3(ish) chairs

[ro]

I've just finished off two chairs and a stool. I'm still working on the designs of these, this is the second iteration of the high back chair and stool, and the third iteration of the side chair.

I'd be very interested in any criticism of the designs, as I am getting happier with them, but there's still work to do!
All 3 are in ash and sycamore and finished in shellac and a hemp oil/beeswax mixture.

The back of the side chair is the part that I am least happy with, but it is very comfortable!

The seat is saddled from front to back only (I finally got round to following El Barto's recommendation and purchasing a travisher from the Windsor Workshop - wow, what a great tool).

The High stool has legs that taper down to the last third and then are straight down from there. I'm unsure about the stretcher between the two front legs though, maybe I should go octagonal with this too...

Seriously loving the texture that the travisher leaves behind.

The high back chair has a steam bent arm. I only had kiln dried ash available, so making that was fun! After 2 failed attempts, I soaked this one in water for 2 days before steaming it, it bent like a dream and I think that it give the chair a lighter feel than my previous sawn arms did.

While I was saddling the seat I uncovered a flaw and insect hole, but it doesn't seem like it will come out and adds a bit of character :roll: . Does anyone know what this is? And was I wrong to leave it in?

Thanks for looking, and please let me know what you think! Any opinions are gratefully received.

 

[xy mosian]

Hi ro,
I like the stool although I could imagine the front stretcher annoying some users it is difficult to think of a better solution, for me anyway.
The arm in your high back looks better than my sawn version.

In fact the whole chair look lighter. Well done on the steam bending, that long soak appears to have sorted some problems.
Like you somehow I find the side chair slightly unsettling to look at, but if is comfortable then fine. Perhaps losing the back corners might help?
Great work, xy.

 

[tony_s]

Funny, because the side chair is the one I like best; it wears its traditional credentials well and yet there is something contemporary about it. For me, I'd like to see the seat even more squared off (which I appreciate some might find clumsy ) and maybe 5 rather than 4 vertical spars (for want of the correct term ). Having said that, it's approaching perfection as is. Fantastic!

 

[MikeG.]

I've just finished off two chairs and a stool.......I'd be very interested in any criticism of the designs, as I am getting happier with them,......please let me know what you think! Any opinions are gratefully received.

OK, you asked for it!!

The high back one looks excessively tall, and this makes the raised part look flimsy. If you picked it up by its top rail it looks as though it would flop and waggle about, and wouldn't last many years. It also looks like the top rail would be at head height, and not many people rest their heads on the back of a chair, particularly if it is a solid piece of wood. Take 6 or 9 inches off the height and I'd have nothing much to say other than "well done, nice chairs"....which they are.

 

[Halo Jones]

I really like these, especially the stool. From the pictures I really like the high back but I would have to reserve final judgement until I sat in it! I also think the flaws in the chair seat of the last one add a lot of character.

 

[DTR]

They look brilliant!! =D> =D>

(and yours too, XY)

 

[ro]

OK, you asked for it!!

Yes, yes I did :roll: but I trust you all to be nice...

The high back one looks excessively tall, and this makes the raised part look flimsy. If you picked it up by its top rail it looks as though it would flop and waggle about, and wouldn't last many years. It also looks like the top rail would be at head height, and not many people rest their heads on the back of a chair, particularly if it is a solid piece of wood. Take 6 or 9 inches off the height and I'd have nothing much to say other than "well done, nice chairs"....which they are.

Um, yeah. So, you're completely right! It needs to lose at least 6 inches off the back. I held a spare crest at that height and it looks so much better, more "solid" and nowhere near as flimsy!

Funny, because the side chair is the one I like best; it wears its traditional credentials well and yet there is something contemporary about it. For me, I'd like to see the seat even more squared off (which I appreciate some might find clumsy ) and maybe 5 rather than 4 vertical spars (for want of the correct term ). Having said that, it's approaching perfection as is. Fantastic!

Thanks I'll try a mockup seat with a bigger radius at the back (which should square it off a bit more).

I see what you mean about going to 5 "spars" too, but i worry that having a spar in the center of the back will be uncomfortable on the sitter's spine. What do you think?

I like the stool although I could imagine the front stretcher annoying some users it is difficult to think of a better solution, for me anyway.

The stretcher is actually quite nice to rest your feet on. I tried sitting on it before I added the stretcher and found my feet were constantly searching for something to rest on. Probably as it is quite tall.

The arm in your high back looks better than my sawn version.

Those are some good looking chairs. How long ago did you make them?

Like you somehow I find the side chair slightly unsettling to look at, but if is comfortable then fine. Perhaps losing the back corners might help?

So, this is the opposite of Tony's suggestion! I'm going to have to make up two mockup seats and see which I like more.

Thank for all the help 8)

 

[xy mosian]

I like the stool although I could imagine the front stretcher annoying some users it is difficult to think of a better solution, for me anyway.

The stretcher is actually quite nice to rest your feet on. I tried sitting on it before I added the stretcher and found my feet were constantly searching for something to rest on. Probably as it is quite tall.

Ah I didn't register the greater height of the stool. The foot rest makes good sense in that case.

The arm in your high back looks better than my sawn version.

Those are some good looking chairs. How long ago did you make them?

These were made in 2005. My brother, in France, asked me to make a Winsor chair from local materials while on holiday. Well I managed it but although comfortable it really is quite poor. Still I was grabbed and picked up a copy of John Brown's book from which these two come.

Like you somehow I find the side chair slightly unsettling to look at, but if is comfortable then fine. Perhaps losing the back corners might help?

So, this is the opposite of Tony's suggestion! I'm going to have to make up two mockup seats and see which I like more.

Thank for all the help 8)

Ah design by committee . Still good on you for getting on with it and keeping the energy and enthusiasm going.