Queen Anne Side Chair -- progress pics

[Joel Ficke]

It's been a while since I've posted, but slowly the next few projects for me are taking shape. This one is of the Waln-Ryerss Queen Anne side chair. One of the original 4 known chairs from a set of 6 sold at Christie's in 2003 for a mind-boggling $679,500 -- geez. There's a pic of the original from that auction catalog below.

Isn't it a beauty?

Here's my version in sort of a 'framed-in' state -- still lots of carving to do :) Unfortunately I need to go work on a different project for a while but really looking forward to getting back to this one!
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67233&stc=1&d=1183405114
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67234&stc=1&d=1183405523
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67237&stc=1&d=1183406280
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67238&stc=1&d=1183406580
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67238&stc=1&d=1183406301

[Calvin Hobbs]

Nice pics, Joel, this pattern is a beautiful chair. Looks like you have some fun ahead of you on this one.

Your style of b/c is distinctive and very well done, and has a dainty look to it as the claw has a somewhat light grip high on the ball, it looks exactly like your last piece. The Joel Ficke style of foot, you could call it. As you go, will you take the leg and ankle material down a little after carving the knees?

Keep us posted on the progress. Are you making a pair? Again, great work.

CH

[Joel Ficke]

Thanks Calvin.

Good eye on the ankle/calf bulkiness -- yes that will come down after the knee carving -- and if it doesn't I'll grab the #49 and make some more dust -- really don't like the look in that area right now.

These chairs sure are a joinery challenge. How's your's coming along. In the last update you were really close to upholstery.

-Joel

[Calvin Hobbs]

I have been moving....

Fixed up the house to ready for sale, sold it, fixed some inspection items, bought a house, packed, moved last weekend. My garage in Overland Park is wall to wall stuff, machines, tools, lumber, benches, bikes, mowers, everything. I have no idea where to start. On top of that I am still working in Branson for a time so I am not around on the week. So needless to say, they are not upholstered...

I love the #49. I used to use a #50, but the #49 is faster...
Like my Dad says, we'd use a #48 if they made one. Dad can scare you when he gets out the shurform! Cal

[Charles Jackson III]

Nice work!

[John Timberlake]

Great job so far. The foot looks really nice. Most of the work is done now, except the finishing, the finishing, the finishing.....

[Dean Lapinel]

What's a #49 and a #50?

[Mike Henderson]

What's a #49 and a #50?
Two rasps made by Nicholson. The #49 is coarser than the #50 (if I remember correctly).

You can find them on the web for about $35 - $40 each (again if I remember correctly).

Mike

[Dean Lapinel]

I own a bunch of Nicholson but only use Auriou (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkwkvAZNGES4BKUFXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2c2dlMTR oBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA3cEdnRpZANGNjU0Xzc0BGwDV 1Mx/SIG=12b66fk02/EXP=1184125615/**http%3a//www.thebestthings.com/newtools/chisels_aurio.htm) now.

[Andrew Swartz]

Beautiful work, Joel. Are you working off a set of plans, or from photographs? Also, can you explain the joinery of the front legs, and how you made the curved seat?

[Joel Ficke]

Andrew,

Yes this plan is sold by Oldemill and was also discussed in this FWW article: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ProjectsAndDesign/ProjectsAndDesignPDF.aspx?id=26895

The legs have a round integral tennon that fits into holes drilled in the seat frame. The seat frame itself is made by joining 3 boards together with basic M&T joinery (kinda of like a big horse shoe). After joinery, the rounded shape is cut out to form the round seat frame.

Hope this helps.

-Joel

[Roy Wall]

Joe -

Your chair is looking great!! I like the B/C also....some of them "scare me"....they look a little frightening....yours looks pleasant yet strong.

By the time your finished - you'll be $679,000 ahead and it will look and be just as good:cool: .

[John Timberlake]

Andrew,


The legs have a round integral tennon that fits into holes drilled in the seat frame. The seat frame itself is made by joining 3 boards together with basic M&T joinery (kinda of like a big horse shoe). After joinery, the rounded shape is cut out to form the round seat frame.

Hope this helps.

-Joel

I saw a chair similar to this at Winterthur a couple of weeks ago. It was the only piece on the whole tour the guide was allowed to touch. She raised the seat so we could see the joinery. Also saw a demo of making a similar chair at Colonial Williamburg symposium in 2006. Must be common for chairs with this kind of curved seat.

[Matt Bickford]

Joel, How does one go about finding which gouges are used in the carvings of this chair? Do you have a list? did you spend 4 hours going through a catalog with the plans? Or, will you buy them as you need them? I would imagine that the list is quite long.

[Joel Ficke]

Matt,

I don't think a list exists anywhere and often times different folks will use different tools to reach the same end anyway. In my case, I have a decent selection of carving tools already so I'll just use those and only purchase additional if I need to.

If you want, I can keep track of which ones get used along the way and forward it to you. The down-side to that is I have to finish up a clock before I get back to the chair, so it could be October before such a list exists :-)

My guess (and it's just a guess) though is that most of this can be done with the following:

veiner
1/2" bench chisel
#8 - 4mm
#8 - 10mm
#9 - 4mm
#7 - 12mm
#5 - 12mm
#3 - 12mm
#2 - 12mm
#11 - 2mm

You may find you need to get a few more on top for specific cuts but I bet these get you most of the way there.