Thread: The journey of a new project.

Very interesting project. I've pulled up a chair, filled my coffee cup and await the next installation.

I guess a lot of us are like you. usually, a rough sketch to start with and then figure the rest out as we go ... except when we are venturing into new territory, when more detailed planning is required.

Here is a cross post from WoodCentral that some will find interesting:

What I like about the work of Wegner and Maloof is their use of sweeping lines. However there is a flow in The Chair and the Maloof rockers that does not work well in the Maloof chair. It just seems a little busy to me. I had been considering building one for a few years, and even purchased plans.

I envisage building The Chair in a way similar to the methods used by Maloof. Some of it is best done with power tools, such as a router for the mortices and a bandsaw for the rough shaping. Then it will be spokeshaves and scrapers.

The measurements and templates I am building will help get close. And then it is by eye.

Tracing the drawings onto templates ...



Just to show the templates. Which would you saw first, the top or the bottom?



I was advised ...

Cut and fit your joinery first, while you still have reference surfaces.

Cut the concave faces first, because your offcuts will come off in one piece, instead of several. Then tape them back onto your stock (using 3M blue painter's tape, but you knew that) to provide support and reference faces for subsequent cuts, and also to preserve the marks you made from the pattern.

Maloof's bandsaw carving: Sam Maloof: "And that's the arm" - YouTube

Using the bandsaw the way Sam Maloof did is something I just shake my head at. My Hammer 4400 scares me at times as it is so powerful that an unsupported board can be (has been!) ripped out of my hands. A thinner blade than I usually use - 1/4" rather than 1/2" - may help. Sam's looks like 1/4".

The issue of joinery first or later is one that I have been thinking about for some time.

The given for most joinery is to work/mark from a reference side. The joinery here is (1) mortices in the round legs and arms, (2) tenons on the stretches, and (3) finger joints on the chair back/arms.

The mortices on the legs will be cut after the legs are turned. I could do this before (have done this in the past), but I am concerned the wood will chip out too much even with the mortice plugged with a filler piece. Further, there are intersecting mortices, and these are not at right angles. In fact I will only be sure of the second angle when there are parts to fit together.

The reason for a router for the mortices is that the tenons are haunched, that is, the mortices will have two depths each. That is difficult to chop accurately. Of course I could use a different joint, but I did want to explore what Wegner designed.

Here is the mortice and tenon joinery used on The Chair (stills taken from the video):

Tenon ...



Mortice ...



Tenon into mortice ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

Today I won an auction for an original Wegner The Chair. These were made under license in Australia for a short while in the 1960's. The price was low, so I am feeling quite pleased. This is a solid seat, in Tasmanian Blackwood and Teak.

I am going to put any sawing on hold until it arrives so I can check the measurements I have. It is on the other side of Oz, and will take a few weeks to get here (I have to arrange shipping).

Now I will have a proper model to compare to. That should make a very big difference. Importantly, I shall have the seating to explore first hand.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I will be watching this work in progress. Could I ask why this chair? Does it have to be exact copy?

Hi Christos

It doesn't have to be an exact copy - I doubt anyone could do that - but I would like to get close. Partly it is the challenge and partly it is homage to the designer.

Regards from Perth

Derek