# Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*

Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.



This is my second prototype. The first one was a quick (that is a relative term) mock up to see if I had the size correct. I built this out of scrap 2×4s and screws. Pieces were only roughly shaped. After building this, we determined that it was about a half inch too tall.



The second prototype was built as a prelude to actual construction. Each stool has 42 mortise and tenon joints. Several of them are angled and others are on curved parts. By making a full prototype, I have a scale pattern to verify the layout of each piece before I cut into my lumber.



Also, I get a chance to make mistakes and learn. I ended up missing on three or four dimensions and had to patch parts up. I have chosen to form the curved parts by laminating thin strips. The two curved boards on the back formed very well, but the 5 slats did have some spring back. I'll need to adjust the form or move to thinner strips. Stay tuned on that one.

Finally, I get one last chance to check my design choices. In this case, my wife and I felt that the slats on the back were spaced a little too far apart. It ended up crowding the gap to the legs. I changed the design and moved the slats a little closer together.

I'll outline how I intend to proceed with this blog. I'll post updates on the construction as I go. Woodworking is a spare time activity for me. Weeks may go by with only a little activity. I'll post a few "flashback" entries where I will cover my design process.

I'll also keep a log of construction hours. This will not include design or prototyping time.

Cutting rough stock : 2 hrs
Cutting legs to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
Cutting thin stock for seat back laminations: 3 hrs

Total so far: 9 hrs 20 min


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Glad you have begun to get started look forward to your build Steve.


----------



## Ecocandle (Jan 2, 2010)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


I really like the design, I also like hearing the process you went through.


----------



## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


That's a very nice design. The large surface areas will really showcase the mahogany. What finish are you considering? As a pending chair builder, I will be "glued" to the screen…


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Jim,
Glad to hear you are interested.

Brian,
If I miss something in the design process posts, let me know. It should be little different from what most people do.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Captian,
I am a little nervous about getting all four legs to be square. I am thinking about glue up fixtures.

Finish is a long way off, but I have had my best luck with General Finishes wipe on products. My big question will be if I want to pre finish any (or all) parts.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Very Nice. I like the curved pieces a lot and they all mesh real well with the design. Looks like a winner all the way around. Great approach with the prototype. I still have a prototype of Rodel's arts & crafts chair in pine in my loft, but haven't come further with it. I'm looking forward to seeing your blogs on this project.


----------



## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Very nice.


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Steve,
That stool is well worth the time. It looks to be sturdy and well made.
Ellen


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Mike(s),
The design was inspired by chairs for our kitchen table. That helped narrow down the infinite design options. I'll show more in a future entry.

Ellen,
My one criticism of our kitchen chairs was the construction. These stools should be much sturdier.


----------



## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


If you're nervous about gluing the four legs square to each other, keep in mind that good joinery will force the legs toward square. It should also be relatively easy to measure the diagonals and clamp the long side a bit and remeasure. Just don't be too hasty about popping the chairs out of the clamps like I tend to do. It takes several hours at 50F for Titebond II to cure in my garage. Also, make sure your glue-up platform is flat.

At least your chairs are square. Rodel's are trapezoizal. Hopefully, squaring them will be the same process…


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input Captian,
Actually, the side rails angle in forming a trapezoid and the rear legs are angled out. Combine that with the curved parts and that's where I start thinking about glue up jigs. I'll have to play around a bit when the time comes.
Good point about the joinery. The prototype is not glued up and it sits square. People have been making chairs that touch all four feet for a very long time. I ought to be able to figure it out.
Keep the suggestions coming - that's how I'll figure it out.


----------



## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Oh, if you're in the same trapezoid situation, then I would recommend loose-tenon joinery. If you make the mortises perpendicular to the mating surfaces, then regardless of the angle the pieces make with each other, the joints will be "square". I found this out when making that Ipe bistro table a few years ago that had legs at a 3 degree angle, so the aprons had to match.

I've made my own router jigs and loose tenons in the past, but I think I'm going to give the Beadlock Pro system a test-drive for my first chair.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Hey Captain,

That's exactly how I have the joints set up - perpendicular mortises and angled tenons. I have a tenoning jig from Grizzly that works in most cases - special jigs for the curved parts.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Nice looking stool.


----------



## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Hi Steve;

Just came across this…

Great looking chairs. I like the design very much.

Lee


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Thanks Lee, I need to put a blog entry out on the design and how I did it.


----------



## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Hey Bud
Been follow your blog as best I can, never noticed how many chairs you are making?

Figured I'd start at the beginning and ask.

Hope you are enjoying your time spent on this project. Very precise work.

Regards
DAN


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


Thanks DAN!!

There are six of them under construction. We really have room for 5 around the island, but 6 can fit. Also, if I mess one up, I'll still have 5!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mahogany Kitchen Stool Project*
> 
> Well, here we go. I have been working on the design and preparation of this project for 3 years. The final prototype was just completed.
> 
> ...


And yes, I am enjoying the project. That is a good thing since it will be a long time to get more hours into using them as I have in making them!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Begin Rough Cutting*

Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.



I had only one problem, I kept seeing pieces that looked too nice to pass up! I ended up with way more than I needed for this project. I can rationalize it that I saved gas by not making an extra trip  You can see 3 fir 2×4's on top of the stack. They ended up being the material for my prototype.

Even though I had plenty of material, I took it as a challenge to try to get the most use out of each and every board foot. I spent way too much time on this, but I packed in the pieces in the most compact cut layout I could. Here is the result after 3 or 4 iterations on my CAD system.



I'm hopeful I will end up with only small blocks of scrap and a big pile of sawdust!

Fast forward to last weekend. I finally was able to start cutting the legs. Here is where I ended up.



I got the width and thickness rough cut and then ran them through my planer. I learned something about my dial calipers. I bought a nice one with resolution down to 0.001 inches. The resolution makes it nice to know exactly what dimension I am at. On the other hand, I don't need to worry about being off by 0.001 or 0.002 inches. If I can't see the difference when I hold two pieces up to each other, I am happy.

Current time log:
Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs
Cutting legs to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
Cutting thin stock for seat back laminations: 3 hrs 15 min
Prepping laminations: 15 min

Total so far: 9 hrs 50 min


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Good start Steve


----------



## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Hey Steve, you've got a good start there. I just love working with mahogany don't you. Can you explain your time log a little bit? Does it really mean that you were standing at the table saw pushing legs through for over 4 hours or, is that the elapsed time from when you began working on the legs and you finished? Either way I'm really looking forward to seeing your progress.

Best,


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Very nice wood Steve. I also buy Mahogany planks and it is a joy to work with. It seems to have most of the attributes one is looking for in wood. Beauty, stable, easy to work, easy to finish and probably others I forgot. Your chairs are going to be first rate. I'm especially interested in the seeing how you will be laminating the back supports (slats).


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Nice wood and I love the time it took to get it ready.
I think it will be work every minute in the end.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Hi Jim,
The time log is elapsed time. In the cutting legs case, that is just under 50 minutes a piece for each of 6 sets of legs. Since the cutting also sets me up for making other pieces, the division of time is not all that precise.
I do take my time… It includes time studying each piece to figure out how to orient the grain. Several pieces have wavy grain that can nicely match the curve of the back legs.
I do not have a jointer so I place a straight board along my rough timber. I also am trying to minimize waste at the early stages. That means I check each piece to find which side bows out and then set the fence to remove a little as possible.
I also broke the milling of the legs up into two sessions. A few of the timbers had built in stresses and the pieces bowed after making the initial cuts. I cut everything oversize by ~1/8". After the wood relaxes for a day or so, I go through the straightening process again. Then it gets planed down to final width and thickness.

As to working with mahogany, this is my first time. This wood is really nice! It cuts well and leaves a crisp edge (more on that later). When I have a piece that is changing shape as I cut it, the blade scorches and it smells like hot butter!


----------



## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


That is going to be one heckuva set of chairs. The prototyping is really paying off. I love to work with mahogany. It's cool seeing the red layer between the white oak layers in the dust collector bag. Great blog!


----------



## jimp (Feb 7, 2008)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Steve - I really like the design of your bar stools. I can't wait to see how they turn out. What do you plan on doing for the seat? Also, since we both live in the same area, what is your favorite lumber yard, if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Hi Jim,

We plan on using an upholstered seats. The idea is we will change the fabric on the kitchen chairs at the same time. I would like to try a wood seat, but these stools are going to see a lot of use and I think the wood would get scratched pretty quickly.

My favorite lumber yard is Moxon Hardwoods - just across the 205 bridge. They are my favorite when it comes to hardwoods.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


I love Mahogany wood.


----------



## jimp (Feb 7, 2008)

sras said:


> *Begin Rough Cutting*
> 
> Back in early November, I went to my favorite lumber yard and started looking at what kind of wood to use. I was interested in mahogany, but wanted to check out my options. They had some very nice ribbon mahogany. I went home and gave it some more thought. The next weekend, I made the plunge.
> 
> ...


