6 Attachment(s)
Post & Rung Chair Version 01
I have just completed my first post & rung greenwood chair version 01 in Chestnut and Oak. 100% done by hand, no turning, no sawing, or machining.
Attachment 342079 Attachment 342080 Attachment 342081
The objective for this version was to work through some of the problems and process of making a post & rung greenwood chair. I was not overly concerned with fit and finish. Rather it gave me the opportunity to work on dimensions and proportions. While allowing me to play with the process of bending wood. I formed a crude former to bend the top of the legs. While the curve is comfortable, it is not visually pleasant. It bends to high and to abruptly.
I did not have a steam box for bending the rear leg, so I simply boiled them in a large stock pot for 20 minutes.
I also played with bending the back slats. Initially I boiled them in water, however I found that it was not really necessary, by bending the slat by hand one way then flipping it over and bending it the other way I was able to curve the slat a tip I got from Michael Fortune. I used a large old pot as the former. To over bend the slat before allowing them relax. It did not to work consistently, the top slat retained a nice bend the bottom flattened out to much. I think I did not leave it in wrapped around the pot long enough.
I have been going backwards and forwards between dimensions provided by Jenny John Alexander here and Brian Boggs here. I found the Jenny John Alexander dimensions are way to small, I ended up adding a good 100mm or 4" to what Jenny John Alexander had for the seat dimensions. Even then I feel that it was a touch to small. I used the 35mm diameter of Jenny John Alexander for the rear legs but the Brian Boggs dimension of 42mm diameter for the front leg. I prefer the 42mm. The problem with the Jenny John Alexander 35mm is that the tenon is just 25mm deep and the tip auger bit come out the other side of the leg. The rails are 16mm tenons and 20mm thick in the middle. I used chestnut for the bottom rails, but opted for oak for the top rails for strength, as advised by Boggs.
A few things learned:
The chestnut is great to split and work with however it is not that visual exciting. Next time I will get another Oak log or Ash.
The slats need to be dried bone dry before fitting to the mortice. Otherwise you get gaps top and bottom.
Attachment 342076
The transition on the rear legs is not the best, next time I will try a less drastic transition. Out of interest I used the drawknife bevel down to form the transition.
Attachment 342077
I stuffed up the drilling of the holes, I drilled one side correct however the other is FUBAR (fuucckkeed up beyond all recognition/repair/reason). One side is square the other side has the correct flared angel. Structurally it is fine, visually it just looks a little odd.
Attachment 342075
I did not have any means to form perfect 16mm or 5/8" tenons, it took some effort with the spokeshave and file to make the tenons 0.25mm bigger then the mortice. I have been using a Chinese made auger bit, it is supposed to be 16mm but it makes 16.6 mm holes, so me tenons had to be 16.85mm. I have secured an old 5/8" auger bit to fit a bit brace and I will be purchasing a 5/8" Veritas tenon cutter for the next chair.
The seat is weaved using Fiber Rush, Bunnings happened to have some in the gardening section. I do not like, it because it is twisted it always wants to twist itself into knots. I want to play with some non traditional materials, next time.
The front legs and the rear legs are fitted without glue, however the side rungs are glued. I want to see how and or if it fails.
Failure is the greatest teacher. I have enough chestnut left for seven more post & rung chairs. So stay tuned for version 02.
Next I have to work on my formers as well as getting a steamer up and running.