Chapter 4

Seating

Sit. Perch. Recline. Pose. Take a load off. Twelve pieces that prove seating can be equal parts practical and sculptural.

Incurvated

Designed by Marcus Papay

Bending plywood has long been an important part of modernist furniture making, but the process of bent lamination – gluing together thin plywood layers around a rigid form – is beyond the scope of this book. Faced with this limitation, the designer of this piece devised a way to bend full-thickness plywood without lamination. By making a regular series of saw cuts, or kerfs, on the underside of the seat panel, he was able to reduce the rigidity of the plywood, allowing the seat to flex slightly. The elegantly curved seat, combined with the judicious and artistic use of metals, makes this a truly special piece, something you will fully appreciate not just in the finished product itself but also in the process of creating it.

See Caylee Cruiser for another work by Marcus Papay.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Exploded View
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Cutting Diagram
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Lower Brace Detail

Instructions

  1. 1. Cut the plywood parts.

    Cut the plywood pieces to their overall dimensions, following the cutting diagram above. These include:

    • 1 top (seat) at 12" × 181⁄4"
    • 2 legs at 12" × 171⁄2" overall, with the sides tapered at 8 degrees toward the top
    • 2 aprons at 3" × 171⁄2" overall

    Do not cut the apron contours at this time; leave them as rectangular pieces. Use a circular saw and straightedge guide or a table saw to ensure clean, straight cuts.

    When laying out the top, it’s critical that the grain of the face veneers runs parallel to the short sides (front to back, on the seat); this allows the plywood to bend properly.

  2. 2. Prepare the top.

    The top gets a 15-degree chamfer on all of its bottom-face edges, followed by the kerf cuts for bending the piece. It also gets two 1⁄2"-wide, 1⁄8"-deep dadoes to receive the aprons.

    Cut the chamfers with a circular saw and straightedge guide or (preferably) a table saw. The chamfers should stop 1⁄8" from the top face of the panel. This leaves you with a 1⁄8"-thick band of square-cut edge at the top, and the rest of the edge’s thickness is beveled at 15 degrees.

    To make the kerfs, first lay out the cuts on the bottom face of the top. Draw a line from front to back (parallel to the short edges) at the precise center of the piece. To each side of the centerline, draw 14 parallel lines spaced 9⁄16" on center. You should have 29 lines total, with the outside lines about 1" from the ends of the piece. Set the circular saw depth at 3⁄8", and cut down the center of each line, using a square or straightedge to ensure straight cuts. You can also make the kerfs with a table saw (see Making Kerf Cuts with a Table Saw).

    To mill the dadoes for the aprons, mark the center of the top piece across its short dimension. Then make a mark 23⁄4" to each side of the center. Draw lines down the length of the piece at the outer marks; these represent the inside edges of the dadoes, and they should be 51⁄2" apart. Set up a straightedge guide, and mill the dadoes with a router and a 1⁄2" straight bit (or use a table saw and dado blade). The dadoes run the full length of the piece.

    Note: For the dadoes, the router bit must be equal to or slightly smaller than the plywood’s thickness. If your stock measures less than 1⁄2", use a smaller bit for a snug fit (you might have to sand the aprons a bit).

  3. 3.Cut the half-lap notches.

    The aprons and legs fit together with half-lap joints created with two 1⁄2"-wide, 7⁄8"-deep notches in each leg and apron piece, as shown in the cutting diagram. You can cut these notches with a router and straight bit or a table saw and dado blade.

    Mark the notches on the faces of the pieces, following the diagram. To use a router, clamp each leg vertically to the edge of a bench, using a sacrificial backerboard between the bench and workpiece to prevent tearout. Then use a straightedge or right-angle jig to guide the router.

    Rout the notches on the aprons using the same technique, but clamp the workpiece at a 65-degree angle.

  4. 4. Cut the apron profiles.

    Lay out the apron profile on one of the apron pieces following the template in the cutting diagram. Clamp the two aprons together and cut out the profile on both pieces at once with a jigsaw or band saw. Sand the edges to smooth the curves and remove any saw marks.

  5. 5. Cut the upper braces.

    Lay out the profile of the upper braces on 1⁄8" aluminum stock, following the template in the cutting diagram. Cut the profiles with a jigsaw or band saw.