Steve - Thanks for the information about Moxon Hardwoods. I have heard good things about them, but I haven't had a chance to check them out.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Preparing Lamination Strips*

There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:

1. Seat Back - 7/8" thick (formed with 5 or 6 strips)
2. Back Rest - 7/8" thick (formed with 5 or 6 strips)
3. Slats - 3/8" thick (formed with 3 or 4 strips) (5 per stool)

As I plan the construction, I start to realize that I have 6 stools with 7 curved parts each. That works out to 42 glue ups. Each one requires a full day for the glue to cure. I do have three different forms, but this is still a lot of time - 30 glue ups are for the back slats. I need to get the glue up process started first. I can work on shaping the other pieces while the glue dries on the laminated parts.

The 7/8" thick parts were prototyped with 6 layers. They formed fine with no spring back. I prefer to use fewer, thicker strips and end up with one less glue joint. I'll be testing out the first glue up with 5 strips and see how it goes.

The 3/8" slats were prototyped with 3 layers. There was some spring back that made it difficult to align parts for assembly. I need to reduce the spring back. My plan is to try to modify the form and test it with another prototype glue up.

The wood for the laminations was resawn off the Back Leg stock. I ended up with pieces about 1/2" thick and 3 5/8" wide. They were long enough to provide two pieces for the glue up. I then resawed these to give me 2 long strips. Now I am up to 4 pieces for the glue up.



I figured I would share some of the things I do when resawing. First I use a 7 1/4 inch thin kerf blade. The kerf is only 1/16". This helps me get the most out of each piece. If the board is too wide, I need to stay with one of my larger blades. I do not have a zero clearance insert (yet), so I use a long scrap of thin plywood and clamp it to my saw table. I raise the blade through the plywood and I end up with a temporary zero clearance solution. Finally, I use a marking technique to keep track of which board each pair of strips came from.

I use my hand saw and make a set of marks across the end of the board.



In this case I have marked this piece as belonging to stool number 4. By angling the marks, I can return the two pieces to the same orientation as before the resaw cut. Each stool has 2 boards (one for the Seat Back and one for the Back Rest). I mark the second board for stool number 4 with 4 cuts, but I place them in a different spacing.

I now have strips of wood that can provide 4 pieces for my glue up, but I need 5 or 6. Fortunately, my strips are wider than I need. When I rip them to the desired width, I have two narrow pieces left over. In the case of the Seat Back, these two narrow strips can be glued together. This way all the wood comes from the same board and I should be able to keep the colors matched.



Once I let the glue dry and clean up the piece, I have 3 strips of wood. Each is long enough to give me two pieces for a total of 6 parts for the lamination.



The strip on the right is the glued up one. The Back Rest is wider. As a result, my left over pieces are not wide enough to make the third strip.



In this case, I have added a third piece of left over stock to make the strip wide enough.



This entry is long enough. I'll cover more later.

Current time log:
Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs
Cutting legs to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
Cutting thin stock for seat back laminations: 3 hrs 35 min
Prepping laminations: 2 hrs 20 min
Glue up Laminations: 35 min

Total so far: 12 hrs 40 min


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


Good start.


----------



## Ecocandle (Jan 2, 2010)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


This is really cool. I love the write up, I can't wait for the next installment. It is fun to read about grown up woodworking.


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


This is like a chapter in a book… fun to read and looking forward to the next one!
Ellen


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments. I suspect that the time between articles will evetually increase - there is going to be a lot of repetitive work. On the other hand, keeping the blog active turns out to be a good motivator to get in the shop after work!


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


Great start!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


Interesting process Steve. I like your idea about the thin kerf blade for resawing. Good color/grain match on the pieces pictured. You might get a little tired of glue-ups after awhile, but the design is so nice, once the laminate glue-ups are behind you I think you will be very satisfied.


----------



## jimp (Feb 7, 2008)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


It looks like you are making some good progress. Is there a reason why you do your resawing on the table saw vs. the bandsaw?


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


Hi Jim,
Yes there is a reason! I have a dull band saw blade and worn guide blocks. I rarely get good results resawing on my band saw and I don't want to risk the loss of a board. I have enough experience on the table saw that I jsut go there instead to tunig up the band saw.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Preparing Lamination Strips*
> 
> There are three curved parts in each stool. These are formed by gluing up thin strips to create a thicker laminated part. The three parts are:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the encouraging comment Mike. I am hoping to get into a routine where I glue up a couple laminations and then go about other asepcts of the project. We'll have to see how than plan works out!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Setting laminations to final thickness*

Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.

Here is the setup.



Basically it is a 3 1/2 inch tall bullnosed block clamped to the fence. The block is set up closer to the edge of the table than the desired final thickness of the strip. In this case I want strips 0.175" thick so the block is set about 1/8" from the edge of the table. The disc is initially positioned from the block at the current strip thickness (just over 0.2 inches in this case). I take advantage of the quill advance capability of the ShopSmith and move the disc closer to the block after each pass.



The construction of the block is pretty staright forward. I cut a bevel on each end of a 2×4 leaving about 1/4" flat on the end. I then cut the beveled end off making sure I had enough length to accomodate the clamp I will be using. Make sure the cut is square. Then mount the beveled piece to a cross piece. The final step is to true up the edge. I clamped the block to the fence and set it up hanging over the table. I then advanced the disc against the block. This way I have the functional edge of the block exactly parallel to the disc.



Once this was done I marked the top side (see top two photos). If I were to flip this over, I might get tapered width strips (that would be bad).

A final set up element is to mount a dust collection hose underneath the table next to the disc. I don't always do this, but this project has a lot of strips to sand. In no time, I had my shop coated with fine mahogany powder. The hose does a good job of collecting most of the dust. I took this shot while sanding a strip. You can see some of the dust in the picture.



Finally, here are a few operating tips.

1. Do not let your fingers touch the disc! Use long strips - they should extend 3 or 4 inches past each side of the disc to give you good finger access.
2. Set the block up to contact the disc on its downward motion. Setting block close to center can result in the strip being pushed back at you.
3. Feed the strip in until there is only 3 or 4 inches of strip left, then pull the strip out on the exit side.
4. Allow about 3 inches on each end as waste. The strips can taper a bit as you start the strip or pull it out.
5. Keep the strip feeding in as straight as possible. Letting it bump against the disc any where but at the block can result in gouges.
6. The exception to #5 is if you are sanding very thin strips. Then the strip can fall between the table and the disc - in fact there may be no table exposed past the block. In this case rest the strip on the table, bend it into the gap and bend it back onto the table once you can reach it safely. I have managed to sand strips as thin as 0.02" 
7. Use light passes. I take off about 0.005 each time. You can force a bigger cut, but I worry about deflections and not getting a consistent strip.
8. One time past the disc will not remove all the material. I have made as many as 5 passes without changing the spacing.
9. You can control how much is removed in a pass by how quickly you feed the strip. This gets easier on the 2nd or 3rd pass at the same gap between the fence and disc.

I have been using this method for several years. I am able to set my strip thickness to within 0.004" (+/- 0.002").

If you have a conventional disc sander, you could shim the block closer after each pass - or get fancy and build an adjustable version.

The next entry will cover glueing up some curved parts. As always, comments are welcome.

Current time log:
Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs
Cutting legs to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
Cutting thin stock for seat back laminations: 3 hrs 35 min
Prepping laminations: 3 hrs 20 min
Glue up Laminations: 1 hr 35 min
Trim Laminated Parts: 15 min

Total so far: 15 hrs 5 min


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


Keep up the good work steve.


----------



## Ecocandle (Jan 2, 2010)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


I really like it that you include the time data at the end. Very cool indeed.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


Thanks Brian, One thing I think it will show is that I am not a very fast worker!


----------



## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


I like the time log because it makes you look human to me. I wonder if the strip sander idea would work for my Ridgid oscillating belt sander? Hmmm… Thanks Steve.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


Good blog Steve. I made my own version of your jig a awhile back and it works great, thanks for this tip.


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


As always, fun to follow.


----------



## mtkate (Apr 18, 2009)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


I've been looking for something like this. Thanks!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Setting laminations to final thickness*
> 
> Once I have the 3 lamination blanks cut to width I thickness sand the strips to reach the final dimension. I have tried using my planer, but when the strips get this thin it is easy to end up with damage. I set my ShopSmith up as a disc sander and use a thicknessing jig. I first showed the use of this in a previous blog. There was some interest in a more detailed description so here it is.
> 
> ...


I haven't disappeared, between work and the Olympics, progress has slowed.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*

Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.

First, I sort my six long strips and find which end I want to have in the final part. I look for color, grain direction and any character that I might want to have on the outer faces. Then I mark for cutting. I use the inner form and rock it along the strips to get the length.



I then set aside one piece and cut the last two to length. Next, I spend a few minutes and sort and re-arrange the pieces. I am looking for the two nicest surfaces to be on the outside as well as have uniform color and grain direction on the top edge. This can take several tries before I find a combination I am happy with. I then mark the pieces to make sure I keep the orientation unchanged.

Now it is time to apply glue. I use yellow wood glue - it has a fairly slow set up time and that is a good thing for this operation. I just use a piece of cardboard to get an even coat.



I coat one face and make sure the entire surface is coated and fairly even. I can see wood grain through most of the glue. If I have too much, I transfer it to the next surface to be glued.



One thing that you do NOT want to do is glue your piece to the fixture. To prevent this, I use a piece of stretch wrap (from the kitchen). Then I put the stack into the fixture and start to draw it together.



The fixture has two arcs offset by the thickness of the part. These arcs were cut carefully to ensure that I would get even pressure along the glue joints. After the first clamp is at its limit, I add two more clamps. As I draw these two in, the first clamp comes off.



