Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Oct 31, 2008 03:53am | #1

   jd,

   Draw it out full size.  Front, side, and top views.  Use the drawing to generate the templates of the shaped parts, (rear leg, back rails, front legs, etc,) and to determine the angles where they meet.  Cut tenons while the components are still in the square.  If you can get wide stock for the rear legs, you can lay out several in one plank by "spooning" them together, minimising waste on the outside edges.

   Don't expect to make them for the retail price and make any kind of wages...

   Ray

2. 
   scooter1 | Oct 31, 2008 04:18am | #2

   The Captain's Chair looks like the back posts are curved in two directions.   I can not imagine using a template and guide bushing to cut those compound curves.  I would hazzard a guess they are steam bent or CNC milled. 

   Since the back legs of chairs are always the most difficult and critical part of  any chair, I would start with the back legs, perhaps making full size mock ups in mdf.  Then making the template for steam bending the rascal.  Steam bending in two directions would be very challenging.  I could imagine taking months just to build the jig and bending forms. 

   For me, I would change the design so that rear leg is only canted on one plane. 

   The seat is an interesting design, with both a solid seat and rails to support it.  Usually I see the legs attach directly to the seat.  The addition of the rails adds mass and is interesting visually and adds strength (but why is the maximum weight only 200 lbs?). This chair will be very heavy, I'd guess at least 60 lbs.  I would consider losing the rails and attaching the legs with dowels and/or plugged wood screws.   

   Everything else is angled only in one direction.  But I would envision templates for back legs (both directions), front legs, arms, the seat, and back top and middle rails. 

   I would add another stretcher below the seat rail in back.

   The back top and middle rails are also steam bent, but thankfully only in one plane.  Another template. 

   I think I would be tempted to buy one of each of their chairs and take measurements from it. 

   I hope you've built a lot of chairs, because this chair, as it appears to me, would be waaaay beyond my skill range. 

   Regards,

   Scooter

   "I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

1. 
   jdclarey | Oct 31, 2008 06:18am | #3

   Thanks for the advice so far,

   I don't charge for making stuff other than the cost of materials, so making money on the chairs isn't a problem.   My family member is ok with me changing any design elements so I have a lot of room for modification.  I may end up just making a different chair altogether but I want to give this a shot.  I did just get a 2004 MM16 bandsaw to use on this project so I'm pretty excited about that. 

2. 
   joinerswork | Oct 31, 2008 06:08pm | #5

   Scooter,

   I believe the appearance that the rear legs are curved in two directions is an "optical delusion" caused by the camera angle. The legs appear to me to be tipped or canted so that each is perpendicular to (the tangent of) the curve of the back.

   The thinness of the plank seat would make attachment of the legs directly, a problem, imo.  I'd guess that the strength of the dowels and screws holding things together is the reason for the weight limitation.  That and cautious attorneys.

   It's as likely as not that the curved back members are sawn instead of bent.  At least, I've seen many old chairs of this type that were done so.  This is a type that has its roots in the Empire, or Regency period.

   Interesting isn't it, that two people can look at the same chair and see completely different solutions to building challenges?

   Ray

    

1. 
   scooter1 | Oct 31, 2008 07:19pm | #6

   Sawing the curved or hoop rails would slice grain at an angle and waste wood. I would bend them. I would make the seat thicker, like a Windsor chair and lose the seat rails. Or leave the sit very thin and cut the rail size down to 9/16ths to cut weight. Cutting the back legs while the stock is square will waste wood. I would make a template and nest the blanks. I like the chair a lot. I would still buy one for a protype. This is a very challenging chair. I think it would take me close to a year to build a set of these rascals. Heck, I'd spend a couple months just building the jigs and protypes of the parts. In my experience, in woodworking there are always 2-3 ways of doing things and no "right" way. An example is the recent thread on tapering legs on a planer. Have fun.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

3. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Oct 31, 2008 06:46am | #4

   Chairs are darn difficult.  Doing your first by starting from pics in a catalog is a big challenge.   As an alternative, check out Jeff Miller's book Chairmaking and Design.    For one thing, you'll learn a lot about chair building.  He also has detailed construction of two chairs which look a lot like those pottery barn chairs.

1. 
   jdclarey | Oct 31, 2008 09:47pm | #7

   Thanks jamie for the advice. 

   Before I read your message I was out running errands and stopped at Barnes and Noble.  They happened to have the book you were suggesting and I did read it at a glance.  I was glad to see that he had a few chairs in there that had style elements that could be used to help on my chair.  I defenetly think I will be doing some design changes to meke the build easier but I think Ill try a mockup just to see what design challenges need to be addressed.

1. 
   scooter1 | Oct 31, 2008 10:46pm | #8

   I know I had to build or buy a bunch of specialized jigs and tools:--Tenoning Jig, to make angled tenons, often in two different directions. Separate from, or combined with a Mortising Jig. Leigh FMT is not a bad choice here, if you want to buy.--Wedges, for all the angles in the chairs, to hold the parts square for mortising. Build.--Large, 3 Arm Bevel Square, to calculate those wedges. Build.--Positioning Jig, to hold the front and back halves of the chair together to calculate the wedge size. Build.--Steam Box. Build.--2 Part Steam Bending Jig, out of mdf. Build.--Circle Cutting Jig, for diameters of 20-30 inches, for curved rails. Build or Buy. Veritas Beam Compass and a Micro Fence Jig work for me.-- Bandsaw Resaw Fence. Build.This is really fun, but fussy work. Very satisfying.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

   Edited 10/31/2008 3:47 pm ET by Scooter1