LumberJocks

Mesquite Dining chairs,"Maloof Style"

Project by scott shangraw posted 537 days ago 1800 views 7 times favorited 28 comments Add to Favorites Watch

Mesquite Dining chairs, “Maloof Style”-I know I haven’t posted in a while I do get on and see what going on though.This “project”is one of the reasons I haven’t had time for any postings lately!! This was a commission for 16 dining chairs out of Mesquite to go with a 16 ft dining table in Texas.I did not make the table but it was amazing, the top was made from just two bookmatched Mesquite slabs 16 ft long about 4ft wide total.Took the guy 2 years to find a Mesquite large enough.The chairs are kind of a Maloof style but with a rustic touch.The back headrest has a natural edge top to go along with the table.The plugs are all out of Texas Ebony.This was a huge project took a lot longer than planned (Don’t they always) It took about 3 gallons of epoxy with black dye to take care of all the imperfections of the Mesquite.If you ever plan on doing anything out of this wood be prepared for a lot of waste I used about 450 bdft and I was only originally planning about 325.The hardest part about the Mesquite is having to stop what you are doing to take care of the defects and waiting for the epoxy to set up.I used Waterlox Satin as a finish doing a wiping on then off method for 5 coats (or I should say my wife did). This was my largest project untill the one I”m starting now.I have 58 a chairs in different styles to do next.Thankfully out of Walnut.I’m not complaining though I have truly been blessed this year I think I have paid my dues over the first 7 years of starting this carreer full force. This time with Mark DeCou’s Guidance I am going to try spray finishing for the first time to speed things up .Thanks for your help Mark. Thanks for looking!! Scott Shangraw

“Want to learn how to make this chair? Visit our “How to Build a Rocking Chair page for more info on chair building.
Also see other projects:

Low Back Chair http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/3126
Mesquite Horn Back Chair http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/2358
Mesquite “S Curve” Pedistal Table http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/1535

-- Scott NM,http://www.shangrilawoodworks.com


28 comments so far

View TedM's profile

TedM

1846 posts in 633 days


posted 537 days ago

Scott, your trials and tribulations of working with this wood has resulted in truly wonderful pieces. It must be hard letting something so nice go. Thanks for sharing.

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

View CharlieM1958's profile (online now)

CharlieM1958

7699 posts in 1118 days


posted 537 days ago

Scott, these are fantastic. I can’t even imagine taking on a project of this size and complexity.

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

View Doug S.'s profile

Doug S.

307 posts in 608 days


posted 537 days ago

It’s a good thing I can’t see these in person. I’d be drooling all over your hard work. Excellent work.

-- Use the fence Luke

View Bigbuck's profile

Bigbuck

1366 posts in 563 days


posted 537 days ago

Wow! Very nice, those are beautiful. I can’t wait to see some of the new chairs you will be making.

-- Glenn, New Mexico

View CalgaryBill's profile

CalgaryBill

16 posts in 570 days


posted 537 days ago

An amazing job, Scott! Having done a Maloof style rocker, I know the work that goes into making these chairs.

Bill, Calgary

-- Calgary Bill

View daveintexas's profile

daveintexas

338 posts in 776 days


posted 536 days ago

Scott-they are wonderful. Now that you have the technique down, you can mass produce them and sell them to Wal-Mart. Just think, a Shangraw chair in every Wal-mart. Wow, you would be famous.

You did a terriffic job, and I know what you mean about working with mesquite, but it is such a pretty wood, and mills and sands great, you just have to deal with the defects. I always said that there is no “perfect” wood in which to build with, all seem to have a character flaw. But mesquite is one of my top two woods.
Thanks for posting the pics and look forward to seeing the new chairs.

-- MISSION FURNITURE-My mission is to build furniture

View Zipsss's profile

Zipsss

112 posts in 1013 days


posted 536 days ago

Great looking chair, and the table is beautiful piece to be inspire by. Does it go faster after the first chair? Did you use templates? Were they done one at a time or as a batch?

-- Zipsss

View griff's profile

griff

942 posts in 662 days


posted 536 days ago

Beautiful just beautiful, truly a work of art.

