Makeover Update: Do My Legs Need to go on a Diet?

[Jason Tuinstra]

This is the first chair I've ever built, so bear with me here - total newbie in this field of study.

I wanted to build something similar to the chair on the cover of FWW No. 160 - the Tools and Shops issue. I also wanted to give it more of a Brain Boggs look as well, if you are familiar with his work.

The chair is very rough right now and there much yet to do, but my concern is that the legs were not tapered enough and that they look too fat, too beefy. Do you agree? My wife didn't think that it looked bad with the desk that I made recently, being beefy as well, but I thought I should bounce it off the committee first. I really don't want to have to do more work to the back legs seeing as how I have a ton of time into them already, but I want to do it right.

So, what say ye? Is it time for the back legs to go on a diet?

BTW, I put a temp seat on it, and I can't believe how comfortable the back is! I have never had a seat fit me better. Total love thing as it hugs the body. I don't believe in luck, but if I did, I'd have to say that sometimes it's better to be lucky than good because I certainly didn't do any special work or research to make it like this.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

This is the first chair I've ever built, so bear with me here - total newbie in this field of study.

I wanted to build something similar to the chair on the cover of FWW No. 160 - the Tools and Shops issue. I also wanted to give it more of a Brain Boggs look as well, if you are familiar with his work.

The chair is very rough right now and there much yet to do, but my concern is that the legs were not tapered enough and that they look too fat, too beefy. Do you agree? My wife didn't think that it looked bad with the desk that I made recently, being beefy as well, but I thought I should bounce it off the committee first. I really don't want to have to do more work to the back legs seeing as how I have a ton of time into them already, but I want to do it right.

So, what say ye? Is it time for the back legs to go on a diet?

BTW, I put a temp seat on it, and I can't believe how comfortable the back is! I have never had a seat fit me better. Total love thing as it hugs the body. I don't believe in luck, but if I did, I'd have to say that sometimes it's better to be lucky than good because I certainly didn't do any special work or research to make it like this.

Jason, what a coincidence. I am in the middle of a chair project too--a set of 8. My prototype looks a lot rougher than yours. I think your proportions look good as is. Any more taper in the legs and the bottom would begin to look too small. I also like the curve of the back. How did you make angles between the seat back and sides and how did you make the mortises for the ladder back?

[Russ Massery]

Looks great so far Jason (as always) I would say the back were it meets the seat could be a little thinner. Other wise I would say no the leg it self looks fine the way it is.......just my opinion.:rolleyes:

[Jason Tuinstra]

Jason, what a coincidence. I am in the middle of a chair project too--a set of 8. My prototype looks a lot rougher than yours. I think your proportions look good as is. Any more taper in the legs and the bottom would begin to look too small. I also like the curve of the back. How did you make angles between the seat back and sides and how did you make the mortises for the ladder back?

Dennis,

I drew a full scale darwing of the top view with all the angles. I got the angles from what I drew, set up the table saw and cut the sides. This worked out because I ended up going with loose tenons. For the ladder back, I cut tenons by marking both legs off my story stick and using a simple jig lined up with my markings. Here are a couple pics of how I cut the loose tenons on the sides, and the back legs. The Festool table came in very handy on this one!

[Jason Tuinstra]

Looks great so far Jason (as always) I would say the back were it meets the seat could be a little thinner. Other wise I would say no the leg it self looks fine the way it is.......just my opinion.:rolleyes:

Russ, thanks for another vote for no more work for me - on the legs that is. I wish I could say "Go Sox" being the former Illiana guy that I am, but I was a Cubs fan - I know, who isn't? But good for you. The Sox need some more fans in NW Indiana :p :D

[Corey Hallagan]

I think it looks great the way it is now. Should be a great looking chair.

Corey

[Cecil Arnold]

Go with what you've got. It looks great and if it feels good what more could you want.

[Randy Meijer]

I like the shape!!

[Scott Parks]

Jason,

Looks great. I don't think the legs are too big at all. It will look A LOT different (and better) when you get the seat on. Don't worry, I think they'll be fine. If anything, the back may be a wee bit bulky, but I think it'll be fine.

[Rob Littleton]

Sorry I can't give an opinion coz I don't see no "rough" chair.........

That is SCHWEEETTT

Being rather on the bulky side myself, i really like the proportion of your chair and would certainly feel safe sitting in it.

Go with what you got. It looks good......

[Andy Hoyt]

I was going to say they looked fine as is until you mentioned your affinity for the cubbies. :eek:

Is this a prototype for a set of (how many), or is it a solo to go with your desk?

Since these are gonna be your chair(s) and you're gonna sit on them/it all the time, do yourself a favor and go with whatever your gut says, regardless of the extra time it may require. If you don't, you'll regret it everytime you enter the room.

I know because I've been there it and sucks.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Andy, this chair is flying solo! After I get done, I'll see how bitten I am by the chair-building-bug. Thanks for the advice / gut check.

