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Thread: The Great Morris Chair project

  1. #166
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
    Posts
    2,702

    Arm Strong

    Good Day to the Creek

    Well I finally got to use that arm form....

    After making a bunch of 3/8" thick blanks
    I got to see how it is to bend 3 pieces of oak.
    Clamps lots of clamps. Who said we can have too many?
    With limited open time for the glue it was a little bit of a
    challenge. Get the glue spread, set everything on the form,
    and get it all clamped down.
    Thanks Walt for the heads up to use a couple of clamps to hold
    the blanks together so they wouldn't slide apart.

    Morris chair and ottoman 202.jpg Morris chair and ottoman 203.jpg

    Waited a full 24 hours to make sure we had a good bond.
    My result was not to different than others.
    About 1/4" springback. I guess we have to live with that.
    The arms will be my templates to mark the sides to get a nice fit.
    In the picture it looks like the arm is a little wonko but it's just the pic.
    I ran out to the shop just to make sure. Don't want to make any more
    of these than I have to.

    Morris chair and ottoman 205.jpg


    One down 3 to go.....

    .

  2. #167
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Windsor, ON
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    Thumbs up Nathan, our trailblazer... (windy)

    Hi All,
    I just wanted to thank Nathan for great work and some great posts.
    His excellent efforts afforded me some downtime from posting.
    Good show Nathan, and thanks for your new avatar,
    it's nice to see who we're building along with...

    Nice recovery from your scalloped mortises, that worked out great.
    You are the first group builder to achieve no springback on your bow arms.
    Makes sense when you say that you are willing to trust attaching them to
    side frames with just glue. Despite the arch, it is as you say, longgrain to longgrain.
    I also have pondered augmenting the arm mount with dowels,
    and like you, would prefer any such effort to be not visible.
    I recall Bill B. said the arms are a very visible part in the finished chair.

    It is encouraging to hear that you have been honing and using more handtools.
    I can't help but feel inspired by GZ's handtool pics.
    Your Rotex sounds like a dream sander too.

    Cool lathe work on your back pivot and back stop dowels.
    The walnut does look good, nice to see some lathe work.
    Myself I am gonna try to make them at the router table. (?)

    Thanks for sharing your groove oops. I like to see it, not to make fun, but
    to see that others make these goofs too... also, solid recovery.
    I have not heard it in years, but they used to say, that it's not that the pro's
    don't make mistakes, it's their skill in hiding them.

    So, probably gonna leave the alder natural, no stain?
    I also find shop heating expensive, and winter a tougher time to apply wood finish.
    I gotta get back to pushing some chair progress!

    I am gonna make a silly sounding suggestion:
    Try your hand at brushing-on a wipe-on poly.
    I did just that on my last 2 posted projects, and was surprisingly pleased...
    the thinner poly does not build as quick, but lays down without brushmarks.
    A few light coats, over a few days and linger around to wipe away any drips.
    I had good luck with 2 coats a day, maybe just 20 minutes between.
    This eliminates a knock-down sanding between those 2 coats, each time.
    Obviously, we want a thicker build on wearing surfaces.
    I like 400grit paper, which I crumple first, to knock-down any dustnibs.
    The poly needs to be good and dry first, though.

    For now, I am building a single chair and ottoman.
    I was amused when you said maybe that would serve you better than a pair of chairs.
    Sounds like you may end up building a pair of ottos?

    Your wife's rocker idea sound great. The catch being that there are 2 kinds of bent lams.
    Our Morris chair features bow arms that are well fastened and supported along their length.
    I would have to get much better at it, to confidently build chair rockers,
    which are a bent lam that is only supported at the bottom of 4 legs.
    Also, the full weight of the chair and passenger are pressing the rockers in
    the direction they would wanna springback. yikes!
    On the other hand, woodworkers do build them all the time. (bok bok?)

    Thanks for the heads-up about the arm hole drilling jig from the plans.
    I guess the better approach would be to locate the backrest stops by the
    actual mounted back. Both for dowel location, and also back tilt too.
    I expect the tilt to be a factor in chair comfort?