The outer form of the fixture is set up to be a jig for cutting the tenons. As a result, they are short and do not pull the ends in to the inner fixture. So I add C-clamps on each end.



After getting all 6 clamps tightened, I set the assembly aside for 24 hours. I have two fixtures - one for the curve at the back of the seat and one for the curve at the top of the back rest (you can refer back to a picture of the prototype here). The two pieces have a different radius.



I checked the spring back after when I unclamped the first part. There was about 1/16 of an inch at the center. I used 6 laminations in the prototype and there was less than half that much. I like fewer glue joints , so I will live with this much spring back.



My first glue up had a little too much glue. The squeeze out wicked onto the face of the part. I used less on the rest of the parts and never had this issue again. It only took a little sanding to remove the squeeze out.



On one piece, I had a swirl in the grain that looked cool. It was on two of my parts so by placing one on the inner face and the other on the outer, I could give the illusion that the swirl went all the way through the part. Unfortuantely, the part on the outer surface broke during clamp up. I had to unclamp, unwrap, remove the broken part, retrieve my spare 6th part, rearrange for grain and color, clean the glue off the new outer surface and reclamp. It was a bit of scramble, but it all worked out.





After unclamping, I trim the part to width and length. I am very pleased with how these parts are turning out. The glue lines are hard to find and the parts are very uniform.



Here is a shot of eleven of the twelve parts. It has taken a while to get this far, but I am pleased with my pace.



Current time log:
Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs
Cutting legs to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hrs 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hrs 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min

Total so far: 24 hrs 40 min


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


Looks good.


----------



## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


fun stuff … looking good


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


Very good work Steve. I've never done any laminating/bending like that so I appreciate you including your thinking process about grain, features, etc. Thanks for sharing this with us. Very good blog.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


CJ & Dan,

Thanks for the compliments. I am really interested to see how these finally turn out.

Mike,

Thanks as well. I am glad you found this helpful


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


Steve,
You are really making progress.
I love how you made the curves.
Waiting for the next installment!
Ellen


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


Thanks Ellen,

It is nice to hear from you. I hope you don't have to wait too long, this is a spare time project. I can see the next few weeks will leave me little time to make progress. I hope I can keep moving at a reasonable pace!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Laminating Seat Back and Back Rest*
> 
> Once I have my strips sanded to thickness, I can cut them and get the five pieces I need for gluing. I have enough material for six so I'll have a strip left over. There are a couple of cases where I ended up with damage on part of a strip and that sixth piece was nice to have.
> 
> ...


Well, my prediction was correct. It's been three weeks and looks like it will be at least one if not two more before the next update. I am making progress, just not enough to make a new entry worthwhile …


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*

The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.



By angling one stripe across both blocks, I am able to keep the strips in order. The total number of stripes tells me which stool this set of strips belong to.

The other difference is the clamping jig.



This jig has two curves and required careful adjustment to create a tight fitting result.

But, this is not what I want to write about for this post. I think it would be nice to share how I find shop time. We all have busy schedules and, at least for me, the woodshop takes a lower priority. I find that I can fit in shop time a little bit at a time.

I start out with a stack of strips to be glued up. This makes a good example of how to find shop time.



My shop is located off the back of my garage. Gluing up a set of 4 strips takes 10 to 15 minutes. If I can find that much time before I leave for work, I have enough time to glue one more set.



As the days go by, I find that the pile slowly shifts from only one done to only a few left to do.



And then the day comes when I have glued the last one up!



Then there are days when I have more time. That is when I can take the rest of the wood and start to cut it into final pieces.



In this case, there is a bit of prep work to make sure that the grain runs from one part to the next wherever possible. There were several 15 to 30 minute sessions where I just focused on marking the pieces.



Once again, cutting the pieces is done a little bit at a time. The longest session was less than 2 hours. Over time, the pile of big parts turns into a pile of smaller parts.



And once again, the day came when the last pieces were cut.



There is likely some extra time in this project that results from working in small sessions. For me the tradeoff is that I get to make progress and spend time in the shop more often.

The project is now to the point where all the pieces have been cut to thickness and width (well almost all … ). Next is cutting to length and then cutting mortises.



Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs
Cutting legs to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hrs 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hrs 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hrs
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hrs 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 10 min

Lower rail parts
>Cut to width and thickness: 10 hrs

Total so far: 44 hrs (7+ hrs per stool)


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


wow that's a lot of parts


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


Hi Jim! Thanks for the comment.
Six stools does tend to cause things to pile up


----------



## benjireyes (Dec 21, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


That's some serious material and time management and cataloguing Sras! Nice step by step documentation. Would love to se the finished stools.


----------



## Ecocandle (Jan 2, 2010)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


That was a great blog post. I love the approach you take to the project. I can't wait to see the next steps and the finished project.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


A smart way to work Steve. I'm sure your blog will show others with limited time how they can get more done. Like they say; small streams make large rivers.


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


Steve,
This is a wonderful blog! I'm pleased to see you are still working on these.
Your blogs are well organized and easy to follow and your pictures are great!
Thanks for the tutorial and the great organizational approach to the project.
Those stools are going to be awesome!
Ellen


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments!

Benji - I would like to see the finished stools too! That is going to be a while at this pace …

Brian - The next steps are likley mortises - lots of mortises … so many mortises (that word looks weird if you type it over and over). Then come tenons - lots of tenons … so many tenons

Mike - Nice quote! Much better than the one I think of "How does one eat an elephant? - One bite at a time"

Ellen - By the time these are done I am going to need to use one to sit down and take a rest!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


Thanks Autumn! I have worked with "mahogany" before - a soft and pale wood (not real mahogany). This is my first time working with a good quality mahogany. The wood is beautiful. I hope this project shows it off well (that is the intent


----------



## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


"Parts is parts."

One of my favorite quotes seems appropriate here. Good job on the blog and the project so far.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


You're so right Jim - especially when there are 6 copies of each part! It will be fun when the "parts" start to look like stools.


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Finding shop time in a busy schedule -or- Making slats & cutting pieces*
> 
> The next step in this project is making the curved slats for the back of the stool. The process is the same as for the curved parts with a couple exceptions. First the pieces for each set of slats are cut from two blocks. These blocks were next to each other when cut from the large stock. Instead of marking with a saw cut as I did last time, I used a permanent marker.
> 
> ...


Jim took the text right outta my fingers. lol


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*While visions of perfection dance in my head*

I deal with correcting mistakes instead!

It has been quite a while since my last post, but I AM still working on this project. In addition to regular life, we have had a week long vacation, business trips (including 2 weeks in China), a family illness and preparing for RAGBRAI . The shop time has been hard to come by.

I figured this would be a good time to confess and share how I am dealing with this round of unexpected issues.

*Dull Bandsaw Blade*

I started to shape one side of the back legs. I knew my bandsaw had a dull blade, but I got lazy and told myself that I could just leave a little extra wood. Wrong. The blade took on a twist and curved right past my line. Stopped and bought a new blade (one with a better tooth profile) and the rest of the cuts went fine. But I was stuck with one leg that needed help.

My solution was to flatten out the damaged area and glue a patch on.



After the glue dried, I smoothed the sides. The grain matched quite well.



Once I did the final shaping, there is a faint glue line that I think willl nearly disappear once the wood darkens (sorry no pic)

*Router Pattern*

This one was an act of real poor thinking. I had been shaping several legs and always being careful to turn the router on and off only when it was stable on the template.

Except this ONE time.

I lifted the router while it was on and the bit cut into the pattern  The solution here was automotive body filler (Bondo).



The filler was applied to the cut and then sanded smooth.



*Chipout*

The base of the leg flares out and it was not a surprise that I had some chipout. Most of the time, I could find the missing piece and glue it back in. One time I had to make a patch. I squared up the chipped area and flattened it with a sharp chisel.



I found a piece of wood with matching color and glued a block in.



*Mortises and Tenons*

This project has a LOT of mortises and tenons. I took extra time to draw each mortise and then I would check it against my pattern piece.

Foolproof - right?

Wrong!

Every once in a while, I would forget to check a piece against my pattern. As luck would have it, one time I skipped checking was on a part where I had shifted the mortise location 1/2 inch. Back to gluing patches… I came up with a fairly creative soution to apply pressure while the glue dried. Luckily, this particular joint has a tenon shoulder that will completely cover this patch.



I managed to cut a tenon or two a little thin. More patches. These are completely hidden inside the mortises. I should point out the black dot on the end of the tenon. This is my technique for preserving the orientation of each piece. The black dot is always in the top right front corner of each piece.



*The Big One*

When I first did the rough cutting of the legs, I had one kick back incident. The only damage was the blade dug into the side of one of the legs. I saved the scrap from shaping the leg to get a good color match.



I used my laminate trimmer to create a pocket of even depth. Then I created a paper pattern by rubbing a pencil over the recessed area. I cut a thin slice off my patch piece and placed the pattern to match the grain.



It took a while to get the patch shape to match the cutout area. Lots of hand filing.



I glued the patch in place with just a little extra thickness. A little sanding and this is what I ended up with. I had hoped for a little better color match, but it is down next to the floor so hopefully it won't be too big of a distraction.



I have been cutting a lot of motises and tenons. Not the most thrilling blog material, but I'll try to show where I am with my next post.

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hrs 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hrs 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hrs 35 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hrs 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hrs 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hrs
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hrs 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 10 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hrs
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Tenon: 13 hrs 20 min

Total so far: 78 hrs 45 min (13+ hrs per stool)


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Some great saves there steve look forward to more .


----------



## zlatanv (Jul 18, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


First time I have seen this series, been busy and haven't had too much LJ time, great work, can't wait to see them finished, wood looks great, and nice work on patching.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Thanks Jim & Z - hopefully I can give an update without as long a wait as last time!


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


You are the king of patches! 
This has been a really nice build.
Ellen


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Very professional looking fixes Steve. I have been through this myself (many times) and though I feel I can adequately fix almost any mistake I make, oh the time it can suck up! But anytime spent making corrections on those beautiful stools will be worth it, and someday your kids will probably inherit them.


----------



## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for sharing the OOPS! moments. I think that's what makes this site and it's contributors so amazing.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments - as far as I am concerned, it is the unexpected that makes teh story interesting. You are right, Mike fixing them does take a lot of time and I would rather not need to patch things up. Like the title says - I do intend to be perfect, but have learned to deal with the times when I fall short of that vision.


----------



## Broglea (Dec 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Steve - Thank you for being transparent with your oops moments. I too have many of these fixes on my projects. Today I was doing some work with the router table and didn't realize the bit had moved up while in the collet without me noticing. I made a pass on the table and you guessed it, had to patch the work piece.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


So cool Steve, wonderful advice.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Wow, you are a patient fellow. I would have just given that project a big kick and chucked it all right into the fireplace. But you persevered, an admirable trait. For me, the nice thing about building rustic live, edge is: oops- hey-that looks pretty good there- oops- rrrrrrrrrr goes the belt sander- awww yes- nice character- chunk chunk pound pound- rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr - okay now if fits just right. Too short? Firewood. Too long? chopsaw. Sand it down- add some tung oil… level those legs and wala… no filler, no patching, no grain matching required. LOL


----------



## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *While visions of perfection dance in my head*
> 
> I deal with correcting mistakes instead!
> 
> ...


Enjoyed this post, Steve. Mistakes happen to everybody but sometimes, when they do, it's also rewarding to repair them the proper way.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*

Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).

*Preliminary Leg Shaping*

Several of the leg pieces shifted shape during the rough cut process. The final shape of the back legs requires some material removal. I decided to shape the side that removed material from the center of the leg. If the wood shifted I could adjust the straight side. By leaving one side straight I still have a reference edge for locating the mortises.



Sure enough after a few days, about a third of the legs shifted somewhat. I set up a straight edge and ran the router along it to get a true edge back. The picture is not very good - you are supposed to see the offset in the mahogany.



I then was able to use the shape template and route the final shape on the legs.

*Mortise Front Legs*

I then waded into a seemingly endless stream of mortises and tenons. First up - the legs. I measured and drew out the location of each of the mortises. I finally got to put to use the mortiser I bought just for this project.



I followed up by cleaning up the mortise with a mortising chisel. Most of the work was cleaning out the bottom of the mortises.



After several days, I had a set of mortised front legs.



*Tenon Rails - Round 1*

I then focused on tenons for the rails to fit the new mortises. Six rail parts added up to 8 tenons (on each of 6 stools). Once again I need to keep close track of the parts to preserve all my effort to match the grain and colors. I mentioned before that I use a dot to indicate the top right front corner of each piece.



48 tenons later, I have the start of something that looks like it might become a stool for the kitchen.



*Mortise Back Legs*

Next up is all the mortises on the back legs.



*More Rail Tenons*

The angled tenons allowed me to create some interesting set ups for my tenoning jig. This one is set up so I can cut both sides.



Here is another set up.



After another set of tenons, I have six stools with four legs.



*Mortise and Tenon Accent Posts*

Next up is the 3 posts on each side. Mortises were cut and indexed with spacing blocks.



Here is a fit up with the accent posts installed. The bottom rails are all in place as well. Notice how the pile of parts on the bench is getting smaller?



*Cutting Tenons on Curved Rails*

I used the fixture for gluing the curved parts to hold the curved rails for cutting tenons. Some stop blocks and a cross cut sled worked great!



I would use shims to sneak up on the final tenon width.



*Final Fit Up*

After another assembly of the pieces you are caught up. The pile of parts on the bench is down to the seat back slats. They are up next!



Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hrs

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hrs 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hrs 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hrs 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hrs 35 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hrs 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hrs 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 10 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hrs
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hrs 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 10 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hrs
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 3 hr 50 min
> Tenon: 23 hrs 30 min

Total so far: 99 hrs 55 min (16+ hrs per stool)


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Glad to see you are back on this project.
Looks like it is coming along nicely.
Nearly 100 hours for a one of a kind set of chairs… not too shabby!!
Ellen


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Thanks Ellen!
Slow and steady - well more slow than steady 
But I am making progress. Usually I have more time in the fall & winter to get in the shop. This is still going to take a while.
You would think I could have worked 5 more minutes and hit the 100 hour mark! I don't know if I am half way there yet…


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Steve, these are looking really great. love the mahogany choice of material for this.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Thanks PurpLev,
It is my first time using furniture grade mahogany. It has taken on a darker color just while sitting in the shop. I am glad I bought some extra when I started this project.
This is an African Mahogany known as Khaya.


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Hi Steve. Wow, what an endeavor. A tip of my cap to you for the amount of work you have done and all the hours you have put into this. The stools look marvelous. I am impressed with your ingenuity in coming up with jigs, spacer blockes, etc. to get the job done. On a selfish note, I am glad I read your post because I am making a picnic table right now and have been struggling to come up with a better idea than that suggested in the magazine for a specific cut on 16 pieces. (They recommend using a jig saw.) Seeing you use the tenoning jig, turned on the light bulb. I think I can rig something up tomorrow using mine. Thanks and once again, great job!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Hi Lenny - I hope they turn out as well as I intend. Glad to hear you were able to find an inspiration. Good luck on your project. Thanks for the compliments!


----------



## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Welcome to the custom furniture market! These are really nice. Everything I read about Greene and Greene makes me think of this sort of work. They weren't cheap in their work, either. Good wood costs good money. I'm just glad for you that you have the skills, or that would be a pile of firewood. The finishing work is going to be equally an amount of work. So, the question is, are you going to flinch every time someone sets their feet on the bottom stretcher? It's time now to think about wear marks as a positive accent. I've fretted for years over that…I always want my handiwork to shine forever.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mortises and tenons - Making progress!!*
> 
> Summer has flown by. I found a little time here and there to work on the stools. It never seemed like much, but when I look at the result I can see significant progress. I'll show how I spent my summer (when I was in the shop).
> 
> ...


Thanks AtomJack!
I hope my skills continue to be worthy of the quality of my materials. I "discovered' Greene & Greene a little over a year ago. Their story is an inspiration even though the design is not derived from their work.
Finishing is going to be a challenge. I am considering prefinishing - this would be a new experience for me. I feel like I am less than halfway done (hopefully close).
As to those character marks to come. I always struggle with this, but I found I really want to create useful pieces that are also beautiful. Signs of use mean I was able to create utility. Hope that makes sense. I am considering a brass trim for the lower stretcher…


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Seat backs*

Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?

A: My blog on these stools!

I *have* been making progress. Other projects and Christmas gifts provided distractions. And woodworking is still a hobby and has to wait for when there is time after everything else. I find that I am quite able to let a bigger project like this sit to one side for a few weeks and come back to it when I can.

Next up are the seat backs. The last entry covered fitting the top and bottom rail of the seat back. Now I need to cut the slats to length. I used an insert from my glue up form to align each slat.










Each piece has been numbered for color and grain direction. As I cut them to length I need to transfer the numbers.










To put the mortises in the upper and lower rails, I used the glue up form and fixtured it in the mortiser. The rail is positioned in the form to locate the mortise. The form can slide between two stops to give me the correct width.



















Now I need to form tenons on each end of the slats. Again, I use the insert from the glue up form - this time in the tenon jig.




























Now I can put the back together for a test fit. Looks good!










*BUT* - the tenons were a little tight. I did not think much of it until I tried to pull it apart. Not happening. I knew the "use a hammer until it gives up" option was not a good one. It took a while (like a couple days) to figure out out to pull it apart, but I came up with a solution.










After adjusting the tenons for a better fit. I now have seat backs!










There are a lot of angles in this project, but I think the most interesting part is the back. Every part is curved and makes for a very inviting appearance.

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 10 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 5 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 3 hr 50 min
> Tenon: 23 hr 30 min

Total so far: 108 hr 10 min (18+ hrs per stool)


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Lookin' good, Steve!
You will have 6 of the finest stools and can take pride in the fact that YOU made them (not IKEA)!!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Making chairs is a pretty slow process Steve, except maybe for those that do every day. So I'm not surprised that this project is taking awhile, especially considering all the curvy complexity involved. You have accomplished quite a bit in only 108 hrs. I know these are going to be fantastic stools when they're finished and you will never want to get rid of them. Great work so far and a wonderful blog too. Can't wait to see them completed.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Thanks Ellen, You'll know they are not IKEA if you were to pick one up. They are going to have a nice heavy feel to them.