[Joe Koren]

I think it looks great. I like the proportions.

Joe

[Vaughn McMillan]

This is the first chair I've ever built, so bear with me here - total newbie in this field of study.

(I'm just not used to seeing "newbie" in a Jason Tuinstra post...)

If this is your first chair, then I'm afraid to see how they're gonna look once you get the hang of it. I may just have to sell my tools and take up underwater basketweaving. :p

Add me to the list of those who like the proportions. The curved back is very graceful. If anything had to be "lightened", I'd vote for the back where it meets the seat, but I agree with Scott about the seat making the look come together with the current shape. As they say in the carpentry biz...nail it!

- Vaughn

[Don Baer]

Jason,
The chair looks great and the proportions are just right. Remember what Sam Maloof said he used his own body to make his chairs so they were comfortable for him and he has been building them they same ever since. Go with what you are comfortable to sit in.

[Alan Turner]

Jason,

With much reluctance, I will be the heavy, and weigh in on the the "too stout" side of the debate. To my eye they are a bit too large, both front and rear. What you have made is a beautiful chair, and I am sure this will not be the last of your seating endeavors, but were it mine, I would get out the spoke shave and work up a bit of a sweat, both on the front legs, and the rear, all the way to the top, both from a front view and a side view. If you decide not too I will not dislike the chair, but as I said, for me they are a bit too much.

[Tony Falotico]

Looks great so far Jason (as always) I would say the back were it meets the seat could be a little thinner. Other wise I would say no the leg it self looks fine the way it is.......just my opinion.:rolleyes:


I agree, you have two options:

Leave it as is, it looks great
Thin out the vertical back member from the seat up


Either way it will (does) look great. (my $0.02 for free)

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

The rear leg looks big right around the seat area...but I'm not sure I'd change it. It's not offensive.

KC

[John Hart]

Jason...I have to vote No. I think the legs are very shapely and smooth...quite touchable and pleasing to the eye......

.....What were we talking about?:D

[Jim Hager]

Well my opinion is like most of the rest of the croud. Don't do anything else to it at all, to the legs that is.

Nice looking chair and I like the design too. Well done looks to me.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Jason,

I think it looks great as is! If you made the legs slimmer, you would also need to slim down the slats in the seat back. As is it doesn't look like a dainty chair, but it looks like a chair I would love to own!

[Michael Gabbay]

Jason - I think they look good. Once you put the seat on it should balance things out.

Mike

[Doug Shepard]

Well I'll side with Tony and Russ. I think it's only from the seat up that looks a little too thick. I think you could leave them as is and have a perfectly fine looking chair, but there's something just the tiniest bit blocky looking in the width of the verticals. Down below looks fine to me though.

[Scott Loven]

I think it looks fine, If you have to change something I would give it the barber treatment and take a little off of the sides!
Scott

[Earl Kelly]

Jason, the upper back legs appear fat. If you want to leave them alone the chair will be fine as is. But, I think I would thin the upper back slightly it appears to taper too fast.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

That's about how I did it. I didn't use lose tenons though. That made a lot of work shaping the tenons on the curved ends of the back slats. Hmmmm, Maybe I'll give that a try. How thick are the back slats on your chair?

[Jason Tuinstra]

Thanks everyone for your imput. I really appriciate all your advice. You are a bunch of great guys!


That's about how I did it. I didn't use lose tenons though. That made a lot of work shaping the tenons on the curved ends of the back slats. Hmmmm, Maybe I'll give that a try. How thick are the back slats on your chair?

Right now the back slats are roughly 3/4" I hope to shape the tops and bottoms quite significantly so that it gives it a less bulky look.

[Guy Boulianne]

Thanks everyone for your imput. I really appriciate all your advice. You are a bunch of great guys!



Right now the back slats are roughly 3/4" I hope to shape the tops and bottoms quite significantly so that it gives it a less bulky look.

I find it good as it is, yes the pegs are a bit beefy but they are looking good with the back slats, their shape, their size and their grian (that adds a rounded feel to it). If you significantly slim the back slat, just try with a "scrap" replaceemnt first and gine another look to the chair.

Really nice work on that chair, as on the desk.

[Andrew Ault]

I've been thinking about this chair since last night.

I really like it. With the planned shaping of the back slats, I think it will be quite handsome. I really like the shape of the chair and the curves. To me it really works as a whole. To be sure, the legs could be thinner, but that would be a different effect.

- Andy

[Mike Vermeil]

Jason,

Really nice for your first chair! I haven't had enough guts to tackle one yet - although I haven't let me wife buy the dining room chairs we've been needing badly for the last four years now, so maybe soon.

