Chair & Table

[ken hatch]

SWMBO has spoken, I'm to make a table and chair for the grandpeanut's first birthday later this month. I found a Beech cutoff that was large enough to get the legs for both the chair and the table. I haven't a clue what the apron and stretchers will be made of but I hope I can find enough 4/4 cutoffs of something for them. I figure the top & seat do not need to match anything below, they just need to be tough enough to stand up to banging spoons and dirty diapers. I've some White Oak that should do that job.

Anyway, not that you can see much, here are the legs set in approximate position and relation to each other. They are marked out, next up is finding and milling the stretchers and aprons. BTW, I'm flying without a net on this one, I've not a clue as to sizes. I found one PDF that gave some help but.....

From the back:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairTableLayoutA160103_zps4w8aw0ab.jpg

From the front:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairTableLayoutB160103_zps0mtpjiwi.jpg

ken

[Frederick Skelly]

That should be a great project Ken. Hope you'll keep us posted as it develops. I've been considering a similar project for a cousin of mine.

Fred

[Mike Allen1010]

Sounds like fun Ken. I like your "flying without a plan" process. I look forward to your progress and thanks for sharing.

[Brian Holcombe]

Looks like a great project, excited to see how it comes along.

[ken hatch]

Thanks Guys,

If I don't forget like I almost did this AM, it will be a quick and dirty build. Good enough, better than IKEA (I hope), but at the same time not made to last generations. I almost forgot this morning and started "I've got to complete the box" or it will fall apart panic. Back to the net to look at a few commercial kid's chairs helped me get over the re-design phase. It will be a play table and chair for a 30 lb. max munchkin and at best needs to hold together for a couple of years, at least I hope that is the case.

Anyway, enough dithering....I'm in the process of completing the marking out of the chair. I'll wait to mark out the table until the chair is finished because it, the table, will need to be fitted to the chair. I expect to start chopping mortises by mid morning and get a few done before my 16:00 "show" at work.

Pic of marking out the tenons:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairTablleMarkingOutA160104_zpsodtk6lg4.jpg

ken, flying blind with no Instrument Rating.

[ken hatch]

I finished marking out the chair yesterday and managed to chop one of the mortices before leaving for the day job. Today I'll beaver away on the other eleven before getting ready for the 16:00 "show" at work. Pretty simple mortices and not too deep, should take about 15 minutes per but with geek, tea, and doggie butt scratching breaks it will be more like 30 minutes per mortice. I figure I'll get about half of 'em done today, maybe less if I get my OF's nap in as well.

Anyway here is my set up, notice the little Vesper thin blade square, what a great tool for checking the mortice sides for square and depth:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairTablleChoppingMorticesA160105_zpsevebdp0k .jpg

[Mike Allen1010]

I have always have trouble trying to chop mortises and check them for square and appropriate depth. This usually involves contorting my back to look vertically down on the side of the mortice and sort of eyeballing if it looks square or not. When I test fit the the tennons, I routinely have to make adjustments to the M, T or both to get a good fit and the reveal I'm looking for etc.

It didn't occur to me until I read your post that the tiny Vesper thin blade square would be perfect for that! thanks a lot Ken; I wasn't looking for something to add to the "tool Wish List", that is currently waaaay over budget, but thanks to you I guess I'm going to have to:eek:.

Looking forward to the rest of the build.

Cheers, Mike

[ken hatch]

Mike,

Starrett makes one, a thin blade double square, it is a little cheaper. I've never used one but I expect it would work well also.

It's off to work I go in a couple but I did finish the last of the chair mortices this morning. I'll start sawing the tenons tomorrow.

Here is the last of the mortices:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/chairMorticeLast160106_zpsyfthncsu.jpg

ken

[Frederick Skelly]

I have always have trouble trying to chop mortises and check them for square and appropriate depth. This usually involves contorting my back to look vertically down on the side of the mortice and sort of eyeballing if it looks square or not. When I test fit the the tennons, I routinely have to make adjustments to the M, T or both to get a good fit and the reveal I'm looking for etc.

It didn't occur to me until I read your post that the tiny Vesper thin blade square would be perfect for that! thanks a lot Ken; I wasn't looking for something to add to the "tool Wish List", that is currently waaaay over budget, but thanks to you I guess I'm going to have to:eek:.