    It is tricky to type at strangers, or at least distant friends we have yet to shake hands with...
    if we were standing around in your shop, just chewing the fat,
    it would be easier, and stir less friction up, to playfully rib you like this:

    N, having trimmed your back posts (part Q) thinner than plans to fit,
    and sitting on a good pile of alder, and realizing that the 3/8" slats are more
    flexible than you might prefer.......
    I would be ribbing you...that you wanna rebuild the back and seat frames with 1/2" thick slats.
    If we remember the context of this chair being in your life for decades to come,
    I would be teasing you that you just 'gotta' redo'em.

    All lessons cost, these lessons came pretty cheap...
    and benefitted other group builders to follow.
    What with the high cost of upholstery, and a chance for both of your hand-built chairs to match,
    I encourage you to consider it.
    Of course, no harm in living with your first chair for a while, before you
    decide. I am not sure how you resisted sitting in your chair yet...
    as you are far ahead of me, and I have been sitting down to eat my shop
    sandwishes in mine, for weeks!

    Great job Nathan,
    you have been a valuable member of our team!
    thanks,
    Walt
    Last edited by Walt Caza; 09-21-2008 at 10:53 AM.
    There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going! WCC

    Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Dr. Seuss

    Crohn's takes guts. WCC

  3. #168
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Question still stuck on glue... (pics)

    Hi to our group builders and story followers,
    After some good build progress in August, I hit September stuck on glue,
    and stuck in the mud.
    I mentioned I was gonna try thinner plys and more appropriate glue for my bent laminations.
    I know the plural of ply is plies, but it seems more clear to type plys.(?)

    I did the homework, and decided to next try Urea Formaldehyde glue.
    After an intensive search, I was unable to locate any within Canada.
    I ended up ordering a 14oz tub of powder from WoodCraft.
    They use a Canada Post shipping option called Border Free.

    This service is faaar from 'free', but does offer the advantage of being a
    single up-front price which includes shipping, any and all duty and taxes
    to land your parcel on your porch. This means my shipping costed $27.27,
    for a total of Can$ 37.15 . (paying quadruple was even less fun than it sounds)
    Gripe, whine...both pee and moan!
    Ah well, I am only in it for the lessons and the laughs...
    so I pulled that hard-to-swallow trigger.

    Being sick-at-home, I tracked my shipment from Ohio (pretty close to me) to New York(not so close).
    The postman left me a card for post office pick-up next day.
    I was home, but no attempt was made to deliver.
    So much for the 'porch' delivery. Everything uphill !

    I researched, gathered materials, and rehearsed my mix, glue and clamp routine.
    My previous white glue attempt took me 18 minutes to clamp.
    The UF open time is not much longer than that at 70degrees F.
    I would have to mix, and do the glue hustle.
    The 14oz tub estimated coverage of 35 sqr feet.
    I divided the powder into 3 even piles, which should each do 12 sqr ft.
    The other 2 piles were quickly sealed away in zipbags for another day.

    Wearing my dust mask against the carcinogenic powder, I mounted a paint mixer into the drillpress.
    My plastic resin maiden flight went all downhill from there!

    Here are my 4 thinner plys, with the UF glue.
    4-plys-and-UF-glue.jpg

    Chatting with Gary brought up his planer snipe concerns.
    I am glad I do not have that problem anymore, and even told him so.
    (famous last words!)
    Just as I am about to mix this 'fancy' glue, I notice my oak sandwich has tiny snipe gaps. uggh
    Anyone wanna tell my wife I "need' a wide-belt sander?!?
    snipe-gaps.jpg
    I hit'em with 80grit wrapped around a block until my arms screamed for mercy.

    Both drill mixers I tried, along with a stick, would not achieve a homogenous mixture.
    Maybe a kitchen whisk or pair of forks next try?
    drill-mixers.jpg

    The resulting spendy goop refused to mix. I found these mudpies to be darker than the light brown I was expecting.
    refused-to-mix.jpg mud-pies.jpg

    I tried to make slow additions of powder, into the measured quantity of water.
    Either I added too much too soon, or perhaps my hygroscopic UF powder was no good??
    I tried to get it to mix by hand for a long time. It still resembled oil and vinegar.
    After waving a white flag of surrender, I made some test glue-ups
    to pull apart next shop session.

