I’ve been designing on paper a chair that hopefully in the next month or so I’ll be able to start on. I remember some where seeing an article (although I don’t know where) on the advantages of coopering a chair seat…I don’t know if it was more advantageous…or just allowed for a little more sculpting etc…

If anyone has done this or has some pictures or ideas on how this works and the best way to do it…any information would be great. If memory serves, I believe that it was made up from 5 pieces of 8/4 timber (cherry I think) with bevels of 3-5 degrees on the joing edges. I can’t remember if this was done with a rubbed glue joint, biscuits…etc?

Which comes to an obvious question…whats going to be the best way to glue this up? In my mind I can see getting all the bevels cut, doing the necessary joinery, then gluing up the two pieces that would make up the left side of the seat and then gluing up the two pieces that make up the right side. When the two “sides” have dried, gluing the “sides” to the “center” seat plank. However, I’m goin g to assume that tappered wedges or cauls are going to be required since the edges are obviously not going to be 90 degrees?

I haven’t settled on this construction for the seat but thought it may be interesting. In the end…would be just another skill under the belt too I suppose.

Eric