Looking forward to the rest of the build.

Cheers, Mike

Hi Mike,
If you're so inclined, you can easily make such a square. I did last weekend for about $5 total. I used a mahogany scrap for the handle and wedge and a short piece of brass tube that was 1/8" x 3/32". It works very well.
Best,
Fred

[Phil Mueller]

Hi Fred, not to divert this thread, but could you post a photo or two.
Ken, love those design as you go projects....means every detail was planned!

[Reinis Kanders]

Where do you stand when mortising? Do you stand by the vise?


I finished marking out the chair yesterday and managed to chop one of the mortices before leaving for the day job. Today I'll beaver away on the other eleven before getting ready for the 16:00 "show" at work. Pretty simple mortices and not too deep, should take about 15 minutes per but with geek, tea, and doggie butt scratching breaks it will be more like 30 minutes per mortice. I figure I'll get about half of 'em done today, maybe less if I get my OF's nap in as well.

Anyway here is my set up, notice the little Vesper thin blade square, what a great tool for checking the mortice sides for square and depth:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairTablleChoppingMorticesA160105_zpsevebdp0k .jpg

[Mike Holbrook]

With 6 German Shepherds, 3 Lancashire Heelers and an Australian Cattle dog, if I take time out for doggie butt scratching I never get anything done. Then there are the day care, training and boarding dogs that once I get started, think they should get a good butt scratching too. Heck just scratching the one butt on the 180 lb Great Dane I just let out is a chore I have to rest up for.

I like the little Vesper square too, might have to pick one of those up at Highland, maybe while I check out the new Rikon slow speed grinder, if I can find the time between butt scratches, assuming the Great Dane doesn't sit on me & squish me.

Nice shop Ken, love the pictures.

[ken hatch]

Where do you stand when mortising? Do you stand by the vise?

Reinis,

I stand at the end of the bench so I can sight down the chisel except when squaring the ends, then it is back and forth from the end to the side. The Jet clamps are new and I've found the second clamp isn't needed when using the Jets. They, the Jet clamps also give a good sight line reference.

ken

[ken hatch]

With 6 German Shepherds, 3 Lancashire Heelers and an Australian Cattle dog, if I take time out for doggie butt scratching I never get anything done. Then there are the day care, training and boarding dogs that once I get started, think they should get a good butt scratching too. Heck just scratching the one butt on the 180 lb Great Dane I just let out is a chore I have to rest up for.

I like the little Vesper square too, might have to pick one of those up at Highland, maybe while I check out the new Rikon slow speed grinder, if I can find the time between butt scratches, assuming the Great Dane doesn't sit on me & squish me.

Nice shop Ken, love the pictures.

Mike, thanks.

I've always had Shepherds, these two are my first Labs. While I love Sam the Wonder Dog and Sweet Maggie Dog I still have a soft spot for Shepherds.

ken

[ken hatch]

I've started sawing the tenons and fitting the stretchers to the legs. If the tenons do not come off the saw fitting, it can be fiddliey work. The first set only needed a little clean up of some nasty bits I overlooked on one of the shoulders. I hope the sawing goes as well on the rest of the tenons.

Sawing the tenons:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairSawingTenon160107_zpsdkj6zos0.jpg

I got out of workflow order. Before fitting the rest of the tenons I'll drill the mortices for the draw bore pegs. That way as I fit I can also mark the tenons. Here is the lower stretcher fitted to the back legs:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairFittingStretchers160107_zpswnokf3ib.jpg

ken

[Stewie Simpson]

Ken. Are you left handed.

Stewie;

[Mike Wilkins]

Great start to a great project. Several years ago I also started building a table and chairs for my young daughters without a set of plans. I know it is not advisable to build this way, but sometimes seat-of-the-pants building yields great results.

[Reinis Kanders]

Thanks. I like this setup and will try it myself. I also like sighting down the chisel. I have seen Paul Sellers chiseling when standing in the front of the vise, thus the question. I have hard time keeping mortise parallel to sides when being orthogonal to the mortise.


Reinis,

I stand at the end of the bench so I can sight down the chisel except when squaring the ends, then it is back and forth from the end to the side. The Jet clamps are new and I've found the second clamp isn't needed when using the Jets. They, the Jet clamps also give a good sight line reference.

ken

[ken hatch]

Ken. Are you left handed.

