Trash(ed) Chair Reborn

[Lawrence L'Hote]

Many weeks ago, some of you may have seen my post describing a chair I dug from someone's trash. If you missed that one look here.

following stuff should really be on the above webpage but, for now, I'm just pressed for time and this way will have to do.

Well, I got the thing back in shape, better than before, several weeks ago and finally got around to getting some pictures taken. (Pix 60-70 kb)

I carved a front rung for the chair to replace the lost rung. Kinda art nouveau it would seem.

I got that photo drop from e-Bay in an effort to improve my pictures. I still haven't worked out the massaging I need to do in Photoshop to true up the color.

The original back splat was made from smaller pieces and the pieces didn't match well at all. I remade them using some red oak and one may wonder if this is an improvement.

whole chair 3/4 view. seat was split in several places and in two parts. Some idiot made a quicky repair by screwing the bottom to a piece of plywood. I rejoined the bottom and reinforced the bottom with some dutchmen....cutting and installing these guys was interesting.

[jo4hn]

Nice job Larry. Made me smile. mahalo, jo4hn

[Gary Greenberg]

Larry,

Really nice work. I find it interesting that you only work in reclaimed woods.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers, Gary

[Lawrence L'Hote]

I appreciate your kind words. Making something from what people throw out as trash is metaphorical(...or something..).

Larry

[Bob]

You've reconstructed an heirloom Larry.....

I applaud your efforts on recovering a useful piece of furniture and restoring it to better than new condition.

Very well done,

Bob S.

[charlie b]

I'd like to think that the original maker is smiling, proud because his work was worth saving, and appreciative of the effort you made, skillfully, to rescue his chair for another generation or two or more of bottoms.

Woodworking presents so many opportunities for experiencing satisfaction and contentment (along with frustration, befuddlement, wonder

-as in "I wonder how the hell I'm going to do this.") and every so often - an AH! moment.

Thank you for passing on some of your experiences.

charlie b

[Lawrence L'Hote]

I appreciate your comments. BTW I forgot to say that I used some of that hot hide glue(my first experience with that adhesive) to put the thing back together. I think the stuff has a lot of merit. Certainly it is much easier than Titebond or similar aliphatics to clean up and stain. The chair is probably the most uncomfortable I've set in since I was an alter boy and had to sit in on of those ornate, butt numbing, wooden thrones while enduring the homily. I'll take Joat's advice and use a cushion next time.

Larry

[charlie b]

If and when you get around to restoring, reviving a spindle chair or the like, look into a product called Waxilit -"sliding agent and glue release".. Consistency of room temp butter. Put a little on a Q-tip and spread a little around the OUTSIDE of the holes. After glue up dried glue will pop off and a little alcohol on another Q-tip to get the Waxalit off and you're ready to finish. Lee Valley carries a 7 oz can that should last you half a life time or better.

TiteBond makes a liquid hide glue that works pretty well without the hot glue pot and the associated smell. Set the container in warm/hot water for a while and it's almost be sucked into a joint via capilary action. Nice thing about hide glue is that it's reversible.

Odd how we remember uncomfortable seats better than the really comfortable ones - or maybe it's just a Catholic thing. You did attend a Catholic school of course - with the Nuns From Hell? I had both the Austrian Franciscans and the Brooklyn Reform School Sisters of Mercy (an oxymoron if there ever was one). I just recently realized why I have an aversion to hickory - especially stick size hickory.

charlie b

[Greg Millen]

It's a "silk purse" Larry, great job. Sometimes it's more challenging to fix something than to build a new one, but I suspect you know that.