G.T. Labs

Sequential art (or, how I spent the week after Thanksgiving)

Well, maybe “art” is too much to claim, but this was last week’s craft project, anyway. It’s called “Modern Windsor Rocking Chair.” (No subtitle.)

All 10 of the back pieces were a fresh-cut white oak log on Monday, and like the arms and seat — red oak and pine, respectively — were shaped by hand. The arm and leg spindles are maple and a few of the pins are poplar.

My hands are still sore, but we have a new place to sit and I’m amazed at what’s possible in seven days. Long days, for sure, but it all came together. Plenty of finishing work to do still, but it’s already an actual chair you can sit in, and is quite comfortable.

Luke at LongLiveWood.org is an excellent and patient teacher, and attracts students from all over the world to take his classes. And well he should. Recommended!

Splitting timber.
Splitting timber.
Sitting at the shaving horse, making big pieces of wood smaller
Sitting at the shaving horse, making big pieces of wood smaller.
The scent of fresh oak was lovely.
The scent of fresh oak was lovely.
The uprights, rough shaped but not yet steam bent. (A draw knife, my best friend for the week, is off to the right.)
The uprights, rough shaped but not yet steam bent. (A draw knife, my best friend for the week, is off to the right.)
And now the back/headrest, also rough shaped and unbent. (I was bending, though!)
And now the back/headrest, also rough shaped and unbent. (I was bending, though!)
Raw spindles.
Raw spindles.
In the forms after steaming.
In the forms after steaming.
This will become a seat? Really?
This will become a seat? Really?
Layout. I tended to get too precious with this, which was a bit of a waste of time given what comes next, but you can't carve the engineer+librarian out of me.
Layout. I tended to get too precious with this, which was a bit of a waste of time given what comes next, but you can’t carve the engineer+librarian out of me.
You start by making a place for your butt... Note all the holes, all of which are at weird double angles: 26.5deg, 17deg, etc. Drilling freestyle was THRILLING, but did use a laser, a bevel gauge, and a prayer (in order of tech sophistication) to do so w/o a jig. Got 'em all within tolerance, to my shock.
You start by making a place for your butt… Note all the holes, all of which are at weird double angles: 26.5deg, 17deg, etc. Drilling freestyle was THRILLING, but we did use a laser, a bevel gauge, and a prayer (in order of tech sophistication) to do so w/o a jig. Got ’em all within tolerance, to my shock.
7/8" down at its deepest, swooping up.
7/8″ down at its deepest, swooping up.
A travisher and a scorp. (Not shown: spokeshaves.)
A travisher and a scorp. (Not shown: spokeshaves.)
There are the spoke shaves! And a kinda sorta seat shape.
There are the spoke shaves! And a kinda sorta seat shape.
Okay, I'm done. (Okay, I'm not.)
Okay, I’m done. (Okay, I’m not.)
Bent and smoothed uprights.
Bent and smoothed uprights.
Holy #$%&, they fit and are vaguely symmetrical!
Holy #$%&, they fit and are vaguely symmetrical!
Armrest blanks. As with a few other parts, the rough shaping was done on a bandsaw (which I'm lousy at). Unlike other parts, you cut these along two sides, taping the pieces back together after the first cut so you can end up with a piece that's curved in two dimensions. Again, harrowing.
Armrest blanks. As with a few other parts, the rough shaping was done on a bandsaw (which I’m lousy at). Unlike other parts, you cut these along two sides, taping the pieces back together after the first cut so you can end up with a piece that’s curved in two dimensions. Again, harrowing.
Kinda sorta how we got to the previous step. These aren't my pieces. The tear out there caused concern for one of the other students, but as with so many things, our teacher Luke said "Don't WORRY about this. It'll be fine, you'll see." (We did worry, but we also did see in the end.)
Kinda sorta how we got to the previous step. These aren’t my pieces. The tear out there caused concern for one of the other students, but as with so many things, our teacher Luke said “Don’t WORRY about this. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.” (We did worry, but we also did see in the end.)
Arms shaped, drilled, and spindles fitted.
Arms shaped, drilled, and spindles fitted.
The uneven, blocky, square, ugly but now curved back spindles.
The uneven, blocky, square, ugly but now curved back spindles.
Not something you'd want against your back.
Not something you’d want against your back.
And 30 (or so) minutes later, something you might be okay with resting against.
And 30 (or so) minutes later, something you might be okay with resting against.
Fast forward through more bandsawing, dimensioning to 1/1000", and sanding to an exact 10degree bevel, the rockers are now on and pinned. (I didn't take many photos of the final assembly. Things happen fast once you're gluing.) I promise that there was more harrowing drilling from underneath — you really needed a good spotter for that, since the headrest isn't much larger than the drill holes... ...and at this point, Luke's "It'll be fine" gave way to "Don't mess this up, because I can't help you recover from a mistake here." Thanks.
Fast forward through more bandsawing, dimensioning to 1/1000″, and sanding to an exact 10degree bevel, the rockers are now on and pinned. (I didn’t take many photos of the final assembly. Things happen fast once you’re gluing and wedging.) I promise that there was more harrowing drilling from underneath — you really needed a good spotter for that, since the headrest isn’t much larger than the drill holes…
…and at this point, Luke’s “It’ll be fine” gave way to him saying “Don’t mess this up, because I can’t help you recover from a mistake here.”
Thanks.
All of these pieces have to go in at the exact same time, so you torque and bend and squeak to fit. Have I said harrowing before?
All of these pieces have to go in at the exact same time, so you torque and bend and squeak to fit. Have I said harrowing before?
Again with the Holy &^%$! They fit and are aligned.
Again with the Holy &^%$! They fit and are aligned.
Again, fast forward. This time all the way home, with all the spindles glued in the bottom, slotted in the top, wedges driven into every support, and pins added to the head rest.
Again, fast forward. This time all the way home, with all the spindles glued in the bottom, slotted in the top, wedges driven into every support, and pins added to the head rest.
The end.
The end.