Handy Chart

I found this handiest of handy charts on WoodMagazine.com. Good to hang a copy next to the router station as a quick reminder. Always worth double checking which side of the router to put the template V's an edge guide. There's more explanation in the article here.

Further Explorations.

I started doodling in my sketch book, and a computer drawing, and playing with some lines on a piece of 1/4" mdf. I'd like to come away with a reading lamp in the end, we'll just have to see what materialises.

Try cross cut this load without a sliding table, 2' X 8'. Cutting some chunks of 3/4" mdf for a bent lamination form.

Laminating the chunks of mdf together for a 1.5" form in my makeshift press. I've tried explaining to my glue-up buddy that it's not possible to read and glue stuff at the same time. Voracious bookworm.

Using the 1/4" mdf female pattern and a template guide on the plunge router to rout a 1/4" or so groove in the form. I used a 1" diameter straight bit, the same as my planned thickness of the stack of laminations, critical.

Once the two parts of the form were separated on the bandsaw, I cut as close to my line as I dared, then loaded the whiteside. The bearing of the whiteside rides on the surface routed from the template, and cleans things up to a perfect 90.

Finally decided which plank to sacrifice, prep some stock and start milling laminations.

The marks cut into the end of the stock helps keep the laminations in the same orientation as they were in the plank. I also make pencil lines across the face marking the grain direction to help when sending the laminations through the planer.

The two part form waiting for laminations.

I managed to hit the 1" target for total thickness of all the laminations, you want to be exact here, the inside and outside radius of these elaborate curves is vastly different. These laminations were 60" long, surpassing the 48" maloof rockers.

There it is, possibly some kind of lamp part.

Clamps

Thankfully 'stock up on clamps' day finally arrived.

The Easy Rider Rides again

I lowered the suspension, and threw in a high backrest, chopper style. The El Capitan version.

I took El Capitan for a test ride over the week end, and was able to sit comfortably and read undisturbed for many, many hours. Any chair with the authority of a 'dad's chair' means children instinctively understand that dad is doing something important. All questions and RFP's (request for play) are directed towards mom. This in turn has the spin-off benefit of keeping mom so busy, that she forgets to ask dad to do chores. It's always been that way.

Winding Down

In between coats of oil it's time to catch up with some housekeeping. Hang the patterns and cauls ready for next time, and sort the off-cuts. Also a picture of possibly my favourite plane, my dad's #3, flushing the joinery on the seat frame.

Wrapping Up.

Here's the final glue-up, and the seat frame going into the clamps. To cut the rabbet on the seat frame, I thought I'd best make a sled. Safety first. The sled worked well and kept my fingers well away from the exposed bit. Don't forget to make a start and finish ramp for the bearing guide. I only used the sled for the curved thin back piece, the rest are straight cuts on wider stock, made with the fence.

While I was in the experimental mood, I thought I'd try Old Brown Liquid Hide Glue (to glue in the spindles). It helps to have some extra open time to arrange the spindles and reconcile them. Nice glue to work with, non-toxic, and clean up is about as good as advertised, also important when it comes to spindles. Drop the bottle in hot tap water, and wait for it to turn from a gel to a viscous liquid.

Taking Shape.

The jig

Finally got round to making this jig.  The simplest, most useful jig. It puts a micro-bevel on jointer knives. I bought some new knives that were in pretty rough shape, but managed to clean them up nicely. It's worth running your stones over the knives after getting them back from sharpening, it'll get your jointer running silky smooth. With a quick lapping on the 6000. Two 45 degree kerfs in a piece of plywood.

Putting the Easy into the Easy Rider

The Easy Rider prototype was looking for a more laid back stance, a chair that sits well after a trans-continental overland journey. You can leave your dusty leather jacket on before sitting Dennis, or take it off, whatever man. Keep the shades on.

So I'm left staring at planks, laying out the new patterns, deciding where to cross cut. Don't underestimate the time and number of coffees involved here, there's no turning back after the sticks have gone through the radial arm saw.

The Whiteside carbide 2" cut length spiral flush cut. Made in USA. Quality. Template routing to a curve always means cutting against the grain on half the work piece. No sign of chatter or tear out.

Prepping the joinery surfaces with the trusty block plane.

Prepping the armrest wings.

I changed the radius of the bent lamination crest rail, which meant making a new form. Instead of hand shaping the male and female forms, I thought I'd try something new. Cut & clean up the concave template first, then cut and shape the convex template to fit. It's a lot easier and more accurate to fit a thin template than the form itself. I also find it easier to fit the convex to the concave. Then load the Whiteside.

I'm going to go ahead and declare this the sweetest bent lamination glue-up this side of the Columbia. Damn that form came together nicely. Even put in the special wedges that centre the forms and also stops the lams slipping all over the place, just like Robert taught us.

It's always about this point when you realise the magnitude of the work that remains. A bunch more parts to come, and a whole universe of shaping. Yes, I introduced a S curve into the rear leg, so that I could raise the back. Something to do with lining up the spindles nicely with the crest rail. I had to consult the angle finding gimp while staring at patterns for hours, and images of every chair ever made. Also lowered the seat and arms.  

I was spying on Fender through the shop window, he's carving his initials into an offcut.

The Technology Department

A few pictures of the latest shop tools. Following yet another schizophrenic PC meltdown and system recovery, it was time to jump ship and implement a sturdier platform. As head of the IT department, I had to shut the shop doors for a few days to manage the transition project. I also set up a 1 terrabyte file server so I can access photos and drawings from the shop or office without storing everything on the laptop's small hard drive.

To get internet out to the shop (wireless signal couldn't reach) I used these handy 'power/ethernet adaptors' which meant I didn't need to run ethernet cable (something I've been putting off for years). The adaptor picks up the wireless signal from the office through the house power. Then it was just a case of throwing a wireless router into the shop.

After many hours of deliberation I decided what to change on Easy Rider verison 1. So now, patterns are scattered on the bench as I play with parts to find version 2.  Explore some lines...cut a pattern..think some more...cut another pattern...