    Drill a hole for a wood screw at each corner of the upper braces, using a 1⁄4" bit and a portable drill or a drill press; the holes should be 1⁄4" from the edges of the braces. Countersink the holes to fit the taper depth of the wood screws’ heads, so the flat heads will sit flush with the surface. Sand the braces, working up to 400-grit sandpaper for a polished look. (You can also use a die grinder polish system, if available.)

    Note: Be sure to turn off your dust collector when cutting metal with a band saw; hot metal mixing with saw dust is a potential fire hazard.

  6. 6. Assemble the legs and braces.

    Using a 1⁄4" straight bit, drill a hole through each leg for the all-thread pieces of the lower brace, as shown in the cutting diagram and the lower brace detail drawing. These holes are centered, 21⁄2" up from the bottom edge of the leg, and driven at a 65-degree angle so they will be level when the legs are installed.

    Using a 1⁄2" Forstner bit, counterbore the hole on the outside of each leg for the 1⁄2"-diameter connector nut to sit in (see A Forstner Drilling Jig, for advice on how to create a simple jig for drilling with a Forstner bit).

    Cut 1" off each end of the 1⁄2" aluminum rod for the connector nut pieces, using a hacksaw. Then cut the same rod to length at 143⁄4" to create the lower brace, mitering the ends at 65 degrees, as shown in the lower brace detail drawing. The mitered ends should fit flush against the insides of the legs; you may need to file the cuts for a good fit.

    Secure each connector nut in a bench vise or drill press base. Drill a 3⁄8"-deep tap hole with a #29 bit, then thread the inside of the hole with an 8-32 tap. Do the same with each end of the lower brace rod. (If you also drill a 1⁄8"-diameter hole into the side of each connecting nut, perpendicular to its length, when you assemble the table, you can tighten the nuts with a 1⁄8" steel rod or punch.) Use the hacksaw to cut two 1" lengths of 8-32 all-thread rod for joining the lower brace to the connector nuts at each end.

    Assemble the legs, aprons, and upper braces by fitting the aprons and legs together at the half-lap joints and mounting the upper braces with screws. As an optional step that’s definitely worth doing, you can cut 1⁄8"-deep mortises into the legs to receive the upper braces, using a jigsaw or band saw and a sharp chisel. This allows the braces to be flush with the legs’ edges.

    Install the lower brace and connector nuts as shown in the Lower Brace Detail.

  7. 7. Glue the top.

    Finish-sand the aprons and top, making sure the aprons fit snugly into the top’s dadoes. With the aprons and legs assembled, apply glue to the dadoes on the bottom of the top piece and clamp the top to the aprons, making sure the top is centered on the aprons. First clamp at the center of the top so the aprons bottom out in the dadoes, then add more clamps as needed, working from the center out toward the ends. Let the glue dry completely.

  8. 8. Finish the wood parts.

    Disassemble the legs from the upper braces. Finish-sand the legs, and apply the finish of your choice to the legs, aprons, and top. In the project shown here, the wood was finished with Deft greentinted lacquer applied with an HVLP (high volume, low pressure) spray gun. Reassemble all parts after the finish has cured.

Shop Tip

Making Kerf Cuts with a Table Saw

To cut the kerfs in Incurvated’s top with a table saw and sled, you’ll want to make a jig:

Cut a rectangular piece of MDF to equal the width of the sled. Make a 1⁄8" cut in the MDF. Then cut a strip of 1⁄8"-thick-wood to length at 11⁄2" to sit in the kerf of the MDF. Offset this stop at 9⁄16" (distance between kerf cuts) from the blade and clamp the jig to the sled. Once you make the first kerf in the top piece, fit the kerf over the wood strip to set the spacing for the next cut, and so on.

Flat Pack Stool

Designed by Alexis Liu

Flat Pack Stool is furniture design at an inspired, elemental level. The stool consists of three flat plywood parts that slot together in two easy steps. Yet the simplicity of the design still leaves ample room for creativity. As shown here, the designer used paint to create a trompe l’oeil image of a rustic wooden stool, and she encourages builders to experiment with other media, such as photographs or etching, for different effects. Knocked down, a complete four-piece set of these stools can be stashed in a kitchen drawer, under a couch, or on a bookshelf. Simply inspired.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Cutting Diagrams

Instructions

  1. 1. Cut the parts.

