An elegant set of dining chairs (pix)

[John Fry]

First I want thank everyone who visited and responded to my last project post;

A little table that took a whole lot of work. (Pix) (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=44855)

and as always, I welcome your comments AND critiques on this new project.

I completed this project about five months ago, but I never posted it here. It was one of my most challenging projects so I thought I would put it up and see what you think.

This commissioned set of six dining room chairs was built for a brand new client. These round back, sculpted leg, curved sided chairs, are made of solid black walnut. My job was to help in the design, build and finish the chairs to match a beautiful, 100 year old, walnut oval dining table. They would be upholstered by a very prominent upholsterer in Pasadena that the clients chose.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/pair%201.jpg

The initial design was developed from photographs of three different styles and shapes of chairs the client had chosen. She had definite ideas of what she wanted and which concepts from each style of the three chairs she wanted incorporated into our finished design.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/side%202.jpg

The most difficult part of this chair was making the side curved side piece. It not only curved forward at the seat, but curved inward at the top to meet the crest rail.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/springs%202.jpg

This is a very high end upholstery job. The seat is done with stretched webbing and hand tied springs. They are very comfortable.

I started with concept drawings and when approved, I made a complete prototype out of poplar and made the first set of ¼” hardboard templates for all the curved pieces.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/prototype.jpg

It was at this time I realized that there was only ONE piece of wood in this whole chair that was straight and could be cut on the table saw. Everything else was curved and would have to be shaped and sculpted..

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/templates.jpg

We made several changes to the design after seeing the prototype. We refined the legs, added quite a bit more curve to the bottom of the vertical side pieces, changed the angle of slope to the back, altered the design of the curved upper back rail, and reduced the thickness of the walnut reveal on all exposed edges that would not be covered with fabric. We basically refined the whole designed. All the prototype templates had to be remade.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/Temp%20route.jpg

After rough cutting all the lumber to oversize and milling to four-square, I marked the pieces using the templates and trimmed “to the line” on the band saw. Using double stick tape, I then routed all the curved pieces to the templates on the router table.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/cut%20leg%201.jpg

Because the legs curve on two planes, they would need to be cut in one direction, then using double stick tape, the block would be re-assembled and sawn on the second side.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/cut%20legs%202.jpg

Here are the front legs rough cut to shape. The finished legs will be 1-1/2” square at the top and taper and curve to a 1” square at the bottom. To accommodate the dual plane curve, the leg blanks were milled from 12/4 stock to a 2-7/8” finished blank. Notice all the waste that is removed during the preliminary shaping.

[John Fry]

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/backleg%20temp.jpg

The back leg template is cut from an 8/4 blank that is 5-1/2” wide.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/seat%20blanks.jpg

After a lot of cutting and routing, all the main frame pieces are blanked out, but there is still a lot of shaping, hand sculpting, routing, and rabbeting left to do. And of course all the mortise and tenons need to be cut.

The commission is for six chairs, and because it would be very difficult to go back and re-create any one piece, I have made two or three extra pieces of each chair member as backups incase something goes wrong, or gets damaged along the way.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/twin%20tenons.jpg

I chose twin mortise and tenons for these joints and used my FMT.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/twin%20mortises.jpg

The mortises were cut in all the legs before any more sculpting was done to give me as much solid, square stock as possible to clamp to the FMT.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/sculpting.jpg

Then, for the next week or so, using the oscillating spindle sander, spokeshave, card scrapers, rasps, files, and sandpaper, I hand sculpted 32 legs to final shape. It took about 40 minutes a leg. I’d get tired and bored, and actually WANT to go outside pull weeds for a break.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/loose%20mortises.jpg

Because the rear legs joined at 45 degree angles to the back seat members, I chose to use loose tenons in these joints. I made a router jig/template to cut this set of twin mortises in all of the back frame pieces.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/loose%20tenon1.jpg

With this many chairs and this many tenons, I made long strips of loose tenon stock. I used a 5/16” bead bit on the router table to form the edges and sawed some glue relief grooves on each face.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/loose%20tenon%202.jpg

Using a stop block, I cut them to length on the TS sled.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/bent%20lam.jpg

With the lower frame parts and the legs completed, it was time to start working on the upper chair backs and supports. The curved upper back rail would be made by bent lamination. I resawed all the rail stock from 5/4 stock and maintained flitch order so the rail would appear as solid wood. I constructed the form and used my vacuum bag to laminate two backs at a time.