    All of this was my experiment to do better than the 1/4" springback from
    my white-glued first bow arm lam.
    Between sickness and paralysis from overanalysis, I have squandered 21 days of good loft-shop weather.
    I gotta try to remind myself...I am not just building a single chair,
    but also skills, experience, and I hear that 'suffering' builds character!
    never a dull moment,
    Walt

    ps I am trying to make a poll for your input...
    Last edited by Walt Caza; 09-22-2008 at 4:06 AM. Reason: seeking insight
    There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going! WCC

    Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Dr. Seuss

    Crohn's takes guts. WCC

  4. #169
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Brush Prairie, WA
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    191

    Glue?

    Wow, Walt. What a mess! I can't for the life of me see what's going on with that glue. Were it me, I'd be calling Woodcraft for another shipment. Then another...and so on, before I turned to Elmer's and duct tape after I was broke from all the repeated shipments. Are you supposed to heat it or something to get it to mix?

    Honestly, that brown glue I used - the Better Bond veneer cold-press glue - worked wonders on the arms. No springback, easy cleanup, and it gets tacky after a few minutes of open time, so it doesn't slip-n-slide quite as badly as yellow glue for me. I left them in the forms for 24 hours, glued up, and when they came out, I could have stood on them. I gave one a good going over to test for strength, and it feels pretty ok to me. I got a gallon of that glue cheap ($20) when I built my vacuum press, and it's been terrific. I'm sure it will go south on me before I use it all. Maybe you could try that? I'm thinking that whatever you use, you'll probably get springback, but that won't matter when you use the arm to scribe the curve on the sides. The only issue I have is that the dark color with the light Alder makes the seams in the sides of the arms visible. Well, to me, anyhow. When the chair's assembled, the eye follows the curve and bow, not the glue lines. If you want the name/place I ordered that stuff, let me know. Great stuff.

    As far as the "only" gluing the arms to the sides, I have to say it felt nerve-wracking. But when I was done, and they'd been in the clamps about 48 hours, I took them out and gave the chair a nervous shake, holding it by the arms. Not a creak. Then I swung it around a couple of times for good measure, shaking as I went daring it to break. I'm sure I made quite a sight, but I figured it was easier to repair while I hadn't put a finish on it, and was willing to be a guinea pig on the strength. It held up great with no dowels. Honestly, without any tools or a hard concrete surface to bash on, I think I'd be hard pressed to get the arms off at all. I spent awhile with the sanding block taking the arms off, putting them back on, marking, sanding, taking them off again, all until I had a decent even mate line between the top and the arm. Maybe that helped. Rockers? That, I don't know about. May be an entirely different experience. I bet I'd have to make some hide-glue-soup for those.

    After some quality time (read: "obsessive behavior") with the hand plane getting all the chamfers on the arms to meet nicely at the corners, it was time to start putting on a finish.

    I went with the Deft Satin brushing lacquer. It looks great after 5 coats (6 on the arm tops). I think I'll give it a couple more on the arms, but the rest of the chair looks done. I hit it with 320 after coat #3, and 500 after coat #4, and 5 looks just about right. I tried shooting the water-borne lacquer on some "test pieces" (read: the seat and the back) but I forgot that the water-borne stuff doesn't change the wood's fundamental color or tone. So, I sanded my "test pieces" back off again and re-coated with the Deft. Brushing very carefully with a 2" brush took 100 minutes for the first coat on the base alone, 90+ for each additional with about 2 hours' dry time between. The first coat was applied with the chair base upside down on a towel-covered workbench so I could get color on all the underside parts. All successive coats have been right side up. I'll post some pictures when it's closer to done. The tone looks great - much nicer than I could have hoped for, and darker than I was expecting. Almost like a light cherry finish.

    No choices yet on the upholstery. And no, I haven't had a seat in it yet. I'm saving that until I see some upholstery on it. For the $1208.00 I was quoted (cheapest place!) for 2 charis' worth of faux-leather cushions, I could buy an awfully nice sewing machine, do the work myself, and maybe even afford to do it again after I screw up the first set. I'm really torn, and will have to ponder some more. The small amount of Alder I've sold has more than paid for the rest of the pile, so it's free wood. So far, the only investment I've made is time, energy, a few consumables, and the plans. I'd hate for the upholstery to make these anything more than $40 chairs.

    So far, this has been a fantastic experience. It's much more rewarding to have worked on this in a group setting than to have done it alone. All the advantages of working in a group with your own timetable...

