Building "The Chair" inspired by Hans Wegner, Jeremy Broun and Derek Cohen

[Scott Oxenhandler]

I love being in my shop and building things. My architect daughter and son-in law got me back into woodworking a number of years ago after a hiatus due to my career.

Started back building some chairs of my own design and eventually some Maloof inspired rockers and dining chairs, then a butterfly table. Then Hans Wegner's "The Chair" was brought to my attention and requested I build 6 of them for my daughter's new architecture office. I was hooked. But the more closely I researched, the more complicated and tangled the construction seemed. So I decided to try and build a prototype using hard Maple cutoffs and scrap from Maloof chair and dining room table cut-offs. I powered through it and came up with this Wegner inspired chair - photos attached.

I'll post more on the construction process and finished piece if anyone is interested.

I took a lot of inspiration and measurements from Derek Cohen's posts on this topic. He constructed a beautiful copy a few years ago. The only other hand built Wegner chair I could find mention/information on was Jeremy Broun's piece. In general these chairs are manufactured by CNC machinery in Denmark, where they originated in 1949 designed by Hans Wegner, built from "Navy" Oak trees planted there centuries ago. Alsop famous for the photos of the first USA televised presidential debate between Nixon and Kennedy!

Now starting a run of 6 chairs in White Oak. My copy is constructed quite different than Derek Cohen's and Jeremy Broun's.

Regards,

Scott Oxenhandler
Hollywood, Florida

[Jim Becker]

You're doing some fine work there, Scott!!

[Mike Henderson]

That is a complex piece. But it looks great.

Mike

[David Utterback]

Very elegant. Please keep in touch on your progress.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

True. But every problem has a solution! Thinking about how to approach each problem is what takes a lot of time. This prototype will allow me to build the set of 6 with templates and jigs created with the first chair.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thank you! I'm getting ready to build 6 more in white oak. See pics. Building the prototype shown here was very critical to the process.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Nice looking work Scott!

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thank you!

[David Lageman]

Beautifully done Scott.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thanks! Gonna post pictures every now and then of the build for 6 of these chairs.

[Christopher Charles]

Great looking chair and will look forward to seeing progress on the others.

[Ron Citerone]

Really cool chair. Nice work!

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thank you so much. I will be posting more pictures as the six chair in White oak build progresses.

[Tom Bain]

Really nicely done. Look forward to seeing the white oak versions.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thank you. Should be interesting. The White Oak sure works differently than hard Maple but it smells really nice and sands down to a very elegant grain pattern. Beginning with turning the legs for the first two chairs.

[jim sauterer]

Beautiful work Scott.great look

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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[Tom Bain]

Thanks for the pics. How did you clamp the finger joints together?

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Excellent question I've been struggling with. After experiencing the joint glue up for the second time (most current pics) I realized some kind of "clamping" is needed. After staring at it for quite a while, chair 3 will use the new clamping system. Each side of the joint has a lot of waste to be sawed away and this is what I'll take advantage of. A small block with a hole drilled in it slightly larger than the outer diameter 1-1/2" or so drywall screw. The block will be cyanoacrylate glued to the arm side of the joint. An inner diameter hole will be be drilled into the back rest side. Same arrangement on top and bottom. Then tighten the top and bottom screws but just so - as to not squeeze out the system 3 T88 epoxy and "glue starve" the joint.

This was version 1 in my mind. Version 2 which I'll use and show pics of, will replace the block on the arm side with an "L bracket" attached to arm, prob using small brad sized screws. the L bracket will have a horizontal slot instead of a hole. This will allow the arm to move laterally while the joint finds its place.

I'll show pics when it comes together!

Thank you for the question!

Scott Oxenhandler

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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A method for clamping a nonlinear slanted joint - using aluminum L brackets with a slot taking a drywall screw into the back rest. The arm side of the L bracket is screwed down using radio-control cowling screws. There is an L bracket clamp on the upper and lower surface of each joint. Equal force is applied on the upper and lower fingers along the tangent line of the joint on the circle - and in the midline of the joint.

There's a crossbar spacer between the armrests that keep each arm in proper position to accept front legs - while the finger joint is allowed to seat itself as the drywall screw slides to it's sweet spot on the slot in the bracket.

Careful not to tighten the drywall screws too much as this would "glue starve" the joint.

Lesson learned... don't cut away waste til done using it...

[Christopher Charles]

Just remember, a man cannot have too many...screws

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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Maloof Style Rocker recently completed. This is my third rocker. Curly maple with full thickness walnut embedded in middle of seat using "complimentary curves" technique.

First rocker: Studied Charles Brock - taught me a lot.
Second rocker: Studied Hal Taylor - taught me a lot.
Third rocker: Studied Sam Maloof - wow.

Third rocker is my design combining all the above. All interlocking joinery. No butt joints/screws/plugs.
>Rocker sleds blind doweled to leg bottoms.
>Front legs to front of armrests - reversed Maloof joint. Then below that, regular Maloof joint front leg to seat.
>Back legs to back of armrest - single through dovetail joint. Back of arm is pin, back leg has tail.
>Headrest to back legs - sliding dovetail

Used Hal Taylor's method for flexible backbraces. These have variable flexibility along the length because of tapering wedges laminated into the top and bottom of the brace, with quartersawn strip of ash in middle lamination position. Very comfortable.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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Here's the top of the sliding dovetail for headrest joinery into back legs, instead of butt joint with screws and plugs.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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And here is my own new design. This chair just completed. A fusion of Sam Maloof and Hans Wegner. More pics to follow.

[Prashun Patel]

Nice work. That center strip is really wonderful. It might have been put there by Georgia O'Keefe...if you get my monologue.

[Frank Pratt]

Nice work. That center strip is really wonderful. It might have been put there by Georgia O'Keefe...if you get my monologue.


Haha! Quite true.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thank you. That's a technique know as "complimentary curves". It's done with a router and thorough understanding that all points on the curves need to be the same radius. It's different than marquetry in that the embedded piece is full thickness. This allowed me to carve it out along with the rest of the seat - mostly the pommel section - giving it a real 3 dimensional appearance. The basics of the technique are outlined on this youtube video by Stumpy Nubs: "https://youtu.be/fZmlMmdCTYA". I'll admit I had to watch it many times before reaching full understanding so I could apply it to my situation...
Regards,
Scott Oxenhandler

[Scott Oxenhandler]

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My mash-up design combining Hans Wegner's "The Chair" and Maloof style dining chairs.

[Bill McNiel]

Scott,

Absolute homerun! The chairs check all the boxes; design (aesthetics & function), material selection, construction, and finish. Actually, they excel in all categories.

Additionally, your post is filled with viable information and clarity. Truly one of the best posts ever.

Mahalo sir and kudos.

[Scott Oxenhandler]

Thank you! Just retired from the day job! I'm setting up a new shop in Philadelphia. Gonna build a lot more of these to hopefully show at the Philadelphia museum of art Craft Show in Nov if accepted. Was there last year. 1971 Rockwell 8 inch wide, long bed jointer and 1979 - 28 3x0 20" Rockwell bandsaw to start. These old tools were high quality solidly built and made to last. Unlike most new stuff today.

"Wood is the most alive dead thing I know of." Scott Oxenhandler

[Bob Riefer]

Really enjoying this thread and thank you for the posts! I'm just west of Philly, so perhaps we are able to meet up at some point.

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to our area!