In March I worked for a few days on a chair as a design study, hoping I would find some interest in the future to build a few of them. Initially the chair components were welded together, but for shipping purposes I decided to change it to a bolted construction. Last week I was asked by a friend to build four chairs for his dining room after he visited the shop and saw the sample. He is a woodworker and will fabricate and supply the wooden seat and applied back, made from solid black walnut. I started cutting components for the first chair last Saturday, just to make sure everything fits and bolts together as planned. After a successful assembly, I cut parts of the other three chairs. Here are some images of the process! Enjoy!
After changing the components in CAD for a bolted construction, and programing it in the cutting software, I cut the parts for the first chair.
Parts after grinding to clean off any dross and ready for bending.
The process worked great in the past, so I did it again!
What a rubber mallet can do!
All the other parts after cutting and grinding!
All components after bending them on my welding table. At some point I will have a metal brake to do this more efficiently!
The next step was welding all the felt pad plates in place at the bottom of the chair legs.
Here is a picture of the inside!
The stops in my welding table ensure all parts are bolted together nice and square.
Having custom stops made with different diameters, allow spacing in 1/4″ increments between the stops.
After having assembled the front and back portions of the chair base, all that was left was fastening the sides to get the bases completed.
A friend with a slip roller was helping we to get the curved backs bent all to the same radius. Another piece of equipment that I would love to have! Will it ever end???
Here are the chair bases completely bolted together.
A closeup of the outside of a corner joint.
And the inside!
Here is the backside of the chair, ready to receive the walnut seat and applied back.