    Keep going, guys! I'm going to be right with you starting on chair #2 here in the coming days. Maybe I'll get this one done correctly!

  5. #170

    more glue

    Walt,
    Something is wrong, probably a bad batch. I've used this stuff on several projects and it has always been fine. I mix it with a piece of shim for a couple of minutes and it's good to go. Is it possible you are over mixing with the blender etc? The only problem I ever had was when I added 2x the right amount of water. If mixed properly will this stuff repair a torn ACL?
    1/4 inch spring back is not the end of the world. By the time you trim the to length it won't even be that much. If anyone notices (and no one will) tell them you thought the chair plans had too much bow and you fixed it.

  6. #171
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
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    2,702

    Finally Putting Some Sticks Together.

    Good day to the Creek!

    Well I finally get to see a preview of what
    a chair will look like.

    After bending two arms I will use them as templates
    to make my arc on the sides. The sides were cut and then
    it was time to glue some of these sticks together.
    The filler pieces were put in after the sides were glued.
    Too many pieces to muss with while the side was going together.
    The last pieces on the ends were custom cut to get a sweet fit.


    Morris chair and ottoman 208.jpg

    I stained my slats before assembly to make it a little easier
    for final staining. Sides finally together....

    Morris chair and ottoman 209.jpg Morris chair and ottoman 210.jpg

    A couple of more sticks and we have what sort of looks like a chair!

    Morris chair and ottoman 213.jpg Morris chair and ottoman 214.jpg

    My arms are not attached as of yet. Still have to put the curve
    on the outside of the two of them. I am still debating whether
    or not to put caps on the top of each arm. That can be desided later.

    A bottom and a back and we may have something...


    .

  7. #172
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    Mar 2007
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    Buttons made Easy

    The process to make any caps for my mission
    pieces is quite straight forward.

    A 1/4" dado set 1/4" away from the fence and 1/16" high.
    4 quick passes and step one is done.

    Morris chair and ottoman 217.jpg

    A quick trip to my router that is set to 1/8".
    And another 4 passes.

    Morris chair and ottoman 224.jpg

    Cut it off at the bandsaw and start the process again.

    Morris chair and ottoman 223.jpg

    Quick and easy and our little fingers are safe and sound...


    .

  8. #173
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Brush Prairie, WA
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    Finish...Finished.

    Well, Chair #1 has a finish on it. I went with the Deft Satin Brushing Lacquer. Mostly because I'm familiar with it, and the spray ChemAqua waterborne lacquer didn't turn out so well on that light Alder.

    I put 5 coats on the base/back and 8 on the arms. Only a couple on the seat, as it will be hidden all the time anyhow.

    It looks great in place in the studio where it will live, and I'll get the good camera out instead of the iPhone here this week and take some decent pictures of it in place. Sorry for the photo quality, but the good news is you all know what these chairs look like, anyhow. The color is what I was going for.

    STILL haven't made a choice about the cushions. I think what we'll do is take advice from you guys, try to make our own with some online vinyl purchase, and if they turn out, great! If not, we're not out that much money and can go ahead and order a real set from a local upholsterer.

    Still haven't had a seat in it, either. Want to wait until the cushions magically appear. (Shop sandwiches have to be eaten on an old wooden stool, Walt. Didn't you know that?)

    I was really surprised at the look - I could pass it off as Maple. The curl on the left arm looks nice in the right light, even with the satin finish. I'm happy with it, though as I was putting it on, I was wishing for a darker look.

    One down, one to go! I can't wait to put all I learned doing the first one to the test on the second! I imagine it will turn out much better.

    I got distracted by the remote install on the cyclone last night. Was going to knock together a little scrap wooden box to cover the relays and wiring left hanging from the wall after the remote was installed (works great!), but got carried away with the scraps I had left from the chairs, and in the spirit of craftsmanship, an hour later I ended up with a little cabinet, panel door and pull and brass hinges and spray finish. It's about 4"w x 8"t. I REALLY need to seek professional help, but I love pretending I'm a woodworker. I can bore a hole and spit through it, right?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  9. #174
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    Mar 2007
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    Nathan

    Let me say that is one sweet looking chair....

    It turned out fantastic. Always nice to the fruits of all the hard work.
    (even with our little screwups)



    Great job again. Nice to see another finished chair!
    It gives me the drive to try and get a little more shop time this weekend.