From the seat down I think the legs look fine, but for my taste, above the seat the rear legs are too thick in both directions (sorry, I forget what you call the upper portion of the leg once it passes the seat & becomes the back). They appear too "bulky" and take away from what is overall a very graceful design. If you cut off maybe 1/4 or 3/8's from the width and thickness of the rear legs where they hit the seat, and then taper them to the current size at the tops, I think it would lighten the piece significantly. Also, I know it's a lot more work and out of the question for this model, but splaying this same portion of the legs above the seat outward slightly would also help lighten the piece and make it a bit more "comfortable" to look at. This can be accomplished by simply leaning the rear legs outward at the tops & inward at the bottoms, avoiding a "3D" leg.

But really, a very nice chair though.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Thanks for all the advice. I appriciate all the good ideas and the encouragment. It came in handy.

I snuck into the shop for a little bit this afternoon and took a pretty good amount off the three sides of the back legs from the seat up. It's still a pretty beefy chair, but I can live with it now. I also managed to rough in the shape for the ladder back slats.

Here are some pics - I don't know if you can tell any difference, but I can... I think :p I probably took about a 1/4" off the front and back and maybe just shy of that on the outsides. I think this is the way it's going to stay, but we'll see...

Thanks again!

[Jason Tuinstra]

Jason,

Really nice for your first chair! I haven't had enough guts to tackle one yet - although I haven't let me wife buy the dining room chairs we've been needing badly for the last four years now, so maybe soon.

From the seat down I think the legs look fine, but for my taste, above the seat the rear legs are too thick in both directions (sorry, I forget what you call the upper portion of the leg once it passes the seat & becomes the back). They appear too "bulky" and take away from what is overall a very graceful design. If you cut off maybe 1/4 or 3/8's from the width and thickness of the rear legs where they hit the seat, and then taper them to the current size at the tops, I think it would lighten the piece significantly. Also, I know it's a lot more work and out of the question for this model, but splaying this same portion of the legs above the seat outward slightly would also help lighten the piece and make it a bit more "comfortable" to look at. This can be accomplished by simply leaning the rear legs outward at the tops & inward at the bottoms, avoiding a "3D" leg.

But really, a very nice chair though.

Mike, thanks for the comments. I am familiar with the method that you are talking about by turning the legs in about 5 degrees or so. It gives chairs a very nice look, no doubt. For my first chair, though, I was trying to follow the K.I.S.S. method of woodworking as much as possible. Not that I shy away from a challenge, but the chair in and of itself was a challenge. To add that many more angles would have made my life that much more difficult. Perhaps next time!

[Chris Barton]

My question would be, "does sitting in your chair make my ass look too big.":)

[Mark Stutz]

Jason,
I didn't have a chance to chime in earlier, but I think the revision a just right. I know it's subtle, but the first time lookd just a little too bulky. This looks great.

[Doug Shepard]

I think you nailed it. The pics aren't from the same angle, but from what I can tell you took off just the right amount. It looks quite a bit more graceful than the earlier pics.

[Vaughn McMillan]

I agree with Doug...it looks like the right amount came off. The steel horizontal members with the little red accents look out of place, though. I'd think you could tear up a shin in the dark pretty badly on those. ;)

It looks like the Tuinstra eye is to be trusted, as usual. Your gut reaction was to lighten it a bit, others agreed in varying amounts, and when done, it looks spot on. Great work.

- Vaughn

[Jason Tuinstra]

Vaughn, you crack me up! I'll be sure to rid the chair of those steel members, per orders. :p :D What a riot.

Thanks again, everyone. I glad you agree that this was the right amount. Now just a ton more sanding and glue and she'll be ready for some finish.

[Corey Hallagan]

Very nice Jason! They still look great. Vaughn...... what are we going to do with that guy!! LOL.

Corey

[Scott Parks]

Excellent... Just trim a little fat and they're beauties...:D Can't wait to see it complete with a seat. I wonder if Jason's next post will say "does my seat need to go on a diet?"

[Tom Hamilton]

Hi Jason:

Though we are pretty focused on baseball here in Houston these days, :D your chair captured my attention.

It's a great addition to the desk and the lighter look is a plus.

Congrats on another wonderful piece from the Tunistra Collection. :cool:

Blessings, Tom

[Mike Vermeil]

Bueno! Excellent modifications. It seems with each project your results get better and better.

[John Miliunas]

By George, I think he's got it!:D Excellent work, Jason! OTOH, we've pretty much come to expect that from you!:) As for those steel members, I thought maybe it was an effort in doing something in mixed media, which is gaining so much popularity nowadays. Hmmmm...Naaaaaw. Maybe you guys are right. Nay on the steel. :D Seriously, it looks real nice!:) :cool:

[Alan Turner]

Big improvement. You did that spokeshave proud.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Big improvement. You did that spokeshave proud.

Alan, I should have thanked you for the push. I ended up resharpening the blade, paid close attention to my method and started producing some seriously nice shavings! I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting there. Thanks again!

[Carl Eyman]

Don't you dare touch a thing!

[Dan Larson]

Jason, I like the new and improved version of the chair. I think the slimmed down the upper legs will compliment your desk legs better.

Dan

[Mark Singer]

Jason,
It looks great! Proportions look just right . I think your doing a great job!