There is only so much that can be conveyed in still images. In this most recent rocker, I was striving to create motion, in both the lines of the chair, but also in the actual wood. Folks who have tried it out have all commented on the gentle "give" of the back. I have wanted to build a chair that had the flex of a combback, but without the arm passing across the back.
The ability to match the curve of the back is only part of the challenge. If the chair works only in a single position, the sitter will soon become fatigued and need to shift. I found that the added dimension of flexibility can help create comfort while the sitter takes on a number of positions, because the weight distribution of the sitter actually reforms the shape of the chair. It may sound obvious, cushioned chairs do it all the time (often with too much "give"), but we're talking about a wooden chair here, and by using split wood, shaved along the fiberline, I think that the challenge of making a "hard" chair "soft" is met.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Results
Here is the new rocker fully assembled and ready to fume. I am sure that you'll recognize many of my influences in it.
Here it is after a couple of days in the fuming chamber (shown below) with some janitorial strength ammonia. I should say that anyone attempting this should be careful to avoid the fumes. I did this by hoisting the cover up to the roof of my barn with a pulley while standing away from the area. This way the fumes could dissipate safely.
I removed the chair from the chamber and oiled it, only to realize that I wanted it darker, so I put it back in the chamber and the color continued to shift despite the oil. I am very pleased at the way that the oak and the butternut changed colors so similarly. It looks like the whole chair is made from one type of wood.
This shot shows the thin spindles. They have just enough give.
One of the most lovely qualities of the fuming is the way in which it accentuates the rays. I oriented the crest and spindles to show this. I like the way that it looks like a scribbled drawing that catches the light. I guess that there is still a painter in me somewhere.
Here is the chamber that I built. It is a simple box made from 1"X 2" and 2"X 2" lumber covered with plastic. I cut a hole in the plastic about 3 inches square and covered it with clear packing tape to create a window so that I could judge the progress.
I am looking forward to playing so more with this method of coloring the wood. The clarity of the grain (especially in the seat), and the deep colors add a lot.
Here it is after a couple of days in the fuming chamber (shown below) with some janitorial strength ammonia. I should say that anyone attempting this should be careful to avoid the fumes. I did this by hoisting the cover up to the roof of my barn with a pulley while standing away from the area. This way the fumes could dissipate safely.
I removed the chair from the chamber and oiled it, only to realize that I wanted it darker, so I put it back in the chamber and the color continued to shift despite the oil. I am very pleased at the way that the oak and the butternut changed colors so similarly. It looks like the whole chair is made from one type of wood.
This shot shows the thin spindles. They have just enough give.
One of the most lovely qualities of the fuming is the way in which it accentuates the rays. I oriented the crest and spindles to show this. I like the way that it looks like a scribbled drawing that catches the light. I guess that there is still a painter in me somewhere.
Here is the chamber that I built. It is a simple box made from 1"X 2" and 2"X 2" lumber covered with plastic. I cut a hole in the plastic about 3 inches square and covered it with clear packing tape to create a window so that I could judge the progress.
I am looking forward to playing so more with this method of coloring the wood. The clarity of the grain (especially in the seat), and the deep colors add a lot.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Staying Flexible
As I set out to design my recent rocker, I did my best to refine and refresh my goals as a chairmaker. It's easy to get caught in preconceptions and force of habit, so staying flexible has become a primary goal.
One of the parts of chairmaking that I love is shaving wood at the shavehorse. Sitting quietly as I follow the fibers and form shapes is a real joy. My recent rodbacks have fulfilled a great deal of my aesthetic curiousities, but have pulled me too far from the shavehorse (and towards the lathe).
The shaving is also the key to unlocking the amazing strength and flexibility of the wood. It seemed like focussing myself back at the shavehorse might be fun as well as an asset to the comfort of the chair.
I spent a lot of time looking at other chairs of many styles, and found myself captivated by the ladderbacks that I saw in John Alexander's book Make a Chair From a Tree.
In his book, John shows how far a chair can be trimmed down to essentials. For instance, his slats are less than a quarter of an inch thick! Well, that got me thinking.
So this recent chair is all about flexible wood.
As you'll see, many of the elements of the ladderback have found their way into this piece. Below is the joint where the crest and stiles come together. I have borrowed the square mortise (boy is that fun to chop) and the square pegs. I also found that the relief along the front thins the stile out enough to create a lot of "give".
Here is the spindles in their rough form. They are just below 3/8ths of an inch thick. I shave, steam and bend them. Then, I form the tenon at the bottom and go about refining them.
What you see above are the arcing lines that define the locations of the details. The bottom line is where the spindle is relieved on the front and back from around 1/2 inch to 3/8ths inch. The next mark up is where the width of the spindles flares to 1 1/16 inch wide. And the top mark is where the spindles begin to taper to the 3/8 inch top. The effect is subtle but creates a more visually interesting field than keeping them all uniform and also give the widest support to the part of the spindle that bears the most weight.
I'll be showing the assembled chair soon. By forming a curved back, out of thin pieces, the top of the chair is extremely comfortable and capable of forming to the sitter, while offering good support. I think this one might even usurp my trusty continuous arm rocker as "my chair" in the living room!
One of the parts of chairmaking that I love is shaving wood at the shavehorse. Sitting quietly as I follow the fibers and form shapes is a real joy. My recent rodbacks have fulfilled a great deal of my aesthetic curiousities, but have pulled me too far from the shavehorse (and towards the lathe).
The shaving is also the key to unlocking the amazing strength and flexibility of the wood. It seemed like focussing myself back at the shavehorse might be fun as well as an asset to the comfort of the chair.
I spent a lot of time looking at other chairs of many styles, and found myself captivated by the ladderbacks that I saw in John Alexander's book Make a Chair From a Tree.
In his book, John shows how far a chair can be trimmed down to essentials. For instance, his slats are less than a quarter of an inch thick! Well, that got me thinking.
So this recent chair is all about flexible wood.
As you'll see, many of the elements of the ladderback have found their way into this piece. Below is the joint where the crest and stiles come together. I have borrowed the square mortise (boy is that fun to chop) and the square pegs. I also found that the relief along the front thins the stile out enough to create a lot of "give".
Here is the spindles in their rough form. They are just below 3/8ths of an inch thick. I shave, steam and bend them. Then, I form the tenon at the bottom and go about refining them.
What you see above are the arcing lines that define the locations of the details. The bottom line is where the spindle is relieved on the front and back from around 1/2 inch to 3/8ths inch. The next mark up is where the width of the spindles flares to 1 1/16 inch wide. And the top mark is where the spindles begin to taper to the 3/8 inch top. The effect is subtle but creates a more visually interesting field than keeping them all uniform and also give the widest support to the part of the spindle that bears the most weight.
I'll be showing the assembled chair soon. By forming a curved back, out of thin pieces, the top of the chair is extremely comfortable and capable of forming to the sitter, while offering good support. I think this one might even usurp my trusty continuous arm rocker as "my chair" in the living room!
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