The Curved Stretchers

One of the more interesting challenges of the recent settee was the curved undercarraige. I thought that it might be good to detail the process a bit.




As you can see in the photo above, I made two forms, based on the centerline of the curve and then cut them to accomodate the shape of the already turned stretchers. I developed the curve by setting a string from one outer stretcher (already assembled) to the other and noting the distance to the middle of the center stretcher, which fell a few inches behind the string due to the curve of the seat.

With this information, I had the 3 critical points needed and proceed to draw what I felt was a pleasing curve. I was careful after steaming the stretchers to clamp so that the clamps wouldn't compress the softened fibers, remembering that there isn't the usual extra material to shave away.



The fact that I nailed it on my first try tells me that the process must be somewhat forgiving, which is good, because I didn't have time for a second shot before the photos were due.

This process is a great example of why I enjoy making chairs this way. If you can imagine it, the means of getting the job done are usually quick and direct. If freedom and immediacy are the goals, Windsor and green wood technology have a lifetime of options to offer.

Studio Shots

Here are the studio photos that I had taken of the Rodback Settee. It is such a transformation to see it in the studio lighting!



Hopefully it's obvious why black was the wrong color for this piece. I am especially happy with the results of the curved stretchers. A little full scale drawing and a couple of forms and it wasn't as difficult as I had expected. A small design note, the curved stretchers enter the middle stretcher at about 2 degrees, just enough to keep the curve flowing.



It's interesting that the most comments that I've received in a while come on the heels of a milk paint posting. It just goes to show that the finish is not just a final step, but a make or break moment with some distinct perils due to the touchy nature of milk paint.



In answer to some of the questions. I stripped the settee to bare wood on all the parts except for those that I had previously scraped, which I simply rescraped (namely the tops of the arms and the seat). By repeatedly wiping hot water on the pieces, one section at a time, being very careful not to flood the joints, I was able to loosen the paint. Then I carefully washed the area down with a wet gray scotchbrite pad and then dried it thoroughly.

I am very concerned with the appearance of the pine seat, so I carefully scraped it to bare wood. It is important not to reduce the paint to a wet mess and then expect it to reharden into any solid finish, that is why I brought it all to bare wood (although with a slightly pinking tone from the red). I also wanted to avoid having any remnants showing through the translucent light green.

To mix my paint, I simply shook it up in a jar and added the anti foaming agent. From this jar, I poured a smaller amount into a cup and painted the settee. At the end of the day, I poured what was left in the cup back into the jar. The next day, I shook it up again, without stirring up the muck at the bottom, and once again poured it off into a small cup. It was nice that the muck stayed in the larger jar and the anti foaming agent took care of the bubbles. According to the Real Milk Co. web site, the anti foaming agent does help the particles dissipate into the paint, and from my small experience, this seems reasonably accurate.

Thanks for the questions, remember, when it comes to milk paint, we're all in this together!

Stringing Up

Back in Manhattan, I shared a tiny shop with the luthier (guitar maker) Justin Gunn on fifth street. He was an important influence on my choice to use hand tools and make chairs. I used to watch him doing the equivalent of magic with wood and a few basic tools and realized that I must seek out an object and skill that could transform the raw material as dramatically. I was reminded of him today as I fit the spindles one by one into the back of the settee. He never bothered to string up a guitar until the last coat of finish was dry, because the sound wouldn't be the same. It was a bit of delayed gratification that I couldn't believe.




Today, as the spindles found their homes, I got to see more of the finished piece and even sit in it to assess the comfort. Strangely enough, a chair is always more comfortable to me after the finish is complete. Perhaps the reduced friction allows me to slide into the chair more naturally. Even so, I was quite happy with the comfort and am trying to channel some of Justin's patience in waiting to truly string it up.

And then some more

Today was very eventful in the shop, to say the least. I got the bar "chair" assembled and did the major joinery on the rodback settee. It takes a lot of focus to pull these joints off, and looking back on the day, I can't believe that I chose to do them all. And I haven't had coffee in over a week!



Anyway, I think it is really taking shape, and I like it. Lately I have been working without drawings, which for me is relatively new. I think that steeping myself in the rodback as I have lately is paying off as the choices seem rather natural. My last hurdle before getting it together will be the curved undercarriage. Sure, I could have just used straight stretchers, but it would have been a shame not to echo the seat shape.



This image starts to hint at the volume of the piece. I look forward to seeing the spindles in there. Next I'll be shaping the arms, finishing the spindles and getting ready to knock it all together.

So Far

It seemed like the carving of the curved settee seat was a good candidate for a photo essay. I have been saving this design, and the wood for the seat for a special occasion, so documenting the progress has been rather natural. The tools that I mention are used to arrive at the stage pictured immediately beneath.



Here is the adze work. You can still make out the kerf that I made with a circular saw to define the depth of carving.



Here is the result of the inshave. I only work to remove and refine the adze work, preferring to let the travisher do the majority of the surfacing.



The surface below has been shaved with the travisher. It is a fast and consistent way to hog off material and leave a uniform surface.



Finally the spokeshaves and even a block plane come in to smooth the surface.




Here is the piece as it stands now, all the parts are made and the bent parts, such as the curved stretchers seen in clamps, are drying. I will hopefully get the whole thing together on Monday after the parts have thoroughly dried. Until then, there are lots of spindles to shave.