Stewie;

Stewie,

Nope I'm not sinister ;-). Do you see something that would indicate left handiness?

ken

[ken hatch]

Great start to a great project. Several years ago I also started building a table and chairs for my young daughters without a set of plans. I know it is not advisable to build this way, but sometimes seat-of-the-pants building yields great results.

Thanks Mike,

Most of my builds are without the use of planes but most of the time I have a clue as to size and needed strength. BTW, the chair and table maybe just in time, we got word today he has started walking.

ken

[ken hatch]

Thanks. I like this setup and will try it myself. I also like sighting down the chisel. I have seen Paul Sellers chiseling when standing in the front of the vise, thus the question. I have hard time keeping mortise parallel to sides when being orthogonal to the mortise.

Reinis,

The bench appliance is handy for a couple of reasons. It holds the work piece square and keeps it in place on the bench where just clamping down on the bench allows it to move and I've never liked squeezing between vise and dogs.

ken

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks for the update Ken!

[Tom Vanzant]

Neat fixture, Ken. I too work from the end when mortising, and will adapt your fixture to use with an end vise.

[ken hatch]

Neat fixture, Ken. I too work from the end when mortising, and will adapt your fixture to use with an end vise.

Frederick,

Thanks.

Tom,

Here is a photo of the fixture out of the vise, crude but it works.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/benchAppliance160109_zpsodfe6mpm.jpg

ken

[ken hatch]

I finished prepping the shoulders this morning and have started sawing the shoulders and cheeks. I will not get too far today because Lie Nielsen is having a tool show in Mesa....It's about an hour and a half North of here. I debated going but what can I say....I've a major tool jones and I need a new shop apron. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

A photo of prepping the shoulders. Love me some bench hooks:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairPrepingSholders160109_zps2mgykswg.jpg

BTW, all the mortices have been drilled for the drawbore pegs. Not long, if I can find shop time, before this sucker is together.

ken

[Mark Almeidus]

Looking forward into this, especially for the chair :).

[ken hatch]

Looking forward into this, especially for the chair :).

Mark,

All the mortices are chopped and all the tenons have been sawn for the chair. In the morning I'll do what clean up of the tenons is needed (it shouldn't be much more than clean up the the bits the saw left behind) and do the first dry fit. Once it all fits I'll drill the tenons for the pegs, shape the legs, and do what finish I can before drawboring the chair together. If I didn't have escort duty for MsBubba tomorrow afternoon I expect I could be to the finish/peg stage before the day was over. As it is, it kinda depends on how early I wake up and how much geeking and doggie butt scratching I do.

ken

[ken hatch]

I still have to clean up the tenons but I wanted to get an idea as to the proportions and how the chair will look. None of the joints are pulled up tight and the seat slat is just something I pulled out of the cutoff pile but if you squint it has the basic shape of the final chair.

As of now I'm planning on doing a little shaping on the legs and back to lighten them up and I'm leaning toward BLO on the legs and seat with the stretchers and back splats painted with a black milk paint undercoat and red milk paint finish coat. All subject to change.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairFirstDryFit160109_zpsvmavzgnv.jpg

ken

[John Kananis]

Pretty cool, Ken - I like it; black over red works too.

[Brian Holcombe]

Cool! Coming along nicely.

[Pat Barry]

Hi Ken, Nice work, The chair looks to be plenty sturdy. I do agree that lightening it up will be worthwhile though, especially for the little one to haul around :)

[ken hatch]

Thanks Brian,

Sometimes it's good to have some time pressure :o.

ken

[ken hatch]

Hi Ken, Nice work, The chair looks to be plenty sturdy. I do agree that lightening it up will be worthwhile though, especially for the little one to haul around :)

Pat,

I've just been over ruled on beveling the legs and on paint. BTW, I broke the code a few years back to a happy life....

"Yes dear that sounds perfect", I can say it with conviction, and it works most of the time.

ken

[Frederick Skelly]

I like it Ken!

[ken hatch]

I put the chair together yesterday and showed the boss how plain it was with no paint. Beech and Poplar just aren't the most exciting woods with just a oil finish, so she Ok'ed painting the stretchers but remained firm about no shaping of the legs. Not a biggie, less work and now I can get on to the table build.

