Second Yard Chair Prototype

[Jim Koepke]

I had other pictures of this on my computer before it went out to lunch.

Hopefully when I get some OS disks I can get it back up and recover those pictures and the write up.

But since this is a second prototype there will be another built soon so there will be more to come.

This also made me think about a few dowel tricks that could be shared.

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Working on a laptop computer is just not for me, so I am hoping to get the old 'puter up and running soon.

Anyway, this is my second attempt at a lawn chair since building a bunch years ago.

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This one is very comfortable and just needs a few refinements to get to a point where a person can be measured and a chair custom built to fit their body size. There are a few other refinements I want to add for comfort and uniformity to allow quicker construction. This one was made without any real plans so a lot of time was spent fitting things together and taking time to decide which way things were going. The first thing that I am going to do different is the back. I think it would look better with a curve implied by the staves instead of them going across at the same height.

jtk

[Bob Warfield]

Jim I think it looks great the way it is. I really like the way you did the back. I've never seen them done that way before. Building a pair of this type chair is on my "Honey-do" list.
Thanks...Bob

[Jim Koepke]

Jim I think it looks great the way it is. I really like the way you did the back. I've never seen them done that way before. Building a pair of this type chair is on my "Honey-do" list.
Thanks...Bob

Thanks for the comment Bob, I have also made them so the staves have the shape of a heart. That would have been good for this one as I plan to paint it bright red.

If I can I will document my next build and folks should be able to build their own to size from that project. I am just hoping to get my old computer up and running to make the text entry easier. About every two lines it seems part of my hand hits the track pad and sends the cursor flying across the screen so I have to stop typing and get it back into the right position in the text. I could never do the laptop life for business.

jtk

[Rick Markham]

That's a great looking chair Jim! I really like the way you did the back too. It's unique and different, and those are good things in my book.

[Marv Werner]

Jim,

Nice look'n chair. Love those outdoor chairs. However....Red? No, no, no, no......It needs to be John Deere green. ;)

I suggest we all vote red or green. (JDG)

Marv

[George Sanders]

Nice looking chair Jim. It looks so comfortable. It only needs a footstool to go with it. I want one like that for snoozing in the summer shade.

[Matt Evans]

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If I can I will document my next build and folks should be able to build their own to size from that project. I am just hoping to get my old computer up and running to make the text entry easier. About every two lines it seems part of my hand hits the track pad and sends the cursor flying across the screen so I have to stop typing and get it back into the right position in the text. I could never do the laptop life for business.

jtk

Jim, I use a laptop for everything. My hands are huge though, and I hate not having a "real" keyboard and mouse, so I just plug those into the laptop, and voila, full functionality.

Just a thought.

[Matt Evans]

Jim,

Nice look'n chair. Love those outdoor chairs. However....Red? No, no, no, no......It needs to be John Deere green. ;)

I suggest we all vote red or green. (JDG)

Marv


I vote Red Green. . .

It could have that special handyman finish we all love. . .

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks all for looking and commenting.


Jim,

Nice look'n chair. Love those outdoor chairs. However....Red? No, no, no, no......It needs to be John Deere green. ;)

I suggest we all vote red or green. (JDG)

Marv

The weeds get too tall around here to paint it a color that would just blend in.


Jim, I use a laptop for everything. My hands are huge though, and I hate not having a "real" keyboard and mouse, so I just plug those into the laptop, and voila, full functionality.

Just a thought.

The laptop is my wife's and she has things set up different than I do. She also runs an earlier OS and doesn't want to go through the change. Finally, I just like my desktop's speed. I guess I may have to find another source for OS disk. A Creeker was going to send me a copy, but it hasn't arrived yet.

jtk

[Matt Evans]

Jim,

Id love to help, but only have windows and linux installations, not Mac.

Hope you get it sorted soon though.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Looks comfortable. I like the curve on the back leg there. Looks like you've been using that Stanley 113 on that piece there and along the top. I also like the scalloped back. Reminds me of the postwar streamline-inspired stamped-metal lawn chairs my next door neighbor had when I was a kid. On the Adirondack chairs we have here, (store bought I'm ashamed to say, but before this woodworking bug started), the arm rests are angled down toward the elbows a bit--you can still balance a coffee mug or beer without it tipping, but it's a bit more relaxed, kind of like a club chair. Is all the joinery on that with dowels only?

[Jim Koepke]

Looks comfortable. I like the curve on the back leg there. Looks like you've been using that Stanley 113 on that piece there and along the top. I also like the scalloped back. Reminds me of the postwar streamline-inspired stamped-metal lawn chairs my next door neighbor had when I was a kid. On the Adirondack chairs we have here, (store bought I'm ashamed to say, but before this woodworking bug started), the arm rests are angled down toward the elbows a bit--you can still balance a coffee mug or beer without it tipping, but it's a bit more relaxed, kind of like a club chair. Is all the joinery on that with dowels only?

It is comfortable, but just a hair big for me. The #113 did put in some work on this. I also tried a round bottom spoke shave that is kind of a joke (AMT). I am now bidding on a Stanley #63.

The leg and back support are lapped in on the bottom/back leg then glued and doweled. The seat slats, back staves and back cross pieces are all held in place with screws. Glue and dowels may not be good for an area that gets as much rain as we do up here. In the past I have made them with screws and then cover the screws with dowel plugs.

I have made them more angled with the seat rail being straighter. Those can be difficult for some people to get out of once they get in. My wife wanted a more level seat. I kind of like to sit a little higher my self.

jtk

[Russell Sansom]

Jim...


Working on a laptop computer is just not for me, so I am hoping to get the old 'puter up and running soon.
Irrelevant to the chair, but I enjoy your posts and your positive attitude. So might lend a touch of computer consultation: so wondering if you know that you can plug a keyboard and a mouse into your laptop? Also, truly enormous backup disks are available for $60 - $80.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Yeah, I have that spokeshave too. It would be fine if the bed were milled flat. Maybe if I made a bed of body epoxy and pressed it flat. I wondered about the dowels because you'd mentioned special tricks. I'd be tempted to plane those right off, but on reflection it might be nice to sit in the back yard and absentmindedly run your fingers over those little nubs as a reminder of the hand-crafted aspects of the chair.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim...

Irrelevant to the chair, but I enjoy your posts and your positive attitude. So might lend a touch of computer consultation: so wondering if you know that you can plug a keyboard and a mouse into your laptop? Also, truly enormous backup disks are available for $60 - $80.

I have a back up disk that is bigger than my computer drive. It just didn't have an OS installed. I thought my son had my OS disk, but he thinks he gave it back to me. It wasn't in my disk file. Another SMC member was going to send me a disk, but it has not arrived.

My wife does have a mouse for her laptop, but I have not bothered to use that as I was hoping to just get back to the old machine.

So, I am still just waiting and finding that I am getting more done by not spending time on the computer. Every cloud you know...

jtk

[Eric Brown]

Jim, your chair looks nice. Personally I don't find straight backs comfortable. I wonder if steam bending the back slats (like Maloofs chairs) have would add any comfort to your design? Not sure if you have any steam bending equipment yet but it might be a good excuse to get more tools. Anyway, keep up the good work. Thanks.

Eric

[Pam Niedermayer]

...I guess I may have to find another source for OS disk. A Creeker was going to send me a copy, but it hasn't arrived yet.

jtk

Jim, which model Mac and which OS? It's unlikely it's just a single disc that you need. It should be a lot easier these days; but the problem with someone sending you a disc is that often the discs are tailored for a specific Mac, especially the ones that come in the box with them.

PS Like the chair.

Pam