High Chair Project

Darren Wright

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Oh man thats cool, your design takes me back to when my youngest was a tot. We had one like that made in plastic. Its one of the most enjoyable periods of having kids, when they sit at the table and eat with family.
I would add one thing, a metal bar shaped like a handle on front edge with a few colored small balls mounted to it. Makes for great distraction and counting and color teaching.
Saw one once that also folded on half and could go down on floor. Cannot remember what happened to bottom half.Fun times ahead. :)
Check this out its the closest to what i remember
http://www.communityconsignment.ca/Products/509-wooden-high-chair-with-trayplaytable.aspx

Makes for a tv dinner table for kid. :)

Interestingly in searching for this pic i did not see any high chairs with the good old rail and balls wonder what has caused this.....

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Thanks guys, should be a fun project. Have the wood just need to refine the plans and measurements. Dave, thanks again for the tips.

Interestingly in searching for this pic i did not see any high chairs with the good old rail and balls wonder what has caused this.....

Rob, check the safety recall sites, it's a wonder they haven't recalled cool whip lids and Tupperware as endangerment to kids. :)
 
...it's a wonder they haven't recalled cool whip lids and Tupperware as endangerment to kids. :)

In our family, we weren't allowed to play with Tupperware or other kitchen stuff, since they were not toys.

Instead, we got BB guns, compressed air-powered water rockets, lawn darts, and M-80s. :D
 
And this project is finally getting its wings after some short delays. I cut out all of the stock tonight, enough for two chairs.

2014-10-09 17.30.41.jpg

Still need to cut some thin strips to laminate for the table arms, looking like I'll need to cut about 70 or so pieces about 3/32" thick. :eek: So I'm thinking I'll make a jig for this task since I don't have an incra fence like Vaughn.

Thinking about making this one... http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/209/tablesawrippingjig.pdf
 
Gotta love the extruded channels on an after market miter. I started to build the jig above, but then got an idea to use my miter gauge. I had a pack of inline skate bearings left from my cnc build, they come in handy from time to time.

Here's what I came up with, it just bolts on using 1/4-20 bolts, not pretty, but works pretty well.
2014-10-09 19.49.15.jpg2014-10-09 19.49.24.jpg

You set the distance from the blade to the bearing for how thick you want your strips.
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I slid the miter back and clamped it to the table, then
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Then placed my piece between the fence and jig and slid the fence over and locked it down.
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Repeat for each strip, only 60 more or so to do.
2014-10-09 20.05.33.jpg
 
It is working pretty well and don't have such a thin piece stuck between the fence and blade. I need to spend some time tuning up my BS and perhaps I could do them on there using a similar jig, but currently the blade is wandering more than I would like.
 
Brilliant solution, Darren. :thumb: I don't think I'd bother even trying to do rip cuts like that on my bandsaw. It'll never produce as clean of rip cut as my tablesaw. with a good rip blade. If you tablesaw is set up right, those thin strips should be ready for glue and clamps immediately, with no further machining or sanding.
 
Still haven't gotten all my strips cut out, but spent some time getting some tenons turned today. Got the legs done, but still have the seat backs and stretchers to do. Didn't think they turned out too bad for being out of practice. Outside of a couple of practice pieces lately, last time I did any real turning was about 22 years ago.
2014-10-19 17.30.04.jpg 2014-10-19 18.47.23.jpg 2014-10-19 18.59.18.jpg 2014-10-19 19.52.01.jpg

Also got the seats and tables glued up
2014-10-19 17.29.53.jpg
 
I decided to make 2, that way we have one at our house and my daughter will have one when she (eventually) moves out. Told her that her other 11 kids can use it too. :D
 
Seats and Tables are out of the clamps, will get started on them soon.
2014-10-20 19.36.04.jpg

Got the chair back tenons done.
2014-10-20 19.12.05.jpg2014-10-20 19.35.48.jpg

Got the leg stretcher tenons started.
2014-10-20 21.10.12.jpg2014-10-20 21.10.18.jpg

Have this guy waiting on me at the house, need to spend some time with him before tucking him in, so calling it a night. :wave:
cute.jpg
 
Thanks guys.

Got the rest of the tenons turned on the stretchers. The original had round tenons on the seat backs and slats, I'm only doing the uprights where they meet the seat, the rest will be square mortises and tenons.

2014-10-21 21.31.12.jpg

Oh, and a nice surprise in my fortune cookie!
2014-10-21 18.24.59.jpg
 
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