My multi-purposed 2x4 entry - Welsh Stick Chair

Well done Stewart, an excelllent piece of work from a 4 by 2, I guess there cant be much waste wood left!

good luck

-- Colin, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. "Every craftsman was once an amateur"

Hello Colin. Here’s a wee photograph of the remaining scraps. Not a lot as you say.

Thanks for your comments.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Amazing! Excellent Entry! Well Done!

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

I’m speechless.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Outstanding work, Stewart! Wish I could go to Yorkshire and do an apprenticeship. You are good!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

I love this chair. It is an impressive piece of work.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

Great work! Fantastic little chair.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I’ll say it again, fantastic work, and very inspirational.

Fantastic work!

-- Still learning everything

Over the top Stewart! A real work of Art.Thanks for sharing the entire process with us.

-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon

the chair is magnificent and the setting in which it sits sets it off beautifully.
Personally, I think this will be a family treasure – especially with its amazing story that it carries already.
You are a wizard!!!

Nice 2×4

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Very nice project. Don’t think I would tackle one like this.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3

Stewart: Congratulations on finishing. A masterpiece of engineering and construction.

A great job.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Awesome! Stewart, what would you estimate the time it took to build this after you passed the initial feasibility planning?

-- johnjoiner

wow, ok I have been looking, but I haven’t seen the contest time extension request form. I think I will need 3, maybe 4 more months. What a wonderful chair, excellent work. I’m excited to see all the other entries.

-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.

Thank you very much gentlejocks for all your comments.

Tomfran – Surfside Beach sounds much more attractive to run that apprenticeship that the North Sea coast!

Debbie – I normally like to photograph in the open air, but today it’s hardly been daylight so Mrs YS suggested the setting. When I read to her your: ”the setting in which it sits sets it off beautifully” she was delighted. Our problem will be in finding somewhere to put the chair. We already have more chairs than a doctor’s waiting room!

JohnJoiner – It took in the region of 25 hours.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Smashing good job ol chap.

-- DocK, WV

Now are you going to start on your box?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Gary – I’ll be out there as soon as the cock crows making the first cut. (The first cut is the deepest I believe) Well, maybe 09.30 after tuning in to Lumberjocks.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

I think to make it more challenging, you should construct your box entry with all the pieces in the leftover picture above. That would be interesting for sure.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

At first glance my wife said “That can’t be a single 2×4. We thought is looked like a full size chair. Then I started reading and saw you scaled it down.

Great job. Are you giving away the plans? I am just now getting into some char making and I love that form.

Keep up the good work.

Rob Hix

-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA

I’m just off to bed & I fear I’ll be having nightmares over that one RobS! That’s the best laugh I’ve had for a while. Great stuff!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Stewart, Simply amazing. You could have a winner there.
God bless

-- Gene, a Christian in Virginia

Outstanding!

-- Paul, Texas

not to sound repetiive…but: “Amazing! Speechless! Outstanding! Impressive! Great! Inspirational! Over the top! Magnificent! Very nice! Masterpiece! Awesome! Wow! Smashing! “ANd finally…”A WINNER!”

Not to be un-original—-but when you put ALL the jocks comments TOGETHER ALL AT ONCE…that is what I thought about this piece…(repeat above while screaming in a British ACCENT, beating your chest in victory—-since that is how I said it)...

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

I had to come back for the double take. Stewart, good God, man. You have some talent to spare. Care to spare some?

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Stewie:
YOU ARE DA MAN!
After that effort, i’m going to pull in my horns for a bit.

Well done lad!

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

You know, I don’t think that type of talent is legal anymore here in the states.

Well, Stewart….I told Gary my money was on him in the contest, but after seeing this I know he’s got a tough job ahead of him!

I just called my wife over to the computer to look at your project, When I told her it was made from a 2×4 she looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Man o man! You cutting wood with a laser over there Stewart? Jeeezz.
I figure you can prob build a sleeper sofa out of a 2×10! Great lookin chair!

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

I wil never throw away 2×4 chunks again.

Great work!

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

You’ve got my vote! Incredible!

-- Fred.... Poconos, PA ---- Chairwright in the making ----

OH! I hate to be the one to tell you that an 82 1/2 inches is the proscribed length of a standard 2 X 4 not 8 feet. What a shame that was a good try…better luck next year!
Great project!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

top notch contest entry

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Beautiful chair, Stewart!

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

simply amazing and very inventive.

-- Marge, Colorado

Wow Stewart – I’m impressed with your engineering and craftsmanship skills. This is almost certainly the winner.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

I say it again. Way to raise the bar, Stewart. Fantastic!

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

I wouldn’t even try to top this one. Excellent, Stewart, just excellent.

-- Thos. Angle

You Jocks amaze me!