-- Mike, Bruce Mississippi = Jack of many trades master of none

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jockmike2

7377 posts in 1147 days


posted 536 days ago

Gorgeous looking table and chairs. Amazing job you did and the one you are about to do. If you have Marks help you should’nt have to worry. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View TomK 's profile

TomK

504 posts in 775 days


posted 536 days ago

Awesome work Scott! I love the finish on the chairs. I’m going to try the same on my next mesquite piece. Poly darkens too much. And the slabs for the table! Its hard to find slabs half that length. What kind of voids did he have to deal with on the table?

-- If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free! PJ O'Rourke

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2482 posts in 668 days


posted 536 days ago

that is an amazing table but you scott have made some chairs more than worthy to stand (or sit?) in its presence. those are some wonderful chairs. i agree with you on how things always take more time, on my latest commission i thought about 3 hours per picture frame but it took me more like 4 but for me thats only a 20 dollar difference in all so its not to bad. keep up the great work and i look forward for some more posts!!!!!

View Kipster's profile

Kipster

1072 posts in 653 days


posted 536 days ago

I love them. Really

-- Kip Northern Illinois ( If you don't know where your goin any road will take you there) George Harrison

View Jarrod Zion Murphree's profile

Jarrod Zion Murphree

348 posts in 623 days


posted 536 days ago

Scott, those chairs look great. That table is sick too, but the chairs are really the star(s) of that dining room.

Amazing work.

Regards, JM

-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://jzmurphree.wordpress.com/

View Vinman's profile

Vinman

68 posts in 607 days


posted 536 days ago

WOW!!

Vinman

View Les Hastings's profile

Les Hastings

953 posts in 673 days


posted 536 days ago

Excellent work Scott!

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

View Todd A. Clippinger's profile

Todd A. Clippinger

5655 posts in 1000 days


posted 536 days ago

Scott,

YOU ROCK!

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

View trifern's profile

trifern

7896 posts in 667 days


posted 536 days ago

Simply amazing!

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

View scott shangraw's profile

scott shangraw

408 posts in 969 days


posted 536 days ago

Thanks all!!!
Zipsss-They definitly get faster after the first.I do use templates and even though I normally don’t take the time to make jigs I did for these chairs to speed everything up.On everything that needed equipment set up I did at the same time,all the chairs parts at the same time(joints,routering,table saw cutting etc.)I put them together and shaped in batches of 4.I had to break up all that hand shaping it’s quit a workout!!!!!
TomK – there was some very large voids in the top that he had to fill with epoxy,That seems to be the bad part of large mesquite it equals large defects!!!
Thanks again!!

-- Scott NM,http://www.shangrilawoodworks.com

View John Gray's profile (online now)

John Gray

1762 posts in 786 days


posted 536 days ago

EXCELLENT PLUS – THANKS!!!!

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

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6468 posts in 883 days


posted 536 days ago

amazing work … a true master piece

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

View BobR's profile

BobR

137 posts in 885 days


posted 536 days ago

Beautiful work. I can see why you would be pleased with the finished chairs.

-- Bob

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3495 posts in 977 days


posted 536 days ago

holy cow…I saw the first picture (without seeing the rest of the set) and I thought that is an amazing piece of art…THEN TURNED to the 3rd picture to see you did it 16 times…awesome!!!

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

View GaryK's profile (online now)

GaryK

9556 posts in 888 days


posted 536 days ago

Man, that’s a lot or work! Great job!

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

View gator9t9's profile

gator9t9

295 posts in 604 days


posted 535 days ago

Hey those are great looking chairs … and i am trying to talk myself into making one Sam Maloof style Rocker …and you have done 16 of these mesquite beauties …
Great job …Congrads …

We need a blog on your processes for one of your chairs ….

thanks so much

-- Mike in Bonney Lake " If you are real real real good your whole life, You 'll be buried in a curly maple coffin when you die."

View Mark Shymanski's profile

Mark Shymanski

1555 posts in 613 days


posted 535 days ago

Incredible work!

-- ...it's rennovation time!!!

View FJDIII's profile

FJDIII

171 posts in 711 days


posted 532 days ago

Scott,

I hope the price you commanded matched the effort that went into these works of art. Truly an incredible set of chairs.

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

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1557 posts in 923 days


posted 529 days ago

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

717 posts in 732 days


posted 529 days ago

Those are some absolutely beautiful chairs.

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

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