    What's your time frame for the second one?
    Last edited by gary Zimmel; 09-25-2008 at 11:39 PM.

  10. #175
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    Thumbs up things are getting interesting...

    Good Day to the Creek,
    Well, it's 5am and my mind is off racing again...uggh.

    Wow Nathan, your first Morris chair looks great!
    I find your Alder to have pleasing grain.
    Your last few pics are so nice, I have been back to look at them more times than I care to admit.
    I giggled like a schoolgirl at the image of you durability testing your glued-on arms
    like the gorilla from that old luggage commercial.

    Your handplaned chamfers really shine in the pics. (you obsessive freak, I mean craftsman)
    Well worth the effort, and I like to believe that they add more character
    than the cold uniformity a router would produce.
    Your free wood and $40 chair program makes you some kinda thrifty hero.
    I agree the tone of your finished chair is terrific.
    It might pass for a couple of other woods.

    To be clear, you punched your mortises right through, but with some
    nasty scalloping... and solved it with mushroom shaped caps.
    Instead of thru tenons, the rails and stretchers have blind tenons?
    And the narrow tenon of the faux caps fits and is glued into the actual thru mortise.
    The larger mushroom head of the caps conceal the perimeter of the thru mortise,
    and in this case, your scallop problem too!
    Nice recovery, worked out great, only you will know...
    and a couple thousand of your closest Creek friends!

    It validates our whole group build concept, to hear you say that this
    was a fantastic experience. I am so glad to hear it, thanks for saying it
    'out loud', and also... I have to agree.
    I know it is early, but let me ask: Would you do a group build again?
    I will soon ask Creekers what project they would wanna group build,
    starting next spring. Maybe kick it off April Fool's Day?
    With our busy lifestyle, I think more lead time would help people plan and prepare.


    Gary it is nice to see your 'sticks' coming together to start to look like something.
    I don't think I mentioned it... but I loved the colour of your ottomans.
    Very deep, rich and enough red to be 'warm'.
    Seeing your pre-stained slats reminded me.
    That is a tricky aspect of typing, you can say too much about one thing,
    while it is on your mind... and neglect to mention other things, which were
    on your mind, but not by the time you sit down to start clacking.

    The quality of your pics has improved, It seems you are getting the hang of it! (what more can we hope in life?)
    Seeing your pics reminded me that I need to put the 1/2" chamfer on the
    top of the front stretcher before assembly.
    I guess that is to relieve the edge to be more comfortable for the back of your legs.
    Your work and shop look so tidy. Makes me feel like a cluttered slob.
    I swear your handplaned surfaces have a glow, and I recall your stained ottos had a clarity that was remarkable.
    I gotta move towards sanding less, for a bunch of reasons.

    Great work guys..... a little wind for my sail.
    be well,
    Walt

    ps oh...Nathan, your little wall cabinet is saweeet!
    Now I wanna drill a hole and see if I can spit through it(?)
    There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going! WCC

    Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Dr. Seuss

    Crohn's takes guts. WCC

  11. #176
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Brush Prairie, WA
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    191
    Yeah, I have to echo Walt's sentiments, Gary. Your organization - both in your pictures/layout and in your shop, make me feel like a slob. But they've inspired me to work a little cleaner. And, as Marc Spagnuolo says, just putting away 5 things every time you take a break REALLY helps out keeping the shop safe and tidy(er). And I admire the stain on your arms as well. Much more dramatic than this Alder, and makes me remember why I enjoy oak so much.

    I was discussing the chair with a sort-of-woodworker friend who said, "Alder? Wow! That's a really 'active' wood to be using in a chair. You've got guts!" I don't yet understand what he means. I hope he's talking through his hat. I'll spend no more time worrying about it.

    Walt: "mushroom-shaped caps"? Naah. They are simply chamfered, flat cutoffs of a slightly larger size than the original tenons. I flush-cut & planed the tenons after a tight assembly, which left me with a fairly solid surface, except with a little scalloping in the seams. Then I capped them with the cutoffs and glued them (very well) and clamped them to sit overnight. I tried to pry one off (again, my propensity for testing sturdiness when I screw up), with no luck. I have the sturdiness of the through-tenon and the looks I couldn't quite achieve in reality, so I'm good with it.