-- Illegitimis nil carborundum - Don't let the bastards grind you down http://woodworkingtipsfrompop.com

well stewart , after looking at this project i suddenly feel really , really small , could you make me a chair out of a toothpick please ?? lol great as usual stewart !

Bloody good! Very artistic way to conserve the earth’s supply of wood! :-)

-- "Real jocks do it on a bench"

I’m thinking that maybe this was some kind of metric 2×4 …... much larger than we have in the states.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

when I showed Rick, his eyes went wide and he was silent—he then simply shook his head, totally amazed at what was created from a 2×4.

I continue to be awed by this as well. It’s basically a $5 chair – and it’s beautiful.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

well done! You may have this one!

Oh my goodness. I just logged in after a day in the ‘shop & I find more than forty comments; not just comments but out & out glowing praise and great humour. For a modest Yorkshireman (& modest Yorkshiremen are rare), it’s so overwhelming. Thank you very very much.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

SUPER GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

Stewart, don’t be modest about this one. It is great!

Wow and ummm WOW!!!

-- Woodworking is Life. Anything before or after is just waiting.--S. McQueen sort of

Wow. Towel thrown. Hope you have room for the band saw.
Another bit of delightful work, Stewart.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

I’m fully conscious there are still 20 days before the fat lady’s last note fades away. And there are 2500 Jocks out there with some tremendous skills!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

I’m with Mot on this one Mr. Stewart, I’m throwing in the towel, throwing out the baby with the bath water, and giving up the goose. In other words, I quit! Fandamtastic Job Mr. Stewart. mike. Bully For You!

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

I hate quitting. I have something in the works that should be pretty cool.

I can’t let Yorkie just walk away with it now can I? :-)

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Well done that man! I could never imagine been able to create such a functional work from an 8 foot length of timber!

Tony Ward

-- Bandsaw Box Plans

That’s the spirit Gary. I don’t want folks giving up before they’ve started. Please re-consider you towel throwers-in.

RobH said: ”Are you giving away the plans? I am just now getting into some chair making and I love that form.” I don’t have any plans as such Rob, just the rough sketches that appear here. But I’ll be happy to help in any way I can when you do get into it.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Yorkie – Aren’t you going to blog your box too or are you going to keep that a secret?

How about a peek?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Geez, that’s a 2×4? I’m amazed you could design and build a chair like that from something so simple. Excellent work.

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

yah.. no more towel throwing!! I want to see projects. Lots and lots of 2×4 projects. This is too exciting.
Go Gary.. Go Gary…
I’m sitting on the edge of my seat!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

To all of the towel throwers. that why everyone holds until the bitter end so everyone will try. No giving up before the clock chimes 3:00.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I threw in the towel on my first one (my own ignorance of the rules) but have been working on my second 2×4. I won’t top Stewart, but it won’t be for lack of trying.

Woo hoo Rikkor.. that’s the spirit!!

Hang onto your towels boys. We’re in mixed company, you know. Ha.
And I want to see what everyone comes up with. This is our best challenge ever.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Very nice. I like it.

-- Jiri

I sort of feel responsible for the towel throwing. Apparently my picture of me standing out in the snow with my 2×4 motivated Stewart out to his shop.

http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Zuki/blog/3002#comments

If Zuki can stand out in the snow holding his stick, I can make the ten paces through the cold rain tomorrow to my ‘shop & make a start on my YYYYY!

Now . . . guy n’ gals . . . the bar has been raised. We can either jump over . . . or crawl under. Im gonna crawl under as it takes less energy and I don’t want to hurt myself as I have more dovetails to cut.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

Excellent Rikkor . . . back in the game.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

Man can you build…....... That’s just fantastic… real nice…

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

Hey wait – I was gonna say “Fantastic!” – though it has been said…it is truly amazing what you did here!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

God god man, that is incredible. I was feeling pretty good about my 2×4 until I started looking at the entries. My hat is off to you sir. I’m going to go put some extra effort into my project now.

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

Ingenuity, & Craftsmanship at its finest !

You’ve raised the bar in this contest.

It’s going to be awful hard for anyone to top this one.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Absolutely amazing! I viewed some of the blog pages and saw how a plain old 2×4 turned into a beautiful chair.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

YS, Great job! I never thought to make a windsor! And I make windsors! Kudos to you for thinking up the plan and coming through with it.

-- Kevin -- (http://www.furniturebykevin.com)

Well….better late than never I guess. The volume of comments speaks for itself Stewart. Simply amazing. Over the top! Well done.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

I think I will just paint my 2×4,and hang it on the wall.No need wasting time cutting and shaping.
It will be hard to top this Yorkie.

This is what these type of contests are meant to do,make us think outside the box.Your wonderful chair will remind all of us to look at a 2×4 with new respect.

And thanks for sharing the progress photos. Andy

-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon

Absolutely beautiful. To me, a perfect example of woodcraft as an art!! Elegant design and exquisite execution.