Thanks Mike, My oldest son teases me with "Those are never going to be finished!" We know better, but they do take a long time. For instance, my weekend in the shop will result in very little time spent on these as other projects take priority.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


This is amazing Steve. As you started this long before I joined up, I have just discovered it and have just fully enjoyed the whole ride from the start to the present. I applaud your organization, planning and attention to detail. It's really something to see the process that someone else goes through to arrive at the desired end and your documentation is as complete as anyone could ask. I do things soooo differently. These are sure to be real head turners and will be a source of enjoyment for you every time you enter the kitchen … for the rest of your life.

What a great accomplishment! Congratulations!

I have to stop now or I won't have anything left to say when you post them as a finished project.


----------



## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


That's OK Steve. Your slow speed helps me keep up as old Arthur Ritis seems to have moved in for the winter. lol I appreciate you thinking of us old cripples and switching to slo-mo. lol

Those tenons are to die for.Man, those are great crisp lines and the curves of the backs. Wow! You guysand gals that make the furniture just amaze me. Rand


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Like Paul, I had missed this whole series. Very nice.

It looks like it takes you a while, but you get to figure out things as you go. That is part of the fun to me.

You can put a bar or pipe clamp together backwards to spread things apart. Just remember to put them together the right way around before you need them again, or things get confusing 

Steve


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Steve,

I really got a bunch of ideas from this- especially your use of clamping jigs/procedures, thanks!!

It is amazing how much time a project actually takes. You don't realize it until you start documenting the hours.

Lew


----------



## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


I have never built a chair nor do I think I will… great to see how you do all the pieces.. fabulously documented…
some of these techniques could be adapted to other projects so thanks for the post…


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Thaks for the comments everyone!

Paul - Likewise, I have learned a lot from what you have shared. I just went bkc and checked - My first post on this blog will be a year old in a few days!

Rand - Stay tuned, I am still behind on the blog and will try to get another entry out soon.

Steve - Thanks - Problem solving is definitely a fun part of woodworking.I had thought about the pipe clamp solution, but all I have is bar clamps that don't come apart.

Lew - This is the second time I have kept track of hours. The first time I put in about twice as many hours as I had guessed. It is interesting - 108 hours seems like a lokng time, but 18 hours per stool feels pretty good!

Larry - I had tried a chair when I was young - it was pretty wobbly and not much to look at. Gave me a lot of respect for those who make them. I spent a lot of time working this over in my mind. So many ways to screw this up!


----------



## tdv (Dec 29, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Steve that is really good work I particularly like your innovative use of jigs those are the challenges of woodworking I love the best & what a great result. I'm not good with production work after 2 units I want to get on to the next project so I really admire anyone who has the perseverance to do 6 off
great job
Trevor


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Trevor - I am actually a lot like you. The only way I would get 6 of these done is to do them all now. If I were asked do to more, I'm not sure that would happen.

Autumn - Thanks! I like your signature line. The shop equipment is the result of years of getting by without and slowly adding pieces. Often when my Dad asks me what I want for my birthday, he chips in for a new tool. That works out every 3 or 4 years…


----------



## Jras (Aug 23, 2010)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Nice work Uncle Steve. Those curves are amazing. These would look nice with the bar I'm just getting started with.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat backs*
> 
> Q: What goes slower than my progress on these stools?
> 
> ...


Thanks Jras. I'm looking forward to seeing your bar - and maybe take it for a test drive!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Corner blocks*

I have two kinds of projects.

Some are the smaller ones that get wrapped up in a matter of days or weeks. I do several of these each year. Some are planned while others are done as the need pops up.

The others are bigger. They take on a life of their own. They can last for months and years. They get set aside and left gathering dust - sometimes for months. But I don't mind. I know that I will finish them and I would rather take a few years to complete a project than to have not done it.

These stools are definitely one of the bigger projects. They have been on the back burner while I worked on other projects for the first half of this year.

For those of you that wanted to see a project like this get done sooner, I recommend you check out GaryK's blog on his table and chairs. He did a great job and took WAY less time!

On to the project.

One of the features that I skipped over in the prototype was the corner blocks. In fact I wasn't even sure if I needed them. The extra side rail and the lower rails (all with mortise and tenon joints) give the stools a lot of structure. But I figured better safe than sorry.

I cut 24 triangular blocks from a 4/4 maple board. The blocks are small, so I decided to get the final shape with a jig and a router. The front blocks are angled slightly less than 90 degrees while the back ones are greater than 90 and the back edge is curved.










There is a jig for the left side and the right. Each jig holds a block for the front corner and the back. By putting two blocks on the jig I get a larger piece to handle while working with the router (fingers farther away from the bit). Each block gets screwed into place and a flush trim bit creates the final shape. The jig allows me to keep my hands away from the bit, but not enough. This bit was too big to sit inside my router fence, so I made a quick modification to my router fence to shield the bit. One of those times when I paid attention to that uneasy feeling - "Something's not right here"

I am using stub tenons on each side of the block, so I trimmed to corners off each point.










I then set up my router fence to expose 1/4" of the bit (with another mod to the fence).










I started with the bit lower and did a couple passes. Eventually, I had a 1/4×1/4" lip on the two faces of each block.










Then over to the ShopSmith to drill counter bored holes.










Then back to the router table to turn the lip into a stub tenon of the correct length.










Then drill center holes for attaching the seat. The end result is 24 corner blocks!










The other detail is to go back to the rails and add a 1/4×1/4" slot for the stub tenons.










Finally, a note of the hours. I have been putting time into sanding parts. I'll cover that in a future post, but I am going to go ahead and get the hours recorded so far.

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 1 hr 50 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 35 min
> Holes: 1 hr

Total so far: 151 hr 15 min (25+ hrs per stool)


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

sras said:


> *Corner blocks*
> 
> I have two kinds of projects.
> 
> ...


Nice Photos, Steve!

Non-woodworkers don't realize the time involved in making projects.

Lew


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Corner blocks*
> 
> I have two kinds of projects.
> 
> ...


Thanks Lew! There is a reason why I don't often total my hours - I'm just in this for the fun!

This project was one I had no idea how many hours would be in, so why not find out?


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Shaping and sanding*

Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.

The back legs still needed to be cut to final shape on one remaining side. The template was clamped onto each leg.










The shape is traced onto the leg.










Cut on the bandsaw with about 1/16" left.










A router with a guide bearing and straight bit made the first pass using the template.










Even with multiple passes, I still had an occasional blow out.










Repairs involved gluing pieces back in place and then routing very carefully. After this one, I used the disc sander to get very close to the line before using the router.










Nearly every exposed edge has a radius routed on it. Radii of 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 were used. Here is example of the bottom of the front leg. I sand the surfaces to 120 grit before I add the roundover routing. The smooth surface helps create a cleaner roundover.










The larger radii caused me some concern. I set up the fence on my router table with a spacer strip.










This allowed me to make a first pass with a partial depth cut.










Then I flipped up the spacer strip and made a full depth cut. If you look closely, you'll see that the bit is not flush to the fence. This way I could get the first and second passes to be the depths I wanted.










The next thing to cover is the sanding. I have put in LOTS of hours sanding. Not that I mind. I kind of enjoy feeling how each grit makes the part more smooth. The hours are from the fact this project has lots of parts.


















And those are just a few of the parts. Remember there are 6 of these!

I do my sanding by hand. I use a block for the flat surfaces.










A piece of an old mouse pad for the radiused edges.










And a curved block for the inside curves.










I step through each of the grits - 60, 80, 100, 120, 15, 180, 220, 320.

Finally, here is an update on the hours.

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 35 min
> Holes: 1 hr

Total so far: 168 hr 50 min (28+ hrs per stool)


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


A daunting challenge Steve, just in terms of the huge amount of parts not to mention all the machining and sanding. I like your approach to the work. I think your hinged router fence spacer is brilliant. Can't wait to see the glue-up part and the final stools. Keep up the good work!


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


Very cool…169 hrs so far… whatever the final total, it will be worth it!
Ellen


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


Yowser.
I don't mind sanding either. You go kind of Zen, and the wood reacts.
Quite the ambitious project. Good for you.

Steve


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


That's a lotta tenons, & mortises


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


Really coming along, Steve.

Cool idea using a mouse pad. I have a lot of those around and will be putting them to use- Thanks!


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


quite a lot of parts start to build up here - looking good.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Shaping and sanding*
> 
> Shaping and sanding is pretty easy to figure out, so I'll just share a few of the techniques I used on this project.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments everyone!

The next section will finally give a view of all the parts spread out. I have given up trying to predict when this one will wrap up. The family opinion is "Never"


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Oxidizing for color*

Yes - oxidize. Not stain. Not dye.

Alin Dobra posted a very informative blog on using potassium dichromate to cause wood to darken the same way it does when exposed to sunlight. I'll let you read his entry to learn about the technique. These stools will eventually be sitting around the island in our kitchen. The sun will only land on the top part of the backs and I don't want them to develop "tan lines".

This was my first experience with the technique. I coated the surface twice to make sure I had uniform coverage. You can see how much darker the mahogany is after treatment. The two pieces on the right were just coated.










After the surface was dry, I sanded each surface with 320, 400 and 600 grit.