    Yes, I'd happily do another group build. I still have one chair left, the shop ceiling to deal with, and probably some ottomans on the horizon, and some bathroom cabinetry for our master bath, and...the list goes on forever. But the group builds give me a sense of community and get me motivated to get some shop time more than normal. Not sure what I'd suggest next. There's lots of stuff out there, but a lot of things I've already made. Two ambitious projects coming up for me are a classical guitar and a Krenov-style cabinet - I'd like to use the plane he made me last year. But both of those are probably tough for a group build, as plans will be hard to come by for the guitar (volumes, really) and the cabinet won't have plans. Just joinery. Lots and lots of joinery.

    Gary: Time frame for the second chair is the next few weeks, I think. Since it's fresh in my mind, I'd like to get cranking on it. Lots of other stuff to do, but I enjoyed seeing this first one come together so much, I think I'll continue. But, maybe it'll hold off until the rainy season is fully upon us - there's little else to do, then, and I really need the ceiling in the shop before it gets too cold - that heating bill will cost me an arm and part of a leg otherwise. Heck, I dunno. I'll see what striked me. I may start and get into it right away. But, the good thing is most of the parts are machined and lying in a pile, mortises/tenons cut, and the arms are done, so it's probably just a matter of some careful assembly, and may take 1/10th of the time the first did when I was starting from scratch and cutting double sets of everything.

  12. #177
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Red face just a few more bandaids...

    Hi All,
    Thanks to Nathan and David F. for sharing their glue thoughts.
    Before I called WoodCraft, I wanted to rule out operator error on my mudpies.
    After re-reading an oldie but goodie glue thread by the esteemed Bob Smalser,
    I decided I had nothing to lose in trying the resin bond powder again, before
    seeking further remedy. Bob said, if you can mix cocoa, you can mix UF glue.

    David, it was a good thought, but I cannot see the problem being overmixing.
    If the glue had come together at all, I would have stopped mixing.
    I tried the drill paint mixer, due to a Creeker tip I read somewhere.

    It helped me, when you said that you mix it a couple minutes with just a shim.
    I tried again by mixing with a fork in an old yogurt tub.
    The glue came together in 4 minutes, with the nice light brown colour I was expecting.

    I have more questions than answers...
    but despite careful measuring, maybe I made the same mistake David once did- too much water?
    I passed it through a dollar store strainer, and rolled it on with foam.
    I skipped funnel and squeeze bottle, and all went well.
    It took me about 20 minutes to roll 2 coats of glue on both surfaces, align and place 28 clamps.
    I was doing the glue hustle again. Longer open time was helpful.
    Keen eyes might spot the masking tape I put on the jaws that would catch glue drips-UF resists coming off.
    mixed-UF-glue.jpg big-squeeze.jpg

    Since I was planing away QSW oak that I paid for...
    I left the 4 ply arm a little thicker at 1.25 inches total.
    The UF glue showed just a bit of springback, but less than the 1/4" of the white glue from the first arm.
    After laying around in the loft for weeks, the first 3pc bow arm has twisted just a bit.
    (PVA glues remain elastic and can stretch- thus creep)
    4-ply-bow-arm.jpg check-for-twist.jpg

    Taken from rough 8/4" stock, I am hoping for quiet grain on the arm sides.
    It was another detail to fuss over, keeping track of the layers and their orientation.
    I am curious to see how conspicuous the plys will be in the finished arms.
    The thicker 4ply arm is above, and the 3ply arm is below.
    3ply-and-4ply-arms.jpg

    Being away from the shop for a while, my hands had healed of all shop booboos.
    In the first hour back, I bled 3 times, all minor--but from goofy stuff.

    1- I grabbed a clamp by the bar, and the jaw was disengaged, which slid
    and just barely pinched a finger right at the bend, leaving a 3/4" split
    (call it a near miss, with bonus blood)

    2- reaching to lift the form to shift it over, a drip from the hard UF glue had formed a dagger.
    It split deep into a nail, and cut under the nail.
    (my old pal yellow glue never bit me)

    3- Removing a wire edge to finish sharpening a plane blade, I dropped my Mark ll guide.
    By reflex, I caught it into my lap, gashing a pinkie along with a
    bonus deep-V cut. In chef school, I was taught--that a falling knife has NO handle.
    (I knew better, but it happened quick, and was pure instinct)

    All minor stuff, but 3 fresh bandaids and gonna take a while to heal each of them.
    I am sure you know how it is, when you have lots to do with your hands, and they are all banged up.
    I'm not trying to whine, just to amuse you...
    and tell the real story, of how things sometimes go...out in the woodshop.

