Shaping elliptical, curved chair legs

**derekcohen** · 28th December 2023, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by derekcohen
In the end I decided that the result of shaping of a lanination might create something that resembled plywood, and so moved on.

Originally Posted by jack620

Well it kind of does. But it looks like plywood you made rather than bought! Should be a lot stronger than solid too. This jarrah dining chair is 32 years old. You can clearly see that the top piece of the backrest is laminated. But you can barely tell that the vertical pieces are made from 4 strips. I used epoxy to avoid creeping of the glue. It's a lot of work though and I would only do it if there was no other suitable method

.

Thanks Jack. Nice chair!

Linking in as a response to Ian: my preference is a join as a feature for the arm/back connection when using solid wood, than the continous but plywood look of shaped laminations.

I've been advised (by those on an US forum) to forget trying to steam bend Rock Maple. Also reinforced the difficulty in routing the wood without burning. So it is looking like hand shaping will be the way to go.

Why use Rock Maple if it introduced so many difficulties? Well, the table will be largely built from it. And the house is open plan and the dining area is alongside the kitchen, which I built from (Fiddleback) Rock Maple ....

We love the airiness of the colour, along with its durability. The lightness of the wood is set off by the Jarrah floors. I have other pieces I have built in Rock Maple, such as these stools ..

Why is it called Rock Maple? Is this a local name? Those in the USA are more likely to refer to it as Hard Maple.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**ian** · 28th December 2023, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Why is it called Rock Maple? Is this a local name? Those in the USA are more likely to refer to it as Hard Maple.

Hi Derek
My understanding is that Rock Maple is a bit harder than Hard Maple, but the species is the same just that the growing conditions are a little different. Woodworkers in the US -- who haven't worked with Jarrah or other Australian hardwoods -- think Rock Maple is the hardest wood there is. When they are given a piece of Jarrah or another similar hardish Australian wood they frequently compare it to concrete.

Personally, having shaped a piece of easily worked Cherry, I tend to think that US woodworkers are wimps.

**ian** · 28th December 2023, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Spokeshaves....

I recognise most of those, from the top you have
a HNT Gordon ?
what looks to be a L-N made Boggs shave, with Jarrah handles
a Boggs shave with maple (?) handles
what looks to be a Record shave, but the bar across the mouth looks like it might have a radius sole
a Veritas shave

**ian** · 28th December 2023, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Seat shaping ...

I don't recognise these tools.
Derek, can you tell me what they are ?

**derekcohen** · 28th December 2023, 06:08 PM

Ian, the spokeshaves, from top down ...

HNT Gordon (the original design)

LN Boggs straight

LN Boggs curved

Stanley #53 (adjustable mouth)

Veritas LA.

The other two 'shaves are used by shoemakers, and ever so handy for seats. These are not easy to recognose as the handles are cut off (they are too low).

Regards from Perth

Derek

**derekcohen** · 28th December 2023, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by ian

Hi Derek
My understanding is that Rock Maple is a bit harder than Hard Maple, but the species is the same just that the growing conditions are a little different. Woodworkers in the US -- who haven't worked with Jarrah or other Australian hardwoods -- think Rock Maple is the hardest wood there is. When they are given a piece of Jarrah or another similar hardish Australian wood they frequently compare it to concrete.

Personally, having shaped a piece of easily worked Cherry, I tend to think that US woodworkers are wimps.

Janka of Jarrah is 1860 lb/ft

Janka of Rock Maple (also known as Hard Maple) is 1450 lb/ft.

Janka of English Oak is 1120 lb/ft.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Pat** · 28th December 2023, 08:47 PM

Derek, would a segmented pattern bit suffice?

**derekcohen** · 28th December 2023, 09:50 PM

My God, Pat ... that looks vicious!! Not too expensive. Have you, or anyone, experience with one of these diabolical weapons?

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Pat** · 28th December 2023, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

My God, Pat ... that looks vicious!! Not too expensive. Have you, or anyone, experience with one of these diabolical weapons?

Regards from Perth

Derek

I have one, haven't used it yet. I might use it in the spindle moulder, I'm not game to use it in a hand held router.

**auscab** · 28th December 2023, 11:56 PM

I used one a few weeks back hand held in the router to trim 5mm back into side and end grain to get straight edges on this 3.4 x 1.1 table top in 35 mm Oak before its mitred top was fitted. First time I had used it. I couldn't believe how nice the cut was. The end grain shavings pictured were cleanly cut fine and curly.

IMG_4987a.jpg IMG_4953a.jpg IMG_4954a.jpg

Rob

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 29th December 2023, 12:48 AM

Tools aside, I'm curious as to how you intend to approach keeping both sides symmetrical.

It looks as though the cross-section profiles can hardly be called constant... and I suspect that, unlike me, you're not so rustic as to rely on the Mk I eyeball so... lots of templates?

**John Samuel** · 29th December 2023, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by ian

Personally, having shaped a piece of easily worked Cherry, I tend to think that US woodworkers are wimps.

I agree. Sadly, I too am therefore a whimp. When I first started woodworking I used several types of native: rose gum, spotted gum, red gum, and so on. Then I made the mistake of using recycled gum of unknown species. Much of it was high in silica and it did wicked things to my knives. Nowadays I avoid recycled timber and any timber with a density above about 700-800 kg per cubic metre.

I know ... I am a sook and a whimp ... but I an a very happy sook with strong but light furniture and sharp knives.

**Mr Brush** · 29th December 2023, 02:23 PM

Speaking of silica, I used to be keen on Brushbox (I like the colour), for which the best jointer/thicknesser is definitely "Someone Else's"

The stuff absolutely flogs blades.

**derekcohen** · 29th December 2023, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Tools aside, I'm curious as to how you intend to approach keeping both sides symmetrical.

It looks as though the cross-section profiles can hardly be called constant... and I suspect that, unlike me, you're not so rustic as to rely on the Mk I eyeball so... lots of templates?

Skew, I am going to eyeball it ... sort of.

After shaping the leg in plan and morticing ...

Begin with a rectangular section (leg), which is planed with vertical sides. Scribe the mid point of the end grain ends. Make a template for an ellipse and transfer this to the ends. Mark the transitions along the outside of the legs. Plane off the waste progressively.

Do you have another method?

I had hoped to route a quarter round at each corner, and use this as a base to create the ellipse. I will test this out on some scrap.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**jack620** · 29th December 2023, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by auscab

The end grain shavings pictured were cleanly cut fine and curly.

Any router bit that produces shavings instead of a cloud of dust gets my vote. I just ordered one.

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