Made one mistake when pegging the chair. I had 35mm pegs of Maple for the sides and 30mm pegs of Oak for the front bores. Someway one of the maple pegs got mixed in with the Oak pegs. By the time I noticed I was driving a Maple peg into a Oak hole it was too late. Needless to say, when I look at the chair that is the first place my eye goes. BTW, one of the Afghan tribes believes only Allah is perfect so all their rugs have a "mistake". That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I'm still undecided on the seat. My first thought was White Oak but after looking at the completed base I'm leaning towards Cherry. I know I have enough White Oak in the wood pile but I have to dig a little for the Cherry. We'll see.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairWithoutSeat160111_zpsd6dahatc.jpg

ken

[Christopher Charles]

The project's looking great, the red provides just the right pop for a kid's chair and still keeps the Class that goes with the natural wood.

[ken hatch]

The project's looking great, the red provides just the right pop for a kid's chair and still keeps the Class that goes with the natural wood.

Christopher,

Thanks, I kinda like the red. I used Danish oil on the Beech and it gave the legs enough warmth to go well with the red. The chair worked out well for not having a clue when I started.

I marked out the table legs and aprons last night after work. The only problem is today will be a 12 hour work day. At best I hope to get a couple of the table mortices chopped before my nightly single malt. If I can, I should be able to finish everything over the coming weekend and get 'em headed to Houston via the UPS girl.

It is a tight schedule but it is the first grandpeanut's first birthday....that doesn't happen often and most important it should make MsBubba happy.

ken

[Reinis Kanders]

Chair looks great.
You might want to add some sort of stabilizer for the rear legs to prevent tipping. I have little kids and they manage to tip over everything. We used stokke chair and it has plastic tabs that protrude about 2.5 inches in the back and it really does help. You could just screw on something similar from hardwood.
https://www.stokke.com/USA/en-us/highchairs/tripp-trapp/1444.html

[ken hatch]

Chair looks great.
You might want to add some sort of stabilizer for the rear legs to prevent tipping. I have little kids and they manage to tip over everything. We used stokke chair and it has plastic tabs that protrude about 2.5 inches in the back and it really does help. You could just screw on something similar from hardwood.
https://www.stokke.com/USA/en-us/highchairs/tripp-trapp/1444.html

Thanks Reinis,

I've never been around kids so this is all new to me and as I posted before I'm flying blind on this one without a clue. I'll look into some kind of stabilizer.

ken

[Chris Hachet]

Neat, love it! Inspiration for me to get back out to my work shop....

[Brian Holcombe]

Coming out beautifully Ken!

[Mike Allen1010]

Ken I LOVE the red! Nice work getting sign off from the boss.

The chair looks bomb proof (as the father off 2 boys,,I mean that as a good thing), and I'm sure will be a big hit with the family. Thanks for posting.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Ken

I like the red. The chair looks good, and I would not have noticed the mismatched peg if you had not mentioned it - we are oversensitive about our mistakes. If it continues to bother you, just drill it out and replace the peg.

Regards from London

Derek

[ken hatch]

Neat, love it! Inspiration for me to get back out to my work shop....


Coming out beautifully Ken!

Thanks guys.

Even with the compressed time line it has been an enjoyable build. I'm taking a break for coffee and doggie ear scratches. As soon as I finish that duty, doggie ear scratches, I'll get the first coat of Ash Black Milk paint on the table aprons. If there are no major problems the table and chair should be in the hands of the UPS girl Monday.

ken

[ken hatch]

Ken I LOVE the red! Nice work getting sign off from the boss.

The chair looks bomb proof (as the father off 2 boys,,I mean that as a good thing), and I'm sure will be a big hit with the family. Thanks for posting.

Mike,

Thanks,

I tried to get the boss to let me shape the legs just a little but it was no joy. After looking at the finished base and hearing from folks with boys I think she might have been right.

ken

[ken hatch]

Hi Ken

I like the red. The chair looks good, and I would not have noticed the mismatched peg if you had not mentioned it - we are oversensitive about our mistakes. If it continues to bother you, just drill it out and replace the peg.

Regards from London

Derek

Thanks Derek,

Over the years I've learned to keep my mouth shut with folks that are not furniture makers :). If the mistake is bad enough for them to notice, most likely the piece never made it out of the shop.