    So now I am finally unstuck and unsick. I look forward to pushing for some project progress.
    I guess I will make another 4ply arm with the last of my spendy UF glue.
    If I do another chair, I will use the original 3ply arm, and make another the same.

    I gotta admit, knowing that Nathan and David are about to start building their second chairs,
    plus a couple group builders who may be along soon,
    makes me tempted to build another chair too!
    on we roll,
    Walt
    Last edited by Walt Caza; 09-26-2008 at 6:11 PM.
    There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going! WCC

    Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Dr. Seuss

    Crohn's takes guts. WCC

  13. #178
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Windsor, ON
    Posts
    657
    Blog Entries
    3

    Wink kept in the dark, like a mushroom...

    Just to clarify...
    When I refer to mushroom caps, I refer to buttons like GZ made...
    you have a smaller 'stem' tenon, and a larger 'cap' which serves to conceal
    the mortise perimeter. It is not round, but I thought they were kinda mushroom-like.

    I pictured Nathan's faux thru tenons to be similar.
    A tenon 'stem' mounted into the mortise, and a 'cap' which hides the joint.
    Thanks for explaining your one-pc caps, fastened over the flush tenon.

    It seems that Gary uses two different types.
    The button caps which are mushroom shaped, mounted in a square hole
    as pure decoration. (but square, not round)

    And also the faux through-tenons, which are accomplished by making blind tenons, deep into the leg.
    And then, a slightly smaller around mortise, but quite shallow, is cut in the opposite side.
    This is then capped with a single piece, to match the size of the actual blind tenon, to appear
    it poked right through the leg. This cap also roughly resembles a stout, rectangular mushroom.
    That is, in having a smaller 'stem', and a larger 'cap'.

    We have 3 different types of 'caps' in play. Not hard to get confused.
    I'm afraid my mushroom handle thing went over like a lead zeppelin.
    Clear as mud?
    sarry,
    Walt
    There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going! WCC

    Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Dr. Seuss

    Crohn's takes guts. WCC

  14. #179
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
    Posts
    2,702

    Saving a Little Time

    I got a little time in the shop today.

    As I was milling my rails and stiles for the 2 chair seat bottoms
    I altered from the plan just a bit.

    The plan calls for a groove in the rails and a tenons on the stiles.
    As I already had my TS set for the grooves for the rails I stood the
    stiles on edge and put grooves in all the ends of them.
    All the parts for the seats are 1 3/4" so all I did was cut a bunch of
    1" tenons from an extra slat. Perfect width and perfect thickness.

    Morris chair and ottoman 229.jpg Morris chair and ottoman 232.jpg

    I think I had this all done before I could of got the dado set all
    dialed in to do proper tenons. And no clean up by hand to get
    that sweet fit.

    Morris chair and ottoman 231.jpg

    Slats are in the finishing room and tomorrow the seat bottoms
    will go together.


    .

  15. #180
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
    Posts
    2,702

    Getting Close

    Good Day to the Creek!

    Well I am getting closer to having this first chair done. Seems like I have been working on this forever.

    The arms are finally on and I am glad that part is behind me.
    Getting every thing just so was a little challenging but
    in the end it went as planned.

    Morris chair and ottoman 239.jpg

    As I was taking the clamps off I had visions of the arms springing off.
    They seem very solid and the screws and caps may not be added.

    Before the corbels were glued on I put little grooves
    on the back sides to make sure there was no glue runs.
    I raised the blade on the TS 1/16" and marked my start
    and finish of a cut. Stopping just before the ends gives me what I want.

    Morris chair and ottoman 225.jpg Morris chair and ottoman 236.jpg


    My seat bottom is made except for a few filler pieces
    and the back parts are all milled and the slats stained
    and drying.


    Morris chair and ottoman 237.jpg

    With a couple of good nights in the shop this first
    one should be in the bag.
    I don't have a lathe so I will have to buy some dowling
    to attach the back and use as adjusting pins.

    Unless I can talk Nathan in sending me some of those nice walnut pegs...


    .

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