Adirondack chairs complete!

[RichMagnone]

Well, almost complete. I still need to plug the recessed screwes, sand and stain, but the cutting portion is done!

These are taken from the Popular Woodworking update of Norm's Adirondack chair. The instructions were pretty clear and while I never worked on the original NYW chair, I think these came out great considering my (low) skill level! (I made my share of mistakes). Very comfortable and very stable. I had considered Jake's chair, but it just didn't look right to my eye. I love the look of Norm's chair. I deviated from the plans by doubling the thickness of the arms.

This was the culmination of a about a year of tool acquisitions/upgrades. The Rikon 18 bandsaw was great for whipping out curves and doing the angled seat backs. The Grizzley 490 burned through borards like butter. And finally, my old Jet Contractor was at the most accurate ever with the additions of a jointech smartmiter sled and a vega fence.

Does anyone have a suggestion on the stool (no plans were included in the magazine) - I would suspect I just need a straight leg with a smooth curve downward and slats on it. Should the slats on the chair be the starting point for the slats on the stool or should it start lower?

[Byron Trantham]

Rick, they really turned out nice. You did a great job!

[Mack Cameron]

Rich; nice job on the chairs! They're fun to make aren't they? I have made well over 100 from Norm's original design. Most were given away to kids, friends etc. Many were donated for money raising projects at our trailer park. I'm using 5/4 western red cedar deck boards as the wood for mine, finished with Sikkens SRD (shingles, roofs & decks)
One comment or question -- the backs look like they are leaning too far...it may be the picture. I think I had to tweek Norm's pattern somewhat to make mine a little more upright. I also made full-sized templates that make the pattern drawing faster. I can make 3 chairs in 2 days with not too much effort, not that time or speed matters that much.

[Jay Knoll]

Rick

They look great! But where is the beer, barbecue and the babes in the bikinis? Those chairs look kind of lonesome all by themselves!

Jay

[Nissim Avrahami]

Beautiful Rich

I would not say “low skill level” at all.

I saw some stools for this chairs somewhere, let me “search” and if I’ll find I’ll come back to you.

I foud faster then I thought, its chair, stool and side table.
http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/patiof/pfurn_1.htm

Thanks for sharing
niki

[Tim Clark]

Very nice Rich.

Now that LOML has seen 'em I gotta make some too.

Thanks man, thanks a bunch. :D

[Steve Clardy]

Very nice!

[Corey Hallagan]

Rich the pair of chairs look great in their setting. Nice job.

Corey

[Lynn Sonier]

When I first started making those chairs, I took the time to make plywood patterns, including the hole pattern on the front leg. I have since made many of these chairs and the patterns have come in very handy.

Nice chairs. I just finished making a set for our church, with 2x lumber. They wanted something heavy so people wouldn't carry them away - no danger of that. When I finished the first one, I had to drag it out of the shop.

That is one comfortable chair, isn't it?

[RichMagnone]

One comment or question -- the backs look like they are leaning too far...it may be the picture.

Good eye Mack - on one of the chairs, I did not have the legs snugged up enough and the upper back brace "slid" downward. I did not notice until the slats were already attached to the back brace. Thus, the angle is too steep and that chair is more like a recliner!

Thanks to everyone else who commented. I was smart enough to make final tracings of all my best pieces on a sheet of MDF and will have to cut those out to have a set of nice templates for the next pair. My wife has informed me that we may need two more.

[RichMagnone]

When I first started making those chairs, I took the time to make plywood patterns, including the hole pattern on the front leg. I have since made many of these chairs and the patterns have come in very handy.

Nice chairs. I just finished making a set for our church, with 2x lumber. They wanted something heavy so people wouldn't carry them away - no danger of that. When I finished the first one, I had to drag it out of the shop.

That is one comfortable chair, isn't it?

Lynn - did you build the side piece out of 2 x 6? I bet that is a beast. It is a very comfy chair (insert spanish inquisition joke here).

[Jim Becker]

They look great! I'm curious...what "changes" did PWW do to Norm's design? (I have two build from his original rendition and prior to Norm's own update)

[Brian Jarnell]

Amazing how many designs there are of the Adirondack,I imported this design 12 years ago,and love it.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y79/cicero1520/00040.jpg

[RichMagnone]

They look great! I'm curious...what "changes" did PWW do to Norm's design? (I have two build from his original rendition and prior to Norm's own update)

I can't say that I know. The author indicated that they pulled out Norm's old notes and that they implemented improvements based on those notes.

[Butch Spears]

I may be wrong, But was the improvements only # type of glue used # and different fastners, stainless screws and plugged the holes.But I have not made them,that just comes to mind. Butch

[Mack Cameron]

Rich; here's a little trick you may be able to use to ensure that the arms stay parallel to the ground, and that the upper rear X-piece doesn't slide down when you are attaching the back slats.

The legs are 23 1/4" long. Cut 2 addn'l waste pieces the identical length. Then don't screw the arms down tightly to the curved bracket and leg. Leave them a little slack for now. I'm assuming the chair is on a solid surface, table, workbench etc. Clamp a same length waste piece to each side member near the back of the arm supporting the underside of the arms and upper rear X-piece. I use the quick clamps for this. Now the arms are parallel to the solid surface and you can quickly attach the back slats to the upper rear X-piece with no fear of it dropping down.

I got tired drilling and using screws etc. to attach the back & seat slats. I simply use 2" 18 ga. galvanized brad nails in an air gun, & Titebond 3 Outdoor glue, quick with very tiny holes. There is no need to screw the seat slats down, the law of gravity + glue + the nails are holdingthem down. I do screw the bottom of the back slats to the lower rear X-piece, but nails and glue them to the upper rear X-piece.

Hope this helps in some small way!

[Bud Clarity]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL88/168318/329812/105482541.jpg

I made the same chairs from PW and designed my own footstool that your welcome to.
The high end is same as chair slat (16") and low end is 10" with a gentle curve between

[RichMagnone]

Mack, thanks for the tip - I am definitely going to make some more of these as soon as Owl Hardwood gets a new batch of Cypress.

[RichMagnone]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL88/168318/329812/105482541.jpg

I made the same chairs from PW and designed my own footstool that your welcome to.
The high end is same as chair slat (16") and low end is 10" with a gentle curve between

Bud - that looks perfect. I'm going to give it a shot. I bought one extra 12 foot board and between the scraps and that, I should be able to scrape up at least one, maybe two stools.

By the way, your chair looks great. I like the cut of the top of the back slats. What kind of wood is that?

[Larry Klaaren]

Your chairs look great (and solid),

You can see the foot rests I made on this post:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=33226

I made the sloping footstool by reversing the back leg and just attaching a leg when the slats ended and cutting the leg at that point. Kind of like a chair without a back and arms. It's a nice effect and comfortable.

I made patterns also and can duplicate them pretty quickly.

Good job,
Larry

[Bud Clarity]

.

By the way, your chair looks great. I like the cut of the top of the back slats. What kind of wood is that?[/QUOTE]

Thanks Rich, I followed PW plans to a tee.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL88/168318/329812/153164221.jpg

I also used cypress, had enough left over to make this little table.

[Ron Fritz]

Well, it's not the full size version, but here's a minature chair that I just finished this weekend for my Granddaughter.