    Using a circular saw with a straightedge guide or a table saw, cut the two leg pieces to size at 13" × 18".

    The top piece is a 13"-diameter disk. It’s best to cut this with a jigsaw, followed by a router and trammel (see Two Easy Ways to Cut a Circle). If you don’t have a router, you can make the final cut with a jigsaw and sand the cut edges to smooth the curve and remove any saw marks.

  2. 2. Make the cutouts and slots.

    As shown in the cutting diagram, the legs get a 1⁄2"-deep, 10"-long cutout in their bottom edges, to create “feet.” The top edges of the legs get 1⁄2"-deep, 7"-long cutouts that accept the solid center of the stool’s top and create the tabs for joining with the top. Each leg also gets a 1⁄2"-wide, 81⁄2"-long slot for joining with the other leg. Note that one leg’s slot is made from the top down, and the other’s is made from the bottom up. All the slots and cutouts are centered side-to-side on the legs. The disk gets four evenly spaced slots that are each 1⁄2" wide and 3" long.

    With the exception of the feet cutouts, all the slots and cutouts must match the exact thickness of your plywood stock, which is likely to be slightly less than the 1⁄2" shown in the diagrams. Measure your stock in several places to determine the proper width/depth for your slots and cutouts.

    Mark the slots and cutouts on the legs and top, and make the cuts with a jigsaw. Just to be safe, cut on the inside of the cut lines (“leave the line”) to ensure a snug fit. At the bottoms of the slots, turn the saw blade as needed to remove most of the waste material, then clean up the corners with a flat (square-edged) file.

  3. 3. Test-assemble the stool.

    Test-fit the parts by slotting the legs together and then fitting the top over the leg tabs. The pieces should fit together snugly but easily. File and/or sand any slots or cutouts as needed for a proper fit. The tops of the leg tabs should be flush with the top surface of the top piece.

  4. 4. Finish the stool.

    Finish-sand the parts, working up to 220-grit or finer sandpaper. Sand a slight roundover on the outer edges of the top, for comfort.

    Finish the parts as desired. For a decorative painted finish, lightly sketch the design with a pencil first, then add the paint. Whether you paint, stain, or leave the wood natural, it’s a good idea to add a protective clear topcoat to make the surface washable and durable.

    Let all finishes dry thoroughly before assembling the stool.

TAB-1 Chair

Designed by Brian DuBois

The TAB-1 Chair is one of several pieces in this book that feature “laminated” plywood construction – meaning, in this context, that the broadest wood surfaces are made up of plywood pieces set on edge and glued face-to-face. If you do this with solid wood, you almost invariably end up with butcher block; with plywood, however, the result is far more decorative and distinctive. Lamination is a key element of this chair design both aesthetically and practically, allowing you to create a truly high-end look through very simple, repeatable processes.

See Cantilever Table for another work by Brian DuBois.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Exploded View
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Cutting Diagram for Seat and Backrest Pieces
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Cutting Diagram for Aluminum Parts

Instructions

  1. 1.Rip the seat strips.

    The plywood seat is made up of 23 strips of plywood that are 11⁄2" wide. Start by ripping eight full-length, 11⁄2"-wide pieces from a 5 × 5-foot sheet of Baltic birch. Use a table saw or a circular saw with a straightedge guide to ensure clean, straight cuts.

  2. 2. Cut the seat strips to length.

    The best way to cut the seat strips to length is to use a power miter saw set up with a stop block for quick and accurate production cuts. If you don’t have a miter saw, you can simply mark each piece for length and make the cuts with a hand miter box and back saw or a circular saw. Cut the 11⁄2" strips into 21 pieces at 17" long and two pieces at 10 11⁄16" long; see the cutting diagram on above.

  3. 3. Drill the seat slat holes.

    Select two 17" pieces with a factory edge. These will become your templates for drilling the remaining long seat pieces. Following the cutting diagram, carefully lay out the holes for seat strip B, orienting the factory edge at the top. Mark the piece with a “B,” and mark the top edge. Drill the holes as shown, keeping the drill as plumb as possible (you can also use a portable drill stand or a drill press to ensure straight holes). Repeat the process with the other 17" piece to create a template for side strip A. