Pain in the butt question!

Hi Bart,

I googled ” wood chair seat profile” and found this link to FineWoodworking.com

You may have to sign up for a 14 day free trial to view this article but the answer you want is there.

How to shape a wood seat

I hope this helps,

-- Kenny... The man who needs a tool he doesn't have is already paying for it.

I’ll check it out, thanks Kenny.

-- Got Wood?

That would be a magic template to find..Let us know ..

-- Bueno...Nacho..

If your near a major libary, Micheal Dunbar’s book on ” Winsor Chairs ” has a full chapter on making chair seats.

-- Tom D

I like to make a mock up out of mdf, pine, poplar, something cheap. Sit in it for a while. Angle grinders make short work out of sculpted seats like that. Reproducing them X 6 may be the problem. Lots of practice.

-- Michael Murphy, Woodland, CA.

Repeatable is the crux here. I have always done it the hand tool way with a combination of an adze, gouge, and travisher. This works quickly and creates a great finish. It is repeatable by using a template to define the outer edges and a depth gauge to establish the maximum depression then you blend the curve. I suppose the same could be done with a series of router bits and a wide trammel base plate but I don’t think you could get the same organic curve without changing out bits many times and a lot of sanding to blend the curve.

-- The Hand Tool School is Open for Business! Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.renaissancewoodworker.com

Sculpting a chair seat: http://thecraftsmanspath.com/2009/03/30/sculpted-rocking-chair-shaping-the-seat/

Here’s a link to a youtube video .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiS_NKorXYk

He uses a grinder and a spoon shave i think.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

When I have several chairs (or two) that have to match, I draw the outline and make a series of concentric lines 1” apart. Then from actual center of seat, draw lines radially (about eight, give or take) and then chuck a 1/2” bit into the drill and set the depth at all intersecting points. I just use a stop collar for the varying depths. From there it’s a matter of grinding away to blend the bottoms. Keep in mind the ridge line in the center. The depths can be worked out ahead of time from a pattern.

How about a router and a pendulum jig. Or if you need the two leg indents also, you can just build two different jigs for the different profile curves. Can’t remember where I saw it, but I’m sure it was on here somewhere…

-- Childress Woodworks

cheat http://charlesneilwoodworking.com/category_player.php?type=1&cat=1&video=chairseat.flv

the chain saw products are quite agressive , I suggest use the grinders , as well you can find the 4” disc sanders ( like a flap sander), at the local hardware they are used for smoothing welding, the dado thing , is all too fast and slick just be careful