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View Full Version : Adirondack Chair - confused by the curves.



Dennis Peacock
02-08-2004, 1:30 AM
Ok....I have combined the design of 3 adirondack chairs to come up with my design. The basic structure is exactly like the Settee in Wood Magazine. My problem? The radius of the bottom curve for the seat back is 20" and the curve radius for the upper support for the back that attaches to the arms is 23-7/16".

When I tacked the back splats on the chair, the backs of the top boards lay nice and flat in the larger radius curve...BUT....the boards do NOT lay flat against the curve of the smaller radius. With the all the boards put in place and tacked with a 16-Ga brad.....the outside board are standing off the bottom radius by about 1/8th of an inch. I followed the plans for the base and supports and back pieces. Is this normal? In my mind, the board should be resting up against the top AND the bottom radius curves without clamping or stressing. Right?

Anybody got any pics of some adirondack chairs that they have made and are willing to post the front and rear view of what they made and did?

How far above the arms of the chairs can you go unsupported before one has to figure out how to add additional support on the curved backs?

John Christiansen
02-08-2004, 12:51 PM
Ok....I have combined the design of 3 adirondack chairs to come up with my design. The basic structure is exactly like the Settee in Wood Magazine. My problem? The radius of the bottom curve for the seat back is 20" and the curve radius for the upper support for the back that attaches to the arms is 23-7/16".

When I tacked the back splats on the chair, the backs of the top boards lay nice and flat in the larger radius curve...BUT....the boards do NOT lay flat against the curve of the smaller radius. With the all the boards put in place and tacked with a 16-Ga brad.....the outside board are standing off the bottom radius by about 1/8th of an inch. I followed the plans for the base and supports and back pieces. Is this normal? In my mind, the board should be resting up against the top AND the bottom radius curves without clamping or stressing. Right?

Anybody got any pics of some adirondack chairs that they have made and are willing to post the front and rear view of what they made and did?

How far above the arms of the chairs can you go unsupported before one has to figure out how to add additional support on the curved backs?


Dennis,

I have built a couple from NYW plans and yes, they have both required some twisting of the boards to get them anchored firmly to the curves.

I attached the back boards to the bottom first, then the top curve, letting the screws draw them down and put whatever twist was necessary into them.

The attached picture does not show you much and I gave the chair away so I can't go take another pic.

Jim Becker
02-08-2004, 1:48 PM
Like John, my experience was with the NYW design (which I really like...very comfortable) and I also had to tweek things a little when putting the rear slats on. But they weren't off very much. The hardest part was sanding the bevel as my OSS doesn't have a tilting table...my next one will.