a jig out of MDF to use to bend them to the proper curve. I laminated the boards, stuck them in the jig, clamped it up and let them dry overnight, then I ran them across the joiner to get one true edge and then cut the other edge on my table saw. In assembling the chair I used a loose tenon joint where the backslats join the back legs. I've just about completed the first chair, except for the padded seat, and I can tell you it took many, many hours to complete it. Chairs are challenging. Good luck on your project.
Dale
Thanks Dale. I guess there's more than one way to skin a cat. You know the saying, "measure twice, cut once?" Well, I'm "thinking twice, acting once" before I really decide to jump into this. After all, nobody wants just one chair. :)
dwhite
The following is in no way meant as derogatory ... just something else to think about:
I'am a bit of a contrarian when it comes to that type of magazine chair plan ... while they do encourage folks to more advanced projects, they seem to be published more to sell magazines than to be a well designed chairs.
It's a very basic chair design ... notice that the legs are perpendicular to the ground in all planes, which means your joinery will be straight forward with no angled mortise and tenons. Chairs of a more advanced, and pleasing, design generally have both the front and back legs splayed out a few degrees, often in two planes, which makes for skill and patience that few other projects call up ... but it also makes for a better looking design, and a more stable, comfortable chair.
What I would be afraid of in your case is that when your eye gets used to paying attention to chair design, you may find that style pretty clunky looking ... IOW, you may want to rethink making more than one of those for practice, for odds are it will look very amateurish to you after you have gained some experience.
Granted, you must start somewhere, so in lieu of that chair, I would consider making a nice A&C style Hall Bench first, perhaps based closely on that design. Besides practice, it will give you a basic understanding of chair/seating structure and construction, and a hall bench will look just fine without a curved back and splayed legs.
Once you get that done you will have hopefully learned a bit more about chairs, have a nice piece of furniture, and gathered the tools and jigs necessary to make some better designed chairs.
I see. So Stickley, Morris, and Wright were all tasteless amateurs in your book. I'm curious--if someone gave you the Kauffman house what would you do with the furniture?
Nope ... those sentiments, as misguided as they are, are all yours.
It is doubtful that any of the above would want to be associated with those particular chair plans. If you take a good look at a real Stickley chair, and know just a little something about chair construction, the differences will be apparent.
That's odd. Stickley, Morris, and Wright all transgress against the precepts which you seem to hold essential to the design of a chair which is not tasteless and amateurish. So are you retracting "Chairs of a more advanced, and pleasing, design generally have both the front and back legs splayed out a few degrees, often in two planes, which makes for skill and patience that few other projects call up ... but it also makes for a better looking design, and a more stable, comfortable chair"?
I doubt that any of them would have wanted to be associated with each others' plans. Genius is often like that. What of it?
Care to answer the question? What _would_ you do with the furniture if someone gave you the Kaufman house? While you're about it, since you're so certain that the chair in question is different in some fundamental way other than the name of the designer from those designed by Stickley, Morris, and Wright, would you care to share your enlightenment with the rest of us who have not been blessed with your education? Further, if the features which you described earlier and which all of those designers have found superfluous are in fact not necessary then why did you mention them?
To compare that particular "chair plan" with Stickely, Morris, et al is ludicrous.
With you close by? ... stick it straight up your ass. Now go f*ck yourself.
In that case it should be very easy to show the significant differences.
That's even worse than what the folks who bought the Willits house in the '50s did with the furnishings. And you account yourself a person of taste?
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.