[John Fry]

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/bent%20lam%20trim.jpg

The laminations were jointed on one edge and ripped to width on the TS. Using a simple set of support blocks stuck to the sled and a center line and an alignment reference point on the sled’s fence, I trimmed the ends. This set up allowed me to make these cuts at 90 degrees to the sled base and parallel to each other. This is very important because the ends will be mortised and tenoned to the side pieces.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/back%20mortise.jpg

I built another fixture to hold the curved back true and square in the FMT and cut the mortises in the ends.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/back%20rabbets.jpg

These crest rails required a lot of work. Next the bottom edge of the back was cut to a gentle curve, the top was also shaped, and a rabbet for the upholstery webbing and fabric had to be cut on both the front and back edge of the curved bottom. I just clamped two together at a time to support the trim router and cut them all.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/back%20center%20rabbet.jpg

Another curved fixture and router jig was made just to cut this one small rabbet to accept the center support back. This support is a very important part of the chair’s internal structure.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/back%20up%20rabbets.jpg

The upholsterer’s rabbets needed to be cut on every chair member that the fabric will attach to. Here I am cutting it in the round seat back piece on the router table.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/Fr%20leg%20rabbet.jpg

After cutting the rabbets in all the front, back, and side pieces, I dry fitted all the frame structure together and made this corner router template to sit on top of the legs and rabbet them to match the sides with a bit and bearing set to cut a 3/16” rabbet.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/back%20leg%20rabbet.jpg

That process won’t work on the back legs due to the vertically extended supports, so I made an MDF guide bar that I could clamp all around the back of the seat in line with the completed rabbets. I used a flush trim saw to notch the rear legs to make the upholstery line mate with the frame rabbets.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/dowels.jpg

I drilled and dowelled the vertical side pieces and the side frame. They will be attached with epoxy and two screws from below. The side piece in this picture is still not totally shaped yet.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/back%20legs%20tenons.jpg

The tapering and shaping of the back legs is finished and this is a quick dry fit of the four loose tenons in each leg.

[John Fry]

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/UP%20bar%20notch.jpg

There will be an “upholsterer’s bar” that runs horizontally across the back vertical pieces about 1 ¼” above the seat frame level. This will be used to stretch the webbing and fabric. I had to layout and dado all the parts that will support this bar before glue up.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/glue%201st%20phase.jpg

The two front legs and the front seat rail is the first phase of the glue up. I glued the chair up in four phases. The sides, back seat rail, and back legs were glued together next, using this front assembly for alignment. Then these two assemblies were glued together, and finally all the vertical members of the back were glued up last.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/screw%20plugs.jpg

After the final glue up, the internal corner blocks were attached and the countersunk screw holes for the side rails were plugged from the bottom.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/UP%20bar%20lam.jpg

I made one more bent lamination form for the upholsterer’s bar and glued five pieces of 1/8” bending ply together in the vacuum bag. This made one large sheet of the bent stock to cut the bars from.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/UP%20bars%20sliced.jpg

After the sheet came out of the press, I sliced it into the individual bars.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/UP%20bars%20installed.jpg

Here the upholsterer’s bar is glued and screwed into place. Because the back webbing and the seat fabric are all pulled under, or attached to the curved bar, this is an important part of an upholstery frame piece of furniture.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/final%20sculpting.jpg

After all the construction and glue up, there was still quite a bit of hand shaping and sanding left to do to smooth all the joints together, and some detail shaping like this top rail and back joint.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/finishing.jpg

I had to try to match an antique walnut table that had a very gold walnut tone. The finish schedule I settled on was a blend of Behlen’s Solar Lux NGR dyes, American Walnut and Golden Wheat. Followed by a brushed on coat of 1-1/2# amber shellac, rubbed back with 0000# steel wool, and then three coats of Minwax Tung Oil Finish.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/medallion.jpg

The Chisel and Bit medallion gets installed under the back seat rail.

http://www.chiselandbit.com/cgi-script/CSUpload//upload/Curved_chairs%252edb/final%20set.jpg

Here is the set of six chairs ready to go to the upholstery shop.

I don’t think I underestimated the amount of hand sculpting time I would have in all of the curved work on these chairs, but I KNOW that I underestimated my work discipline and staying power. After shaping three or four legs, I would be very bored, very tired, and look up and see a huge pile of legs yet to be done. I would easily lose momentum, get discouraged at how long it was taking, and go pull weeds or give my dog a bath.

Once I got past the boring, hand sculpting stage, watching these classy chairs come together was a real treat.

Now that I've rested a few months from chair building, the addictive nature of making these things has me feeling like I’d love to find a commission to build another set.

Thanks for looking.

[Howard Rosenberg]

Thank you for sharing such a thorough tutorial.

Howard Rosenberg

[Mike Canaris]

John...excellent pictorial as usual..I always learn something when going through it....6 chairs .. that is a lot of work.... and by judging from the pics they look flawless...


That 'green' fabric doesn't do them justice...

[josh bjork]

I had a daydream today about making a chair leg but there weren't 24 of them. wow.

[Kent Parker]

Wow John!!. Everyone must be sleeping because there certainly not enough comments here.

Very thoughful of you to post and photograph to such an extent. I know what a distraction it can be. BRAVO!!

Beautiful chairs. I really like the propotions. Very nice!!

Cheers,

Kent

[John Michaels]

Amazing work!! Nice job on the photos too.

[Mark Singer]

John,
Very nice work and great photos to show the proceedure! You are a great addition to Smc

[David Less]

John,

Great job, you are defiitely a Master Craftsman.

Keep the great posts coming,

David

[John Stevens]

I don’t think I underestimated the amount of hand sculpting time I would have in all of the curved work on these chairs, but I KNOW that I underestimated my work discipline and staying power. After shaping three or four legs, I would be very bored, very tired, and look up and see a huge pile of legs yet to be done. I would easily lose momentum, get discouraged at how long it was taking, and go pull weeds or give my dog a bath.