That said, I thought about doing just that, drilling the peg out and replacing it, for a couple of seconds after I noticed it was Maple. But it is a kid's chair and in a couple or three years it will either be in a landfill or passed on to someone else.

ken

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Ken

Why not paint the pegs red as well? Make a feature of them.

Regards from London

Derek

[Rollie Kelly]

Stewie, I think I see what you are referring to; the saw handle is on the left side of the tenon board. He probably stands off the end of the bench so he is square to the tenon.
Just my guess WAG,
Rollie

[ken hatch]

Hi Ken

Why not paint the pegs red as well? Make a feature of them.

Regards from London

Derek

Derek,

I thought about it, for about a second:).

ken

[ken hatch]

Stewie, I think I see what you are referring to; the saw handle is on the left side of the tenon board. He probably stands off the end of the bench so he is square to the tenon.
Just my guess WAG,
Rollie

Rollie,

Your WAG is correct. I can work the line about as well from either side so I only turn the work once.

ken

[ken hatch]

I'm in the short rows.

I ended up making the seat slats out of some Cherry shorts I found at the local woodstore. They still need to be beveled, finished and attached to the chair base. With the light they are washed out and do not look like Cherry. I wanted to see how they would fit with the chair and table. SWMBO is happy with it so I'm happy with it as well.

The table top still needs to be cut to size and painted. I found some "chalk board" paint and a "magnetic" primer. When I checked with the girl child she thought it was a great idea for both. So the table will end up with a black chalk board magnetic top and the Beech part of the base will be finished with Danish oil like the chair base.

I expect to finish the loose ends tomorrow and give the chair and table to the UPS girl Monday. It may cost a penny or two but I hope to have both in Houston by the coming weekend, in time for the peanut's first birthday.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairTableBack160116_zpsc0qiaepi.jpg

ken

[ken hatch]

This thread is reaching its end. The chair is finished and the table is waiting on the top's paint to dry. Once the paint dries I'll attach the top with buttons and then in the AM hand it off to the UPS girl. I expect I will tote the note for whatever it costs to have the table and chair in Houston for Levi's birthday.

I attached the seat slats with screws, I wanted brass screws but no time to get 'em here. Ended up using some black square drive screws. They look better than I feared. Anyway here are a couple of ohotos of the finished seat.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairFinishedSeat160117_zpsvmfkrkhc.jpg

From the side:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairFinishedSide160117_zpsocuaaawh.jpg

[ken hatch]

The last of 'em, Finis, FIN, the fat lady has sung, they are in the sitting room ready for the UPS girl.

The table top has a "chalk board" finish per request. Other wise Milk Paint and Danish Oil. Legs are Beech, painted parts are Poplar, and the seat is Cherry. All the joints are drawbored M/Y. As usual there is no glue used except for the top.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairFinishedInSittingRoomB160117_zpsl5tlpslg. jpg

Last one:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/leviChairFinishedInSittingRoomA160117_zpsocqhj2w4. jpg

[Frederick Skelly]

That came out great Ken! I like the red with Danish Oil.

Ho do you plan to pack it? Do you brace the legs or anything "drastic" like that?

[ken hatch]

That came out great Ken! I like the red with Danish Oil.

Ho do you plan to pack it? Do you brace the legs or anything "drastic" like that?

Frederick,

Thanks, I'll let the UPS store do the packing. In my experience they do a good job with odd things, not cheap but....

ken

[Pat Barry]

Frederick,

Thanks, I'll let the UPS store do the packing. In my experience they do a good job with odd things, not cheap but....

ken
Very nice project Ken! Quality construction, classic look. I'm betting this is multi-generationall

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice work Ken! I think they will be hanging onto that for a very long time.

Might serve well as a side table once your grand-baby gets a little taller.

[ken hatch]

Pat, Brian,

Thanks.

I had UPS pack and ship the table and chair this AM before heading to work. It cost slightly less than I expected and it is scheduled to arrive in Houston on Thursday as we are.

I do not have complete trust in UPS. Back when I was still flying the line, UPS lost my Passport with new Sudan visas two days before I was to leave for The Sudan. In some ways the loss before the Sudan flight was not the worst part. The passport had about ten years of my life in it with stamps and memories from around the world. Anyway the following flight to The Sudan is a story worth a couple of beers.

The chair and table build worked out better than I expected, I just hope it arrives and if it does it is in one piece.

ken