Project Information
Made a Stickley inspired Prairie Chair. This is my second project in my Arts & Crafts progression as I try to tackle increasingly more complex projects. I intended this to be constructed with loose tenons instead of pocket screws and glue, but I ran into some difficulties with my router jig with cutting mortises into the ends of my boards and decided to put off the fancy stuff until my next project. I'm having trouble keeping everything lined up when I drive the screws due to the different thicknesses of the posts and rails, a problem that mortis and tenon construction would not have.
Still, I was really impressed with how solid this is. I got the design from a book by popular woodworking. I love that book and my wife likes picking out projects that she wants done.
For the seat we used a pneumatic staple gun (first time with air tools to secure some nylon webbing in a checkerboard pattern to provide some springiness. Then my wife made a cushion from some fabric that my daughter (it's her chair) picked out. The plan is to add a back cushion and 2 side cushions when she gets some free time.
One thing that really worked well in this project is the finishing. I used Danish oil (which is damn near idiot proof) to colorize the wood, waited 4 days for it dry, then sprayed oil poly over top. The Danish oil is great because it doesn't blotch and the application is so much easier than stain.
One thing I would have done differently is the dowels that hold the slats in place. Drilling the dowel holes in the rails is easy, but a pain in the slats. Then, getting 11 dowels to line up at the same time during the glue up gets pretty complicated.
Still, had fun and learned a lot. Next project is going to be a Morris chair with tenon construction and leather cushions.
Still, I was really impressed with how solid this is. I got the design from a book by popular woodworking. I love that book and my wife likes picking out projects that she wants done.
For the seat we used a pneumatic staple gun (first time with air tools to secure some nylon webbing in a checkerboard pattern to provide some springiness. Then my wife made a cushion from some fabric that my daughter (it's her chair) picked out. The plan is to add a back cushion and 2 side cushions when she gets some free time.
One thing that really worked well in this project is the finishing. I used Danish oil (which is damn near idiot proof) to colorize the wood, waited 4 days for it dry, then sprayed oil poly over top. The Danish oil is great because it doesn't blotch and the application is so much easier than stain.
One thing I would have done differently is the dowels that hold the slats in place. Drilling the dowel holes in the rails is easy, but a pain in the slats. Then, getting 11 dowels to line up at the same time during the glue up gets pretty complicated.
Still, had fun and learned a lot. Next project is going to be a Morris chair with tenon construction and leather cushions.