Thanks for providing such a thorough tutorial. It must have taken you a lot of time to put it together, but it's very much appreciated. And thanks for including the quoted material above. It's comforting to know that even the best have to work at keeping their head in the game sometimes. (Your poor dog...)

[Mark Patoka]

Wow, excellent craftsmanship and a very nice step by step. Thanks for sharing.

[Travis Porter]

All I can say is WOW!

Thanks for the very detailed walkthrough!!

[Carl Eyman]

Just one more small voice in awe of your work. Thanks for posting it.

[Al Navas]

Thanks for sharing, John! It is great to see this tutorial again. Wonderful craftsmanship.


Al

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Another fine project! Please keep posting them. This is the best part of this forum!
-Jeff :)

[John Schreiber]

I am lost in admiration. It's great to see such fine craftsmanship going on in the world of plastic and particle board. Sharing the process with us so clearly is an excellent gift.

I hope the client is as pleased with the product as we are.

[Jim Becker]

Those are very elegant, John. Flowing. Very nice!

One thing that I think a number of folks could appreciate are any references you have about actually constructing seating relative to the structure under upholstery. I have yet to find a single book on the subject...the upholstery books tend to glance over the chair/sofa structure. John K at Cambium Press was not confident about such published materials when I asked him about it a few years ago. The David James book on upholstery has a few things that are useful, but not the "design details" I imagine many of us would like to learn.

[John Piwaron]

Wonderful work. Thanks for the detailed step by step.

This is the kind of work that puts anything I do in the shade.

[Jason Tuinstra]

John,

Great tutorial on a subject that most of us don't deal with in our furniture making - chairs. Outstanding job, on the chairs and on the photo journal you made while building. I'm sure this will help out many of us in the years to come. Thanks so much. Great post.

[Scott Coffelt]

All I can say is WOW! and there is no way I could do that, just from the boredom alone, but even if I could master that, I am not sure I could figure all that out. Wow and Wow, can I say it again, Wow.

[Larry Crim]

Amazing John Thanks for sharing, I am getting ready to start my own chairs so this came at the right time gave me some really good ideas.
Larry

[Dan Oliphant]

Once again, all that can be said is WOW!!!

The forthought that you but into your fixtures is impressive, the outcome is equally as impressive.

[Dave Carey]

Thank goodness she didn't have a larger table! Fantastic job and article; instructive on so many levels. Send this thread to FWW!

[jeremy levine]

Wow John!!. Everyone must be sleeping because there certainly not enough comments here. ...

Some of us are in shock. WOW The finish alone is worth a look, the entire package is first rate.

[Ralph Barhorst]

I have to say it too. WOW!!

The step by step is so valuable to people like me who only do woodworking as a hobby. During the summer I made my first chairs but they were only garden chairs.

Your step by step instructions give me some incentive to try something more difficult.

[Mike Henderson]

Thank you very much for the detailed tutorial. I have an interest in chairs and the construction techniques used to build them and your approach is very interesting. You did a lot of work to build the chairs and document the steps you took - I know everyone here really appreciates your efforts and your sharing.

Mike

[Aaron Montgomery]

Outstanding as always! Thanks for sharing!!

[Gail O'Rourke]

WOW, is an understatement. The process is great to see, and I love the look overall. The upholsterer did a perfect job bringing it all together. Incredible work.

[Dave Ray]

John, as the kids would say 'AWESOME" As a woodworker would say you do great work, real "Master Craftsman" type work. Thank you for the detailed tutorial, we all learn from that. We also can share in your frustration by being bored, tired after all the sanding, detailed work. Really nice John, thank you.

[nic obie]

Very, very nice work.

Thank you for the pics.

[John Fry]

Everybody,

Thank you for all the compliments.

Jim Becker,

As to building upholstery frame furniture, I can only recommend doing what I did. I took the prototype to the actual upholsterer that was going to do the fabric work. It turns out that Mr. Ed Lanzetti, of Pasadena CA, is nationally renowned for his antique restoration work. I was a bit intimidated, I was duly impressed, AND I was scared to death that he would critisize my work and laugh at my prototype. :D But instead, he was very helpful and showed me some chairs in varying stages of re-upholstery. He took the time to not only show me what is needed, but also why, and how the webbing would be attached, and where the springs would be placed, and overall, what an upholsterer's needs are.

Basically it came down to deciding how deep the rabbets would be and explaining the need for the curved bar in the back. The reason it was so beneficial to go, is that the fabric thickness, and the chair's design have a bearing on these decisions. I also think individual upholsterers may do things differently.

When the finished chairs were delivered to Mr Lanzetti to be upholstered, he personally called me and congratulated me on the quality of the work. I was very relieved!!

[Jim Becker]

Thanks, John. Great advise!

[Roy Wall]

John,

Ditto all the above!!:)

Thank you very much for taking the time to share a tutorial....it is a pleasure and we appreciate your effort!!

Superb work!!