Last year I got a good deal on Marketplace for an assorted stack of white oak planks. I used some of it on the hot tub chair, and will use it on this project, too. They're a bunch of mismatched pieces of various lengths, widths, thicknesses, color, and grain, which isn't ideal, but it has the benefit of being on-hand.
I tackled the longest part first, which is the back stile/front leg, which is about 53" long. I didn't have any lumber wide enough to get one part, let alone two. I didn't have a set of similar grained planks to glue-up a wider blank, plus I didn't want the waste that would result in cutting out the two long, curved parts from a wide blank. Steam bending would have been an option, but I wasn't prepared to go build a steam box. I figured that I could use a single plank if I "curved" it by making a couple diagonal cuts and repositioning the cut sections.
This would yield two scarf joints on each piece and some odd grain transitions, but those transitions should be hidden behind the woven Danish cord on the finished piece. The scarf joints should be plenty strong without reinforcement. I worked out the placement of the cuts on a piece of resin paper that was cut to the same overall size as the plank. I had to make a couple of attempts to get the appropriate angles, but that was the point of using paper first.
The paper template just barely held two tracings of the MDF template, but it was enough. Time to mark the first cut on the plank and make the cut. I used a track saw for that.
The left section was then flipped and re-positioned on the edge of the right piece. Making the curve.
One more scarf to cut for the top of the part.
Double checking the fit before gluing the pieces together.
The curved plank is glued-up and ready to go.
It was more straightforward to position the arm and seat templates on a couple more planks. I selected two planks that were closest in color and grain. Unfortunately, they're not a great match for the back stile plank, but you work with what you've got. It was a tight fit, but I could fit one arm and one seat part on each plank. I couldn't get the ideal grain orientation, but it would do.
With the lumber for the main pieces prepped, I could start to get the parts cut out. That's up next.
Yes, that would have been another option. Probably the ideal option. If I decide to make a 2nd chair later (which has a low probability giving my track record), I would definitely consider doing that. The downside is the waste in making a bunch of thin strips and the kind of nondescript grain pattern of the result.
Just curious why you are not just making two pieces for the arm and back leg like your template? I found an image of an original chair and there appears to be a hinge on that joint -- part of the folding mechanism I suppose. Edit to add: Perhaps that is what the last photo shows?
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
I think those scarfs will work out fine. If the transitions are locates about where the arm/seat cross the change in grain direction will fit right in with the overall curve. Good thinking!
Lazyman commented 41 minutes ago new Just curious why you are not just making two pieces for the arm and back leg like your template? I found an image of an original chair and there appears to be a hinge on that joint -- part of the folding mechanism I suppose. Edit to add: Perhaps that is what the last photo shows?
Hi Nathan, that's exactly my plan - separate arm and seat part that will be Dominoed together to form the rear leg. I think I may have caused confusion with the picture of the templates butted together at the joint. The photo following that one shows how I'll be cutting out the individual arm and seat pieces from the plank.
SplinterGroup commented 28 minutes ago new I think those scarfs will work out fine. If the transitions are locates about where the arm/seat cross the change in grain direction will fit right in with the overall curve. Good thinking!
I'm getting ahead of myself here, but after rough-cutting the back stiles, I laid one of the scraps on the workbench (I recall less than 1/2" across) and used all my weight to try to snap a joint. I couldn't break the wood or the joint.
Nice conservation of lumber. Looking closely at the photo Nathan posted, it looks like the manufacturer good similar steps—it looks like they used two pieces to form the V-shaped seat/arm part (like your template). I see a seam and some sort of rectangular “button” on the inside curve.
That "button" is the barrel of a narrow hinge. A "domino" keeps the parts align when the chair is deployed. It's very clever how it was made to be a folding chair. There's a brass pivot hinge that allows the arm/seat pair to rotate and a brass support bracket that rides under the arm to support it when the chair is deployed. Here is one of the few photos I've ever found of a collapsed chair that reveals some of those details.
You're right, Ron. The folded chair is also attractive and sparks engineering curiosity.
Steve Rasmussen commented about 20 hours ago new I'm curious - how did you clamp the scarf joints during the glue up? It always seems to be a challenge to keep things from sliding out of position.
Hi Steve. I applied glue and positioned the pieces together on the MFT with polyethylene sheet under the glue line, clamped each part individually to the MFT top, then clamps across the joint. Worked like a champ with no sliding.
