Thread: WIP 15th Century Chair

Look forward to seeing some pictures of your WIP

Some starting pics, one of the slabs I'll use and some rough cut legs.

SB

I also look forward to seeing pictures of your WIP SB. It should look good when its all finished.

Watching with interest, like the idea.

Originally Posted by Al B

I also look forward to seeing pictures of your WIP SB. It should look good when its all finished.

Cool!

Just wondering... d'ya reckon the original legs were cut, or steam bent?

Mind that spotted gum is a greasy timber and not easy to glue. I recommend you use use mortice and tenon joints and reinforce the joints with double dowels using the draw bore pinning method of pulling up the joints. That saves you from the disappointment of glue joint failures and will be more appropriate for a 15th century furniture. If this sounds too hard, there is a glue designed for greasy wood.... AV260. It is a modified pva and uses an additive of a sulphuric acid derivative. I have used that successfully on black bean. Good luck
Jim

Thanks for the advice, more pics to enjoy.

SB

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Cool!

Just wondering... d'ya reckon the original legs were cut, or steam bent?

I also wonder whether there is any danger of the legs splitting along the grain, if the curves are cut, rather than the legs being steam bent or laminated. But I have no experience of spotted gum; maybe it is resistant to splitting along the grain.

Rocker

Originally Posted by Rocker

I also wonder whether there is any danger of the legs splitting along the grain, if the curves are cut, rather than the legs being steam bent or laminated. But I have no experience of spotted gum; maybe it is resistant to splitting along the grain.

Rocker

The original plans say use a hardwood and cut them. I have looked at many on the internet and they appear from what I can see to all be cut. You just try and break one of these legs, I've given it a go and failed. The inherent strength seems to me to come from the fact there are 12 of them all helping to spread and support the load as someone sits on it. We'll know when I've finished and used it.

SB

watching with great interest

cheers
Wendy

Originally Posted by Rocker

I also wonder whether there is any danger of the legs splitting along the grain, if the curves are cut, rather than the legs being steam bent or laminated. But I have no experience of spotted gum; maybe it is resistant to splitting along the grain.

That's exactly what I was wondering, too. Great minds? Or fools?

Originally Posted by Superbunny

The original plans say use a hardwood and cut them. I have looked at many on the internet and they appear from what I can see to all be cut. You just try and break one of these legs, I've given it a go and failed. The inherent strength seems to me to come from the fact there are 12 of them all helping to spread and support the load as someone sits on it. We'll know when I've finished and used it.

Somehow I suspect that the original plans - as in back in the 15th century - probably were steamed. But you're right; the load being shared by so many legs means it should be fairly strong.

Just be careful about who you get to test it... my late BIL could - and did - break the best of chairs just by dropping his fat backside into 'em.

Looking good , interesting project!

Nice project. According to my Judith Miller book that style is a 'Caquetoire' or 'Gossip Chair'.