This process caused me to lay out all the parts at once. These next pictures give a pretty good view of the number of pieces in this project. I had to clean off my workbench just to find space!























































The total is 156 pieces of mahogany.










And 24 pieces of maple.

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 10 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 20 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 30 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 40 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 35 min
> Holes: 1 hr

Total so far: 178 hr 40 min (~30 hrs per stool)


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Oxidizing for color*
> 
> Yes - oxidize. Not stain. Not dye.
> 
> ...


Very interesting. That Mahogany is really gr8 lookin. Lotsa mortise & tenons there.. pieces n parts, oh my..


----------



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

sras said:


> *Oxidizing for color*
> 
> Yes - oxidize. Not stain. Not dye.
> 
> ...


Steve - this is quite and epic project…...interesting concept using the chemical process. Build on!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Oxidizing for color*
> 
> Yes - oxidize. Not stain. Not dye.
> 
> ...


Very interesting Steve. Something I've never heard about before. Where do you buy the chemicals? This is a big project which would be very taxing on most small workshops, but you have really done a lot of great work with it so far.

It looks to me that you will soon be into the glue-up stage. I can imagine that you will face some challenges there as well, and I look forward to seeing how you do it. The blog and the work is so well organized that it should set an excellent example and show folks a very good way to produce high quality multiples.

I can't wait to see the finished stools in your kitchen!


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Oxidizing for color*
> 
> Yes - oxidize. Not stain. Not dye.
> 
> ...


Zowie. Serious production.

That looks great Steve. 
Quite the project. I love it.

Steve


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Oxidizing for color*
> 
> Yes - oxidize. Not stain. Not dye.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments!

Roger - I haven't counted the number of mortise and tenons yet. Just recently I counted up the parts. I think I'll put the tenons count in the next post.

Jeff - I am on a roll now. The finish process is under way - it keeps me committed as it works best to minimize the time between coats.

Mike - I got the potassium dichromate on eBay. It is not expensive, I got about a pint (1/2 liter) for less than $15 US including shipping. It takes a small amount to coat a lot of wood. I have more than I can ever use. If anyone in the Portland/Vancouver area wants some, I'll give it to them - I don't want to send chemicals through the mail though.

One advantage to the slow pace on this project is that I need time to ponder the next step. I am pre-finishing the parts and the glue up has me thinking about keep assemblies square without marring the finish.

Steve - Thanks! I should have another post up shortly.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Mask & Prep for finish*

I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.

The challenge is in keeping the joints clear of finish and eventually working with finished parts during glue-up.

For now, I only need to concern myself with keeping the mortises and tenons free of finish. The tenons were the easy part. I just masked off each one with blue painter's tape. If I counted right, I ended up taping 264 tenons!

Some of them are pictured here…










I did not concern myself with taping the shoulders of the tenons as the glue joint strength is mainly from the tenon.










I spent some time trying to figure out how to protect the mortises, but I REALLY did NOT want to mask the inside of 264 mortises. Since I will be wiping on the finish, I decided to see if I could just be careful and not let the finish run into the mortises.

The next step was to set up the pieces for finishing. I needed to support each piece such that none of the finished surfaces would be in contact with anything.

For the pieces with a tenon on each end that was pretty easy - just set each tenon on a support rail.










The legs are a little different. They do not have a tenon on the ends. The front legs were set up by screwing a hook into the top. The top of the front leg will eventually be covered by the seat.










The back legs were more of a puzzle. All surfaces are exposed. I guess I could screw a hook into the bottom of the leg, but I did not care for a hole there. It took me a while to figure this out, but I ended up creating a set of stands that supported each leg in the bottom of each of three mortises that run along the inside face. I forgot to take a picture of this during the setup, so these show a preview of the finish work under way.



















Now I'm ready to apply the finish. I still need to figure out how to assemble pieces with finish already on them. I have some time to figure that out. It's all part of the fun.

You'll notice that the total hours went up by almost 7, about an hour and a half was spent setting up supports for the legs. That leaves about 5 and a half hours for taping tenons. That works out to a little over a minute per tenon!

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 10 min
> Prep for finish: 1 h 25 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 20 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 20 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 30 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 40 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 40 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 2 h 30 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 35 min
> Holes: 1 hr

Total so far: 183 hr 35 min (~31 hrs per stool)


----------



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


Wow Steve - the average joe has no idea what kind of time goes into the details…....Great to see you are gaining momentum on this big project. Looking forward to the finish…...


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


Wow Steve. Like Jeff said. Also, you could hang all those legs from the ceiling like that to get a good wooden tone wind chime/s. Dat's a lotta mortise n tenons my friend. Super nice also.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


So far, so good guys!

Funny Roger - I hadn't thought of the wind chime comparison! They have bumped together a couple times - tone is kinda dull and they all sound the same. I could change the length to get different notes but that would make pretty crappy stools!

The finish is going on now. I should be able to post that step in a few days.

The problem is, as I get closer to the end, I have more and more time invested in each part and they get harder and harder to fix. From here on out it is a lot of thinking time between each step.


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


My Gosh.
It is really something to see all the work involved - and the time charted.

Good job though. They are really looking good.
Steve


----------



## Arthouse (Feb 22, 2011)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


Pre finishing is the only way to go. Pitfalls are gluing and clamping finished pieces. Clamping pressuer on finish for chairs is tough. I always wait 36 hours for the laquer to cure . Clean rags and water for glue cleanup to not dull the finish. Cloth band straps might work here for your chairs. Love you time tracking . Takes discipline . For woodworkers that would be a gift to share . I always want to know if I make five bucks and hour or twenty. Good luck . If you have any more questions let me know I have a lot of experience in pre finished goods.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


Thanks Steve - I kept track of my hours on one other time on a PL project (Pre LumberJocks). It ended up being twice as many as I had guessed.

Thanks Arthouse for the advice!
I am thinking I'll need some fixturing to maintain alignment. I think I'll try to use smooth surfaces to contact the finished surfaces. One other time I tried clamping a finished piece using cloth and the texture of the cloth imprinted on the finish. I am definitely going to need some strap clamps!
If I can think of any questions I'll be sure to ask - thanks for the offer!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


I wish I could be as well organized and exacting as yourself Steve. I do greatly admire your approach to this work and I'm sure those are going to be smashing stools when finished. You are teaching us how to work properly with your excellent blog. I usually stuff mortises with paper towels to lock out finish. Works well for me.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Mask & Prep for finish*
> 
> I have decided to finish each piece before assembly. The benefit is it will be easier to get an even coat all the way to the end of each piece with no internal corners to catch finish.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mike! I did not think of the paper towel idea. It looks like keeping them open and avoiding letting finish run in has worked pretty well. The edge of the mortise sometimes has a little finish on it, but no disasters.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*

After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.

I use a two finish process, both parts are from General Finishes. The first finish is their oil based coat.










I wipe the finish on with a piece of cheesecloth. The first coat basically soaks into the wood.










Areas where the grain is very tight, even the first coat shows a little gloss. I add more coats until the wood shows a uniform gloss. On average, it takes 5 coats to get there.

After that, I buff each face with 600 grit and 000 steel wool.

Next up is the top coat.










Since these stools will see heavy use, I wanted a heavy finish. When looking for a heavy finish, my rule is "add coats until you don't want to add any more". That took 4 coats. I'm pretty sure that I have a good durable finish on these parts.

After the top coats, I buffed each face with 000 steel wool and the applied a coat of paste wax and polished each face. I figure the wax will help with any clean up when I do the glue up.

I am really pleased with how the pieces look at this point. The appearance is great and the polished wax gives a really nice feel to each part.














































Now I have to get ready for glue up. I have to confess that this step has caused me a great deal of pondering for the duration of this project. The main choice I have is do I glue up sub assemblies or do I glue up an entire stool at once? I am interested in your opinions on this one…

Gluing assemblies has the benefit of allowing the use of wood glues with shorter open time as well as less confusion and stress during glue up. The down side is if any assembly ends up a little out of square or twisted, it will be very difficult to correct it later on.

Gluing the entire stool is a much more complex process. I would expect to use epoxy to allow a sufficient open time. It would also require a really good fixture and clamping technique to ensure the stool is aligned.

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 10 min
> Prep for finish: 1 h 25 min
> Finish: 12 h 15 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 20 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 20 min
> Finish: 2 h 45 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 30 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 40 min
> Finish: 4 h 35 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 40 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 2 h 30 min
> Finish: 12 h 5 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 35 min
> Holes: 1 hr

Total so far: 215 hr 15 min (~36 hrs per stool)


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Oh, Steve…...................do those ever look nice.
Awaiting the final reveal with anticipation.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


More than up to my high expectations Steve.The finish looks top notch. I can think that the glue-up will be a challenge. I would try to determine which parts, if any, can be glued up separately without the danger of misalignment, or at least where slight misalignments might not be a significant problem.

I would also rehearse a full all at once glue-up. I can see that the pre-finishing is a big advantage in terms of clean-up and good coverage, but it may make clamping a bit difficult due to the possibility of messing up the finish, so you need a really well thought out plan.

I did have one idea that might help. Have you ever thought about using cargo straps with ratchet fasteners to clamp with? These are easy to pad where they contact the wood and the ratchet can produce a huge amount of clamping pressure. I have used them myself with excellent results and they are safer than steel clamps with regards to the finish. You might have to use angled pads to prevent slippage on angled areas.