-- Go http://ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=730

Wowsers…outstanding! What an incredible example!

-- Living on the square...

Holy Smokes! That really is amazing!

Kerry

-- Alberta, Canada

I’ve admired your work since you first joined up here at LJ.
Now, I can see that there is no chance of my winning the bandsaw.

I fold.

congrats on a great project!
Mark

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

this has got to be a record number of comments on a project !

All this is so incredible for me. I’ve had more praise from the lovely Lumberjocks community for my little chair than I’ve experienced for everything I have ever made, all put together. Mrs YS and I are just knocked out by it all each time we log on to this site. I’m really humbled.

I truly hope that all the ‘folding’ and ‘towel throwing’ is said in jest. I’m so looking forward to seeing what other LJ’s are beavering away at. I’m also very conscious that there are still eleven days before the closing date for the competition, that Lumberjocks has 2500+ members with some amazing skills, and as I’ve said more than once; it’s not over until the fat lady sings!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Oh yes, I was going to say in reply to Mr Trim that the number of comments is second only to Obi’s lovely coffee table with 96 comments.

BTW, this comment wasn’t a pathetic attempt to up the numbers!!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

What can I say that has not already been said about your chair from a single 2X4. I was thinking about making 10,000 tooth picks, but now on second thought, I need to learn a lot more.

Thanks for raising the bar for all of us.

Dalec

Ha! That sounds like a real project Dalec. Talking about big numbers, you seem to have added your 10,000 to the views counter at the top of this page.

At the moment it’s reading 10616 for some reason!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

And just this morning I was telling my wife that I don’t think I could make furniture out of a single 2×4 and would have to design something smaller. I have been proven wrong. Whaddaya think? How about a Highboy from a single 2×4? That may be what it takes to win this one. Maybe I’ll turn a pen and just use the rest to build a fire.

-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog

I see it, but I don’t believe it. WOW.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

How many “amazings” can you take? -SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

I don’t know if I should be inspired to challenge myself to become a better woodworker, or just give up after seeing this! I can’t even imagine how you saw THIS when you looked at a 2×4. Great job.

I agree with everybody,,,,,,AMAZING!!!!!! BEST LOOKING 2 X 4 I’VE EVER SEEN,,,Great job, you get my vote!

-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)

I logged on this morning to find that my humble chair has achieved 12,000 viewings in its 17 days. I thought it was worthy of recording. I’d imagined the big numbers were a glitch with the counter but Martin assures me it’s right. Clearly, most of those will be non-Lumberjocks. Let’s hope this is all helping to spread the Lumberjock word.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Stewart, you are too humble.

Stewart. you really set the mark foir the rest of us to top! Excellent execution of a well-laid-out plan! I am sure planning was essential in this project. Not much scrap, either….LOL

I am sometimes amazed at what other Lumberocks make! This is especially true of your chair!

God Bless,
Hawg

-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards

12000 views is unreal. Especially with the #2 being in the 7000’s. Says something about your work.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

heck ive looked at about 20 times myself ! i keep thinking hes gotta be playing a trick on me some how ! lol i saw a birdcage somwhere that would look really nice sitting next to this chair ! lol good luck stewart

Thanks again Gentlejocks. As I have posted on another project, between us, with immense imagination, skill and resourcefulness, Lumberjocks are well towards furnishing a room from 2×4s! We have, amongst other things, cabinets, chairs, tables, waste bin, plant stand, wine rack, bread bin and bird cage! The challenge now is for Douglas to do the PhotoShop compilation <g>.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Congrats on a great placement with this project. Very stunning workmanship! Michael

-- Michael, Fort Worth, TX. "I wood if I could!"

Just one more word on the challenge. I hear from a reliable? source, that our summer challenge will be to make a length of 2×4 from our Winter Challenge projects. <grin> Now what did I do with those offcuts and shavings?

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Beautiful chair! Amazing use of a 2×4

-- Spread love with our work

You did the IMPOSSIBLE…

You did a fantastic job!!

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

Stewart, I realize the point of your chair was the contest. I had the good fortune to live in Wales for a few years and loved every minute of it. I was aware of some of their traditional funiture designs like the 3 legged table, but did not realize there was a Welch chair. Are there paterns or demensions available for a full sized version? Oh yeah, I am “gobslmacked” that you made that from a 2×4!

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."

Hello Roz. Thanks for your comments.

I haven’t come across any patterns as such, but I just did searches for ‘Welsh stick chair’ and ‘comb back chair’ on Google Images and there are some really good pictures on there.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

I like different, I think you’ll like to bring your work to extremes without losing runba congratulations and principles///me gusta, es diferente,creo que te gusta llevar tus trabajos hasta los extremos sin perder el rumbo y los principios,enhorabuena

Gracias por sus comentarios Ramon. It’s good to be reminded of my chair. Es bueno ser recordado. Wow, 619 days ago!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems