Chair Project in progress*** updated partial glue up***

[Russ Massery]

Hello All, I've been away for awhile mainly My job has kept busy not allowing for shop time.:( I was able to work on these a little in the spring. But it got busy again. So over the last couple of weekend I've been able to get back at it. To start My wood supplier couldn't get enough 8/4 maple I needed for the legs. So after some thought I came up with the idea of laminating strips instead of a solid piece. The table I made for these chairs have walnut accents. So I went with the idea of putting a thin strip of walnut in the middle. So here's a couple of pic's of the glue up and the legs themselves after shaping. I bandsawed them out the attached a template with double faced tape. Then cut them out using a patten cutting bit on the router table.

[Brent Dowell]

I'm liking that laminated strip in the middle. Nice accent pieces.

I know what if feels like to be away from the shop for a while. I've finally been able to spend some time out in mine and it's a great feeling.

Keep us updated on the progress with the pics!

Have you already posted pics of the table you made?

[Rennie Heuer]

Hello All, I've been away for awhile mainly My job has kept busy not allowing for shop time.:( I was able to work on these a little in the spring. But it got busy again. So over the last couple of weekend I've been able to get back at it. To start My wood supplier couldn't get enough 8/4 maple I needed for the legs. So after some thought I came up with the idea of laminating strips instead of a solid piece. The table I made for these chairs have walnut accents. So I went with the idea of putting a thin strip of walnut in the middle. So here's a couple of pic's of the glue up and the legs themselves after shaping. I bandsawed them out the attached a template with double faced tape. Then cut them out using a patten cutting bit on the router table.
I like the look Russ!
BTW, your pictures remind me, I need more clamps.:D

[Russ Massery]

Most likely not on the table. Think i built maybe 3-4 years ago. I'll see if have couple of pic's to post. also I'll try the kept the chair project current.

[Brent Dowell]

I like the look Russ!
BTW, your pictures remind me, I need more clamps.:D

Yeah, and Festools with Festainers.... :D

[larry merlau]

good to hear from ya again russ,, i would fire steve for not keepun ya in wood:) be glad yur busy alot of folks arent!!!!

[Jason Tuinstra]

Russ, good to see a post from you. I'm looking forward to seeing how these chairs turn out. I'm sure it will look good with all the maple goodies you have.

[Russ Massery]

I've build a lot of Arts& Crafts furniture in the past. Some time ago I bought a bench top mortiser. I was never thrill with the machine. After honing the chisels, sharping the insides. I wasn't happy with all the chisel work on the bottom to clean them up. This is were Jason comes in.(you still continue to amaze and inspire me) You working on a shaker chair and was looking for input on the legs I believe. I notice you were using loose tenon joinery. It got me to start thinking in that direction. I only down side I could see was building jig for every application. So after some research I came across the Mortise pal. This couldn't make mortising any easier. Lay out the center lines of you mortise. Center the the indicator marks on the jig. And off you go. Here's few pic of the jig in action. This mortise had to be on 6 degree angle. So I took a couple scraps set them on the sides of of the jig. More to come. Larry good to hear from you again, How's the new shop? Jason,coming out this way again anytime in near future?

[Jim DeLaney]

...After honing the chisels, sharping the insides. I wasn't happy with all the chisel work on the bottom to clean them up...

I like the mortise guide, and it sure seems to do a good job.

But, my question is "Why are you obsessing with cleaning up the bottoms of the mortises you cut with the benchtop machine?" The mortise bottom needs to be a (slight) bit deeper than the length of the tenon - mainly to accommodate excess glue, but also to forego a cross-grain gluing situation. Since it's serving no structural function, it really doesn't need to be all clean and smooth. Leaving them 'as is,' right off the machine works just fine, and I've never had, seen, or heard about , a joint failure from this method.

Just my 2¢ worth...

[glenn bradley]

The chair is coming along great. I agree with Jim about the bottoms of mortises not being structurally significant. I also went with the Mortise Pal and love it. Like the Dowelmax, the MP initially seemed a bit pricey. Once I did some thorough Bench top Mortiser research I came to realize that the MP wasn't much more than a few "good" mortising chisels and you don't have to buy or store the machine.

I just used it last night (http://familywoodworking.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23625&d=1220741326). On anything up to 2" wide, its quick, accurate, repeatable and just a well designed little jig. I also like that you can quickly whip up a good stock of tenon material out of quality scrap and have it on hand in a minimum of storage space. Keep the pics coming. I'm enjoying your progress.

[Russ Massery]

Here's few pics of the table. Jim, You make a good point. Don't know why I obsessed about the bottoms. I didn't care for the mortise that the benchtop machine produced. Setup also was a pain. Glen, I do agree that I found the jig a little pricey. But as you stated it's easy to use, And the tenon stock is plentiful especially in my shop. I have scrap bit full of it. :rolleyes: Well anyways here a few pics of the table.

[allen levine]

nice table, very nice.

[Brent Dowell]

I love that table Russ. Great Job

How thick is the top?

[Toni Ciuraneta]

Great jobs Russ, if you do those things when you don't have time I wonder what you'll do when you have:) A replica or HHMM Queen Victoria ship?:)

[Russ Massery]

Brent, thanks the table is about 1 11/16" I start with boards that were 1 3/4" But by the time I got it flat after glue up that's were it ended up.

Toni, Yes I often wonder what I could accomplish if work didn't get in the way. But no job, No hobby.


This is the last jig I have to show. It's one I came up with to shape the chair backs. After a few attempts of just bandsawing out the back then smoothing them out on the oscillating drum sander. Which I could get them as smooth as I wanted. I came up with this jig. It's based on one out of my shaper book. Then took it over to the shaper cut it half up way then flip it over and did the rest. Then moved the clamps to the other side. And repeated the process. I should be to dry fit the parts tonight may do so assembly tomorrow.

[Russ Massery]

Here's a pic of the chair partially glued up.

[allen levine]

that looks great.

[Stuart Ablett]

Looks like even I could sit on that, and it would survive :D

[larry merlau]

Brent, thanks the table is about 1 11/16" I start with boards that were 1 3/4" But by the time I got it flat after glue up that's were it ended up.

Toni, Yes I often wonder what I could accomplish if work didn't get in the way. But no job, No hobby.


This is the last jig I have to show. It's one I came up with to shape the chair backs. After a few attempts of just bandsawing out the back then smoothing them out on the oscillating drum sander. Which I could get them as smooth as I wanted. I came up with this jig. It's based on one out of my shaper book. Then took it over to the shaper cut it half up way then flip it over and did the rest. Then moved the clamps to the other side. And repeated the process. I should be to dry fit the parts tonight may do so assembly tomorrow.

hey russ how thick was the stock you used for the backs of your chair before you shaped the curve? the shop is doing good seems good to have some room again, and yur lucky to be close to where that jason guy hangs out sometimes:) to bad he went to the west coast.. if you get up my way drop in i will give ya cold one:thumb:

[Russ Massery]

Hey Larry, I started with 1 3/4" stock. Steve is pretty generous with his sawing he sold me them as 7/4. But it was closer to 8/4. I can't remember what the radius of the back was. But I had play with it to get everything to fall together. Still thinking about the finish.