Having seen how you work, I have no doubt you will have success with the glue-up, and I don't think you really need advice on this, as you will figure it out yourself. I am looking forward to seeing your stools finished. I'm sure they will be very beautiful.


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


My Gosh.
What a project. The glue up would scare me too. Sorry I don't have any hints.

Steve


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Wow! Those pieces & parts are lookin super. It's gonna be a beaut!!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys!

Paul - I am really looking forward to just the dry fit where all these pieces come together.

Mike - Thanks! You are right - I will be trying several dry clamp setups before I bring out the glue. At this point, what is another 10 hours? I have been thinking strap clamps and very smooth clamping blocks - probably masonite. They will need to cover a large area and maybe need to be shaped in some cases.

Steve - At least I'm in good company 

Roger - Thanks! stay tuned …


----------



## Ampeater (Feb 21, 2008)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


I also can't wait to see the final stools.

On similar projects in the past, I have done the clamping with about 1" wide strips that I had cut from an innertube. I have various lengths ranging from five feet to fifteen feet. The rubber innertube won't harm the finish and the clamping strength is great. Also, there is no problem with the "clamp" slipping.

Stretch the rubber tight and wrap aroung the legs of the stool three or four times.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the idea Ampeater! I have a few old bicycle inner tubes that would work great.


----------



## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Wow. The finish looks amazing!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Thanks Chris!


----------



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


You're on a roll Steve - keep going! Those parts are looking great! Only you can gauge the glue up process - and I'm sure you will go the right way….Enjoy.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Thanks Jeff! You're right - I'll figure it out after a couple of dry fits and test clamp set ups. Actually, I'm looking forward to solving the puzzle.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


The depth of that grain is awesome! It looks almost iridescent!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Thanks Lew!

I have been pretty patient letting this project take its course as time allows, but I have to admit that all these pretty parts is getting me fired up to do some assembly!


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


That is an absolutely beautiful finish and I have every confidence that you will accomplish the glue up with equal finesse. Can't wait for the finished stools!


----------



## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


You got me drooling, patiently awaiting the final to this show .
That is a absolutely beautiful finish ,DEEEEEEEEEP


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Finish is on - all 9 coats! Plus 2 buffing, wax and polish*
> 
> After getting everything set up, the next step was put the finish on! I really like this step, each coat increases the gloss, depth and color.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys! Hopefully I'll be able to find some shop time and post an update soon…


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Jigs for glue up*

This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.

The first step was to remove the masking tape. It took a while to peel of tape from all 244 tenons!










One concern I had with clamping pre-finished parts was damaging the finish. In past times I have had the texture of any padding end up imprinting into the finish. I decided to use a smooth surface to line the inside of my clamping jigs. I used masonite hardboard to line the jigs. The assembly of the jigs took all my spring clamps!



















I went through a couple iterations to arrive at my final solution and clamping sequence. I chose to assemble the entire chair in a single glue-up. I used my prototype to develop the clamping sequence.

One of the fun parts about this step is I had to go buy more clamps!

The first step is to clamp the seat back assembly. This step is optional and is only done when the assembly resists being fully compressed. The jigs look like this.










And is used like this. The trick was the top rail and the bottom rail do not line up so I needed a way to get the clamp force to pull the parts together without causing the clamp to slide off.










Next are two pads for the top of the back.










The angled wedges on each side are used to let a clamp pull the two back legs together at the top.










Then there are two sets of clamping pads to pull the back legs together at the middle and bottom rails.



















Here is a view of the bottom pads in action. The middle pads serve double duty and will show up a little later…










The next set of pads are for the front legs. They have a top block so they rest on the legs and are long enough on the outside faces to cover the lower rail.










The first clamping step is to pull the two front legs together at the top and bottom.










Then the front leg assembly is clamped to the back leg assembly at the top. Here is where the middle pads for the back legs show up.










The last set of pads are for the bottom rails.










Two more clamps finish the job.










Here is the final solution.



















I promise the next post will show assembled frames!

Finally a note on the hours. I only added the time to remove the masking tape. I have not included the time to build any of the jigs and I chose to stay with that precedent.

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 10 min
> Prep for finish: 1 h 25 min
> Finish: 12 h 15 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 20 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 20 min
> Finish: 2 h 45 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 30 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 40 min
> Finish: 4 h 35 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 40 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 2 h 30 min
> Finish: 12 h 5 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 35 min
> Holes: 1 hr

Frame assembly
> Remove Masking Tape: 1 hr 30 min

Total so far: 216 hr 45 min (~36 hrs per stool)


----------



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


Hey Steve - that's a lot of engineering in the clamp blocks and strategy. Looks like you are well prepared! Good luck on the glue up!


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


Ahhh yess….... fabrication, and clamps. You can never have too much, or too many. Looks like they're comin along nicely


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


I love it. Just love it.
Engineer your way out of a situation. Others may do differently, but this is how I would handle it. I can't help it either.

Steve


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


Amazing Steve. You certainly have my respect. This looks like an excellent and well thought out setup. It appears that you used a mockup stool to do your glue-up rehearsal, smart. This is bound to work out well. I look forward to seeing the grand finale!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys! I should have noted that the black clamps in the last two pics are the new ones (they still have their warning labels on them).

Even after all this prep, it took me a couple days to get up the nerve to use actual glue!


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


Seems like everyone has the same word come to mind as they see this- "Engineering"!
Wonderfully thought out. I'm glad I'm not trying to glue that all at once- I don't think I know enough "Navy" language.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


Thanks Lew - I have all the jigs to make more of these, but I'm not sure I want to! Solving the problems is the fun part.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Jigs for glue up*
> 
> This last weekend was spent setting up the process for assembly and glue up. I had not expected I would spend this much time coming up with a glue up solution. Still, this was a fun puzzle to solve.
> 
> ...


FYI - Stool #4 went in the clamps today. Hope to post the results soon …


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*

After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!










As you can see, tongue position is important when dry fitting pre-finished parts.

Before I actually glued up an assembly, I dry fit the stool. The corner blocks are then set in place. The tenons on the corner blocks needed a little fitting to get them into position. Pilot holes for the screws were drilled and then the stool is disassembled. Then I set the parts out to make sure I have everything ready to go.










I also make sure the clamps and clamping jigs are in order.










Gluing up an entire stool at once requires a glue that has a loooonnnng open time. I am using epoxy. I learned about epoxy assembly from building kayaks a few years ago.










This epoxy needs to mixed in a 2:1 ratio (resin:hardener) by volume. You can use pumps to meter out the portions. Others use scales that account for the ratio and density differences. I find it much easier to measure out volumes. I use old pill bottles to do this.










I mark the left one to measure out a single part of the mixture. I then pour water to that level and transfer two parts into the right container and mark that level. I then add one more part and mark that level. I then empty the water out and dry it well. I then add resin to the first mark and hardener to the second mark.










The epoxy needs a structural filler to create strong joints. I also added a little mahogany sanding sawdust to tint the mixture. The entire tub of sawdust was collecting from sanding all the parts . I reserve some of the epoxy to pre-wet the joint and the rest is transferred to a cup and the fillers are added.










I use an acid brush to pre-wet the tenon and the mortise. This is a very thin layer as I do not want to deal with a lot of squeeze out. As I understand it, the pre-wetting allows the wood to absorb some epoxy and helps prevent epoxy being wicked away from the joint.



















I then spread the thickened mixture on the walls of the mortise.










The assembly sequence is the same as described in the gluing jig post just before this one. After the parts are clamped, the corner blocks were glued and screwed into position.










The masonite surfaces on the clamping pads worked very well. I had no marks from clamping. There was very little epoxy squeeze out. When this did happen, ithe wax on the parts made clean up quite successful. The final results looks very nice.










I paid close attention to making sure all four legs were in contact with the floor after clamping. I unclamped it and it was rock solid on the shop floor. When I brought the first stool into the house and tried to rock it, there was a slight "tick-tick-tick" as I wiggled it. Rats - not perfect, but close. Shop floor must not be flat. With the next stool, I made sure I found a perfectly flat spot on the shop floor.
The second stool was dead square - even when turning 90 degrees. Brought it into the house and it was rock solid. Then I put it in place the first stool sat - "tick-tick-tick".

Ah- HA! My kitchen floor is not flat!! The rocking is really slight and goes away when I put my weight on the stool.

They look really nice and are now ready for seats.



















They all look good sitting in their final home.



















The finishing process took about 11 hours.

=================================================

Current time log:

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 10 min
> Prep for finish: 1 hr 25 min
> Finish: 12 h 15 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 20 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 20 min
> Finish: 2 h 45 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 30 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 40 min
> Finish: 4 hr 35 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 40 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 2 hr 30 min
> Finish: 12 hr 5 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 1 hr 15 min
> Holes: 1 hr 30 min

Frame assembly
> Remove Masking Tape: 1 hr 30 min
> Dry Fitting: 4 hr 20 min
> Glue up: 6 hr 50 min

Total so far: 229 hr 5 min (~38 hrs per stool)


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Well worth the efforts going by the look of them Steve. A beautifully completed project. I will bet that besides being such a good woodworker that you are also a talented engineer. This is pretty apparent from the way you work and the wonderful results you get. Thanks so much for taking us along on your stool building adventure, it was very enjoyable and educational too.


