Update on my Dos Equis chairs

[Mike Henderson]

A while back I posted a question about corner blocks and many of you were kind enough to give me advice. Since that time, I've only had a limited amount of time to do woodworking because of a driving vacation. However, I want to post an "in-progress" picture of one of the chairs with the arms installed. One of the arms is not finished, while the other is stained. And, no, I still haven't put the corner blocks in yet.

The first picture shows the chair next to the table that it goes with. Note the ebony trim around the edge of the table.

The second picture shows the chair in side view, showing the ebony strip in the arm, to carry the decorative element from the table to the chair.

Just for fun, let me ask you to guess how I carried the decorative strip into the curlicue at the end of the chair arm.

Thanks again for all your advice earlier. When I finally get these chairs finished, including the upholstery, I'll post pictures of the completed chairs.

Oh, by the way, when a woodworkng friend of mine saw the chairs, he immediately called them the "Dos Equis" chairs. I liked the name and now call them that myself.

Mike

[Roy Wall]

Just for fun, let me ask you to guess how I carried the decorative strip into the curlicue at the end of the chair arm.

Mike

I'll take a stab at it........

Beading tool to cut the groove for inlay. You could probably make a "rubbing" of the existing chair, transfer the spiral tracing to inlay material, and then cut out the sprial section on scroll or bandsaw - seamlessing attaching to the longer inlay stip.

Lookin good Mike!

[Maurice Metzger]

Well, I'm guessing it wasn't a cutting gauge... my only other option would be a black magic marker, but you probably have other tricks up your sleeve.

Very nice chairs, very nice wood.

- Maurice

[Mike Henderson]

I'll post the answer tomorrow (Thursday) but in the meanwhile, I'll give you a couple of hints.

1. I cheated. I took advantage of a property of ebony.

2. There's some truth in both Roy and Maurice's postings.

3. I do some carving and have a number of carving tools.

Mike

[Mike Henderson]

I stated earlier that I cheated. Here's what I did.

Ebony is a closed grain wood without much figure. When used as a decorative strip, it essentially just looks like a black strip without any grain pattern at all.

When I lamination bent the wood for the arms, I did as Roy commented - I only put the ebony part way down the arm, using a piece of pecan of the proper thickness to complete the length. So when the bending was complete, the arm had a decorative strip down to within a few inches of the front. I didn't have to worry about a close fit between the ebony strip and the pecan strip because of how I did the curlicue.

I glued some additional laminations on the bottom end of the arm and shaped them as shown in the picture. Then I drew the curlicue on the arm, as a continuation of the ebony. Using carving tools, especially gouges of the proper curvature, I cut out the curlicue to a depth of maybe 3/16 inch.

Next, I mixed some 5 minute epoxy with some powdered black dye and put the epoxy into the carved curlicue. After the epoxy set hard, I sanded it down. Even on close examination it's hard to tell that the ebony does not continue into the curlicue.

It was essential that the cut be made with smooth continuous sides and of the proper thickness. But beyond that, it was easy.

Mike

[Mike Henderson]

Here's the finished chair, except that I want to re-do the upholstery. I used too thick of a piece of foam and the seat sticks up too high. My wife also wants to pick another color of fabric.

I learned quite a bit in building these chairs. There's a lot that goes into a chair - a lot of parts and a lot of joinery, and it takes a long time to build a chair. I made the usual number of design mistakes and will do a better job with my next design.

I also learned that building a set of chairs is a pain because you do the same thing many times. It's not like building a complex piece of furniture where each thing is new. A set of chairs is almost like a production environment. Personally, I'd prefer to do a complex single piece than a bunch of chairs. If you build chairs, how do you feel about the repetition in making a set of chairs?

Mike

[James Mittlefehldt]

Have never built a chair though I want to, but am impresswed with yours as I have a good idea how complex they must be.

I am currently building a closet organizer and had occasion last week to chop forty two mortises, two inches deep, by two and one half long, talk about a production inviroment. I did admittedly though improve my competance considerably.

