Chair pics

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414
Location
Seguin, TX
These are from a couple years ago, but somebody asked about pics of the mesquite chairs I finished last week. The first two are a set with upholstered seats, the third is of one with a wood seat (like the batch of six I just finished). :thumb:

ch1.jpg


ch2.jpg


wdchair.jpg
 
Out of curiosity did you use a bandsaw to cut out the legs and if so what type if you don't mind? Allen Levine is getting ready to build some chairs and is looking to buy a bandsaw but doesn't know what to get.
 
Out of curiosity did you use a bandsaw to cut out the legs and if so what type if you don't mind? Allen Levine is getting ready to build some chairs and is looking to buy a bandsaw but doesn't know what to get.

hey, dont confuse me with someone that knows what they're doing and has talent.
If my chairs come out 1/4 as nice as those, Id be thrilled.

those are just so pretty and neat, clean looking, nice lines,great back legs.

cant follow that, no way.dont matter what bandsaw I get,
 
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Sure you can. Chairs aren't that hard after the first one... just takes some patience.

The legs are rough cut on the bandsaw and cleaned up with a template and flush-trim router bit. I use the template to finish cut one leg, then use that leg as the template to cut the other leg for a chair. I use a couple spots of hotmelt glue to hold them for routing, then 'gang sand' the front and back surfaces and make the mortise reference marks while they're still attached. Bandsaw is an 18" JET, but I used to use a 14". Nothing special about the saw.

The seat is scooped with a router using a jig that WOOD magazine had in a rocker issue several years ago. I've never been good enough with a grinder to just use that... and with the jig I can get a repeatable scoop for many chairs. Here's a pic of the scoop on a different chair...

seatscoop.jpg
 
I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I still find I lack the fine skills needed to tool wood perfectly everytime. In order to make 6 chairs identical, you have down to where its second nature, just another project incorporating different skill levels youve learned over the years.
Its those skill levels and techniques I still find Im lacking that turn my projects into a bit less than Id want each time. They are improving, but Id kid myself if I thought Id turn out a bunch of chairs, no matter how simple, where each one would be identical and finished the same.
Im not discouraged either, Im in this for the enjoyment of producing anything out of wood. I enjoy the challenges and some of you guys have no clue how much I appreciate the little tidbits of info I get out of you.
 
Ive built 4 or 5 outdoor sets, with chairs and tables.
thats one thing Ive learned, cut all parts , shapes, mortises, all together for same parts if they are identical.
besides getting same cuts, it cuts wasted time.
doesnt mean my skill is any better, but my operating and performance functions are top notch
 
Sure you can. Chairs aren't that hard after the first one... just takes some patience.

The seat is scooped with a router using a jig that WOOD magazine had in a rocker issue several years ago. I've never been good enough with a grinder to just use that... and with the jig I can get a repeatable scoop for many chairs. Here's a pic of the scoop on a different chair...

I'd be interested in a photo of your scoop jig. For me, making the scoop would be the most difficult part of a chair build. I have no talent shaping things freehand and there would definitely be no two chairs the same.:eek::D

I don't even want to remember all the times I've gotten my miter saw setup for cuts then, without thinking, moved the blade to cut a board to length. :eek:

At least you moved the blade to make cut.:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Kirk, if you read this again, regarding a template to flush trim the rear legs.
I made three of them the past 2 days, and I end up scratching them.
I made a template for my outdoor ipe set, and used it, even though it had slight imperfections, its outdoor patio stuff, but this is different.
My question/problem. No matter what I do, I cant seem to get the angle cut smooth on the rear leg without messing up the template. Ill have low spot, a high spot, I sand it out, then I reverse the problem, then its too thin already.

I carefully measured the template using t-squares, 4 foot straight edges, and the lines are perfect, but I cant get a perfect cut freehand using a jig for the turns. or angles. Is there a way around this? Do you use particle board or MDF for templates, make them in one solid piece?
I love your rear legs, the shape....how did you free hand cut that template?
 
Mine is all 'straight' lines even tho there's an angle. I clean up the MDF template on the disc and/or edge sander. If there's an imperfection it's slight... and using the first leg as the template for cutting the second leg and then gang sanding will take care of it. I also put a 1/4" roundover on all the edges, and that can help 'hide' things.
 
I was thinking along those lines, but I wanted to make sure I was going the right direction.
Im going to recut the leg template one more time,
I do understand that cutting them all together will make any slight imperfections blend in, since they all will be the same.
I was thinking of using a 25 degree beveling bit and just making a tiny bevel in all the pieces to match the table legs
 
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