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Oh man, Steve. Wow! Those came out beautifully. Super, super nice. First class furniture for sure. Look forward to seein the seats on em.


----------



## whitewulf (May 11, 2010)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


IMHO pre-assembly should always be done before finish. Great job. 
i never keep time while working.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


They are stunning! 
Will they reside in the room where you have them pictured? If so, the contrast of wood colors really makes them the focal point!


----------



## Kookaburra (Apr 23, 2012)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Those really are beautiful. 38 hours for a nice kitchen stool doesn't sound so bad, but they time you get 4 done, you have quite an investment in time here. Looks like it was worth it though

I have two that I had made when my house was built. He charged me $500 each and I thought that was a lot, but now I see there was probably much more to the project than I imagined. I knew I couldn't do it myself, so it was worth it to me.


----------



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Nice work Steve - they are looking great!


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


*Bravo Steve !!!*

It's been well worth the wait.
I love your results and I agree with you on mixing by visual volume on the epoxy. 
I never trusted the pumps.

I could go on and on but as a great woodworker I know recently posted,

"Stunning, that's all I've got. just stunning."


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments everyone - they mean a lot.

*Mike* - Thanks - after 30 years of engineering work, it kind of shows up in whatever I do!

*Roger* - Upholstering the seats is up next. That will be a new experience for me. Then - at last - they can go to work.

*whitewulf* - Thanks - I kept a time log on one other project and was surprised by how far off my initial guess was. I don't normally bother with it either, but thought it would be fun for the blog.

*lew* - Yes, that is where they will live. We'll have to see if we picked the right color for the fabric!!

*Kay* - Thanks! I'll be well into the 40's by the time the seats are done. I would end up with a pretty low hourly wages at $500 each - but I am not trying to be efficient. It is more about having fun for me. I think you got a pretty fair deal…

*Jeff* - Thanks - I'm getting there!

*Paul* - I'm honored to be quoted! <grin>


----------



## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Labour of love and a beautiful end result (almost ) waiting for the seats .
Patience and attention to perfect fit and detail made these the quality project they are .
Thank you to let us be part of the journey Steve ,I really appreciate it .


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Assembling 6 stools with pre-finished parts*
> 
> After I got the parts all finished, I was really excited to do a dry fit and see how everything looked. I didn't even bother to change into any shop clothes!
> 
> ...


Thanks kiefer! I am enjoying sharing the journey with all of you.

Now, I am in the learning phases of foam shaping. There is always something new to discover!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

*Seat Upholstery*

Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now

Here we go. The next step is to cut seat blanks. I used a sheet of good quality 3/8 plywood.










I printed out a full size pattern.










Cut it out on the bandsaw.










Sanded it smooth.










I then used the first cutout as a pattern for the other 5 seat blanks.










I used a brad point bit to mark the hole locations.










I used a T-nut to bolt the seat blank to the stool.










As always with this project. I keep moving on and eventually I get to the end of each step.










After the seat blanks are done, its time to cut the foam. I used 1 1/2 inch thick blocks of upholstery foam. I used the bandsaw to cut to shape and then tapered the foam.










I took out the bandsaw table insert so I could tilt the table as far as possible (I would guess 50+ degrees). The seats were cut about 3/8 inch oversize and the taper ended up just over an inch inside the seat outline.










The foam is glued to the seat base with spray adhesive. After the foam is bonded, the edges are bent over and stuck to the seat. This gives a pretty good shape to the seat even before fabric is added.










After the foam, next is a layer of muslin.










This is followed by the final fabric. The pattern is located and stapled front & back.










Then the sides & corners.










Trim the excess.










Add heavy paper.










And - finally - bolt the finished seat to the frame!










Here is a view of the final seat.










I'll save the final pics for the project posting - given past behavior that could take a while 

Here is the final time log:

=================================================

Cutting rough stock: 2 hr

Legs
> Cutting to width and thickness: 4 hr 20 min
> Cut to final length: 3 hr 30 min
> Shaping: 5 hr 50 min
> Mortises: 10 hr 35 min
> Sand & radius edges: 19 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 10 min
> Prep for finish: 1 hr 25 min
> Finish: 12 h 15 min

Seat Back and Back Rest
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 3 hr 35 min
> Prepping laminations: 8 hr 40 min
> Glue up Laminations: 3 hr 50 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 2 hr 25 min
> Tenon: 5 hr 40 min
> Mortises: 5 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 6 hr 10 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 20 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 20 min
> Finish: 2 h 45 min

Back Slats
> Cutting thin stock for laminations: 1 hr 55 min
> Prepping laminations: 3 hr
> Glue up Laminations: 6 hr 5 min
> Trim Laminated Parts: 30 min
> Tenon: 2 hr 50 min
> Sand: 7 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 1 hr 30 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 40 min
> Finish: 4 hr 35 min

Lower rail parts
> Cut to width and thickness: 10 hr
> Cut to length: 1 hr 30 min
> Mortise: 4 hr 35 min
> Tenon: 28 hr 30 min
> Sand & radius edges: 15 hr 35 min
> Oxidize and Final sanding: 3 hr 40 min
> Mask & Prep for finish: 2 hr 30 min
> Finish: 12 hr 5 min

Corner Blocks
> Cut to size: 1 hr 50 min
> Shape: 1 hr 50 min
> Tenons: 1 hr 15 min
> Holes: 1 hr 30 min

Frame assembly
> Remove Masking Tape: 1 hr 30 min
> Dry Fitting: 4 hr 20 min
> Glue up: 6 hr 50 min

Seats
> Seat Blanks: 3 hr 55 min
> Foam: 1 hr 20 min
> Muslin: 4 hr 15 min
> Final Fabric: 7 hr

Total: 245 hr 15 min (~41 hrs per stool)


----------



## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


You must be pretty excited to come to the end of this massive project!
Looking forward to the posting… that bottom looks pretty nice.
Ellen


----------



## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Beautiful work. I'm really impressed. Like to see those stools in person


----------



## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Nice.
Congrats on work well done.

Steve


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


All, super nicely done. Woodwork, and upholstery.


----------



## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Looking good Steve! You must be extremely happy to cross the finish line!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Thanks everyone! It's great to have the project finished. The fun part is seeing them in use. They are so much more comfortable than our old ones.


----------



## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Steve! Very well done sir! You were rather intentional about the upholstery. I can see that you took a couple of "extra" steps. It's good mark mark of very fine upholstery. It looks like you used Rosin paper to cover the bottom. Very clever.

The muslin layer is meant to separate padding from fabric. In the good old days, the padding consisted of rubberized horse hair and cotton. The old upholstery cotton was not real clean. There were things in it that would stain a fabric if it got wet. The horse hair--- I'm glad those days are gone!!!

Do you know why upholsterers make such terrible finish carpenters. They work with half inch tolerances all the time. Keeping staples in a straight line is never a consideration. Most work they do can be corrected easily if they make a mistake.

One of the biggest aspects of being a good upholsterer is having the ability to secure fabric and padding without creating bumps or bulk. I'm sure that is something you are very familiar with at the moment. I've got to say that you passed the test beautifully.

Another aspect is knowing 'how' the padding will act when it is pulled tight with the fabric. You did such a beautiful job bevelling the foam that it already had the desired shape before you started.

Shaping the foam is a relatively new thing. In the good old day's the foam was shapped into these gigantic blocks then cut to thickness. Nowadays, each individual piece can be shaped with a mold. That saves foam and the need for a little extra skill (just a little mind you).

Do you know why a fine finish carpenter makes a lousy upholsterer? They can't make any money at it.  it takes over 12 hours to do the upholstery on some wrap over DR seats.

Steve - I'm messing with you. The facts are that you did some ultra fine work on that upholstery and I totally appreciate your attention to the smallest detail. If I were you - I'd give myself a 12 on a scale of 1 to 10 for a great quality upholstery job. Kick that pride of doing it yourself up a few notches. I could not have done better.

Wow - that sounds arrogant!!!! I guess I better explain a little so you can know where I'm coming from. At 6 years old, I was sweeping up my dad's upholstery shop. By the time I was 25 - I was a master upholsterer. - THAT is WHY I have been such a lousy carpenter.

Eighth inch off? Who cares!


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Wow Mark! Thanks for the inspiring and detailed comment! Your compliments meant a lot to me.

I have to admit that this was my first chair upholstery. I have picked up some hints from years past, but I have to give the biggest credit to my wife's uncle. I got to watch him re-upholster some chairs old school - cotton, horse hair, muslin and tacks. I learned a lot.

Thanks again for your feedback.


----------



## justoneofme (Aug 11, 2011)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Sure must feel good to have this very involved project completed. Be proud of yourself Steve … *these hand-crafted kitchen stools are beautiful!!*


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Absolutely superb Steve ! 
That's all I've got. ;-)


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

sras said:


> *Seat Upholstery*
> 
> Confession - I finished the upholstery several weeks ago but have not gotten the blog updated until now. Oh well, everything else about this project has been on its own pace so there is no sense in changing now
> 
> ...


Thanks Elaine - I seem to gravitate to involved projects. They take a lot of time, but the journey is as much fun as the final result!

Thanks Paul - The quality of comments are not judged by their size


----------