What do you think you have taken away from the exercise of building the chairs, any new skill that you did not previously have mastered?

[Mike Henderson]

What do you think you have taken away from the exercise of building the chairs, any new skill that you did not previously have mastered?

Wow - forty-two mortises. That really is production work.

I think I've reached a point where I can do all the technical things (joinery) reasonably well. The things I need to work on are more in the design area, and since these are my first non-rocking chairs, I made a bunch of mistakes in the design.

The design of the arms makes them too "tight". I needed to curve the arms to the outside more so that there would be more sitting room between them, or make the back wider. I fit between the arms but you notice that they're not the right spacing when you sit in it.

Also, I had an unexpected surprise when I tried to fit the seat in - it wouldn't fit between the arms. I had to cut the seat base in half to get it in, then put a couple of splices on to hold the two pieces together.

I used Mark Singer's technique on the seat and cut a hole in the plywood, then stretched upholstery strapping across the hole. Then put foam over that and covered it with fabric - worked well. I nailed all the upholstery on this chair by hand but have ordered an air stapler to do the rest of the chairs. It's really a pain putting in all those tacks by hand.

I'm sure that I'll build some more chairs in the future, but not right away. It's going to be difficult enough to get my enthusiasm up to complete the other three! (and they're well along)

Mike

[Mark Singer]

Mike,
Excellent work! They came out great! Nice technique on the inlay. I have done the same with epoxy and sawdust to fill imperfections and knots ...it works well. Chairs are time consuming and especially a set of dining chairs. I have made as many as 10 and it is like a production shop set up. 20 back legs 20 front legs, 10 left stretchers, 10 right...etc.....matching grainon sets for the same chair and hand shaping. I have found to small differences from one to the other is what makes them feel hand built..
Joinery must be good because it will be tested every time someone sits down...
They look great!

[Alan DuBoff]

Mike,

Is that walnut inlaid in the side of the arms? Was that laminated? It looks awesome, and I was just curious how you did that.

Very nice, IMO, that is a terrific chair.

[Mike Henderson]

Mike,

Is that walnut inlaid in the side of the arms? Was that laminated? It looks awesome, and I was just curious how you did that.

Very nice, IMO, that is a terrific chair.

Alan, thank your very much for your kind words. Regarding the accent stripe on the arms, I lamination bent the arms. As I built up the laminations, I placed a strip of ebony in the middle and only brought it out to within a few inches of the end of the arm. I just put a piece of pecan to finish that lamination. You can see this in the attached picture.

To complete the curlicue, I carved the continuation and then filled it with epoxy colored with dry dye powder. Ebony has so little figure that you can't tell where the ebony ends and the epoxy begins. The secret is to stir the epoxy without getting air bubbles in it. Otherwise, the air bubbles show in the surface of the epoxy.

I have a bunch of small pieces of ebony that were given to me by an older woodworker who was closing down his shop. It's nice because I think about him whenever I use a piece of the ebony.

Thanks again for your kind words.

Mike

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Cool chair!! How many are you planning to do??

At first I wondered if the ebony was carved from a thicker piece. Neat trick with the epox. It is quite hard to see the difference even in your rather bold close up.
Armed with the knowledge of the contrivance I can sort of see it but, had I not known I'd not see it.

How did you attach the arm supports to the side rail of the chair?
I see no pegs no joints nothing gives it away. Is it a sliding DT cut cross-grain on the sides?

Same question for attaching the arms to the back rails? How?

[Mike Henderson]

How did you attach the arm supports to the side rail of the chair?
I see no pegs no joints nothing gives it away. Is it a sliding DT cut cross-grain on the sides?

Same question for attaching the arms to the back rails? How?

Thanks for your kind words, Cliff. Different people have different opinions about exposed joinery - I don't like it. I prefer a piece of furniture that doesn't show how it was put together.

