Over the years I’ve made 7 or 8 standard mission pieces and now i’m in the middle of one of the heavy rocking chairs. I decided to build the chair in sections; the two whole sides including the supports(legs), the rockers, and now the back and the two boards connecting the completed sides. Well the sides and rockers are complete. Now I’m faced with either making the chair completely square to itself or to splay the legs as traditional. The problem is the multiple complex joint that results on the two curved back supports. I suppose you can write a book on just those two pieces, but can you give me some tips on how to make that easier or how to avoid it all together.
Edited 1/26/2008 5:50 pm ET by dfrangipane
Replies
Well, the easiest way to avoid this is to not build chairs. It's true, chairs are the most complex pieces of furniture to build. And those darn angles will kill you.
So only two ways out: one, build your chairs with no angles to the rear. It's more of a boxy look but it saves brain cells. Two, learn to make angled mortise cuts either in a universal mortising jig or with templates that are angled. Of course you could also buy a nice Multi-router or FMT mortising jig that lets you do all sorts of angles. These tools do a great job on angled mortise and tenon joints.
If your chair halves are put together, then you could use loose tenons or make up angled templates and use a plunge router to make your mortise cuts. Let me know if this helps. Gary
Hmm, loose tenons, I hadn't thought of that. Good idea, thanks Gary.
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