Tale of two chairs

[Ed in Calgary [OP]]

I have long wanted to build myself a Morris chair, but just never got it to the top of the project list. Being retired finally, I have more shop time to commit to larger projects so I decided my first full winter workshop season would be dedicated to the chair and a stool. I liked the bow arm styled chair that was featured several years ago in Fine Woodworking and so I bought the plans from Lee Valley. I dug out the FWW issue and got to making a pick list for the lumber. Of course the classic choice of quartersawn white oak was my choice, and I managed to pick through the limited stock I found locally to get what I needed. Once I had it home, It took a few hours planning the utilization to ensure the best usage and ensure all parts could be cut from the stock.

[Ed in Calgary [OP]]

Now the title of the thread say two chairs.

Having secured the wood and started on the project, we happened to be visiting my wife's folks one evening and I mentioned my plans. Now most people when you tell them your building a Morris chair give a quizzical look and ask what that is. My father-in-law however perked up and said he had always wanted one but could never justify the cost of one. I casually mentioned it wouldn't be too much more work to built two at the same time. Just like that, the deal was in the works and I had increased the scope of my winters work x2.

Now the issue was the supply of good QWO lumber, so we discussed options and decided to build his chair in cherry, an acceptable choice of wood for arts and crafts furniture, a little less expensive than oak and available readily.

So back I went to buy more lumber.

[Randy in Calgary]

Looking forward to this build thread. I'm a big fan of all things Mission or A&C.

[Ed in Calgary [OP]]

I repeated the process of laying out the parts with the cherry and got to work cutting and resawing and jointing and planing and emptying the dust collector. Twice.

[Ed in Calgary [OP]]

With all the wood prepared, I've now started cutting pieces to size. I decided to use the lock miter joint method of making the legs with four q-sawn faces. Now the cherry does not really need this treatment, but I liked the idea of not having glue joints on the face and since I was doing the oak that way, may as well do the same for the cherry. First time doing this technique and it seems to have gone well. I made a jig to hold them to run them through the router table, all 32 sides are cut and ready for glue-up.

[Wally in Calgary]

Did you wrap them up tight until ready to glue??

[beachburl]

Neither looks very comfortable to me.
Hope you can improve them.

[Jerome]

It was the best of time it was the dustiest of times.
Popcorn ready following along.

[MartyFromKingston]

I really like the idea of the locked mitre joint, Ed. Compared to the way I've been doing it, which is to use biscuits, I can certainly see advantages to the process.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this works out for you.

With all the wood prepared, I've now started cutting pieces to size. I decided to use the lock miter joint method of making the legs with four q-sawn faces. Now the cherry does not really need this treatment, but I liked the idea of not having glue joints on the face and since I was doing the oak that way, may as well do the same for the cherry. First time doing this technique and it seems to have gone well. I made a jig to hold them to run them through the router table, all 32 sides are cut and ready for glue-up

[John Bartley]

With all the wood prepared, I've now started cutting pieces to size. I decided to use the lock miter joint method of making the legs with four q-sawn faces. Now the cherry does not really need this treatment, but I liked the idea of not having glue joints on the face and since I was doing the oak that way, may as well do the same for the cherry. First time doing this technique and it seems to have gone well. I made a jig to hold them to run them through the router table, all 32 sides are cut and ready for glue-up.

Nice stock ! It looks like you really decent quartering on the Oak. I have one of those mitre corner bits and it took me a long time to get used to it when I used it. Your corners look pretty good.

[Stuart Jacobs]

I am really looking forward to following this. I wound up buying a Morris chair some years ago, but always wanted to build one. The lock miter bits do a great job once you have the set up right. Don't use mine near enough.
Lots of inspiration here.

[dwoody]

Making chairs is great fun. I am looking forward to this. A Morris chair has long been in the back of my mind.

[[email protected]]

I have subscribed.
John

[Ed in Calgary [OP]]

Did you wrap them up tight until ready to glue??

Not yet. I hope to get started with gluing today. I'll probably do a couple legs a t a time so will take a few days to finish. I basically just got them all done late yesterday afternoon.

Nice stock ! It looks like you really decent quartering on the Oak. I have one of those mitre corner bits and it took me a long time to get used to it when I used it. Your corners look pretty good.

I did choose one of the nicest 4/4 boards for the legs. All of the leg pieces came out of the single plank so the patterns are very similar. I want to go through and match them up a little more which is another reason they are just loosely stacked together right now.

[Randy in Calgary]

I really like the idea of the locked mitre joint, Ed. Compared to the way I've been doing it, which is to use biscuits, I can certainly see advantages to the process.

Wouldn't the joint be strong enough with just a glued mitre? It is edge grain to edge grain, just like gluing up panels.