Anyway, I used slow epoxy to glue both the arm supports to the chair sides, and the arms to the back rails. I thought about putting a screw from the inside of the chair sides into the arm supports but decided that the epoxy was strong enough. If the day ever comes when they break loose, I'll put a screw in. That applies to the arms to the back rails, also.

I just really dislike the look of a plug on the back of an arm - and especially this arm with the decorative strip. I'd have to really work to do a plug with a strip that matched up exactly with the strip in the arm. But if the epoxy fails, I'll try to do it.

And you asked how many I plan to do - I'm going to do four chairs in total: Two with arms and two without arms. It's possible that my wife will ask for two additional without arms (for a total of six chairs) but maybe later. I saw the set that Mark Singer did (I think it was 10) and really take my hat off to him. That's a real accomplishment.

Mike

[Roy Wall]

Mike,

Those chairs came out terrific! They are very unique - look complicated to make - so you have done very well. Might as well make 4 more and have a nice set!

I know you mentioned it was "tuff going" ....but you really have done an excellent job!

[Alan DuBoff]

Regarding the accent stripe on the arms, I lamination bent the arms. As I built up the laminations, I placed a strip of ebony in the middle and only brought it out to within a few inches of the end of the arm. I just put a piece of pecan to finish that lamination. You can see this in the attached picture.OMG, that's ebony in there??? That is nice. Is the chair made out of pecan, IOW, the rest of the chair?

Those arms are something, that's a very nice and unique touch, I'm impressed with your work.

I have a bunch of small pieces of ebony that were given to me by an older woodworker who was closing down his shop. It's nice because I think about him whenever I use a piece of the ebony.You lucky dog you! Seems like ebony sales by the ounce...the stuff is so expensive...

What are your plans for a table, matching with ebony strip around the edge? :cool:

[Mike Henderson]

Roy - thank you for your encouragement. But for now, three more is all that I'm going to do.

Alan, thanks for your comments on my chair. Actually, I built the table some time ago (a couple of years) and my wife has been bugging me to build chairs to match ever since then. You can see the table here (http://members.cox.net/h-h.woodworks/ExpandingTable.htm).

It's a long story but she wanted me to build the table out of pecan, which I did, so I had to build the chairs out of pecan also. I learned that pecan is not the easiest wood to work with.

I think the table is a fairly unique design. I designed it to be an expanding table where everything is contained within the table (no leaves to store), and yet to have a continuous skirt when open. It has certain trade-offs, but has worked well for us.

Yes, I really do feel fortunate to have received that ebony as a gift. It's small pieces, but in the lumber store it's over $60 a bf.

Thanks again, Roy and Alan, for your interest and your very kind words.

Mike

[Alan DuBoff]

Alan, thanks for your comments on my chair. Actually, I built the table some time ago (a couple of years) and my wife has been bugging me to build chairs to match ever since then. You can see the table here (http://members.cox.net/h-h.woodworks/ExpandingTable.htm).Houston, we've got a problem!!!!! I didn't see your toolbox in the recent thread on portable hand tool boxes and chests. :p

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=35614


It's a long story but she wanted me to build the table out of pecan, which I did, so I had to build the chairs out of pecan also. I learned that pecan is not the easiest wood to work with.Yeppers...that stuff is hard, eh? I got some pecan not too long ago and realized it is HARD. ;) It looks nice though and has some nice grain to it. I since got a bunch of maple, and it might be possible to build my bench out of maple and save the longer lengths of pecan I have, but not sure yet. I need to sort through my maple to know...much of it is not long enough. I really like the look of pecan with a dark wood, such as walnut, they compliment each other nicely. Of course ebony is just that much nicer, and goes with most any wood!;-) Looks nice.

I think the table is a fairly unique design. I designed it to be an expanding table where everything is contained within the table (no leaves to store), and yet to have a continuous skirt when open. It has certain trade-offs, but has worked well for us.Very nice also, I especially like how it folds open. You have some beautiful projects you've done, very nice work.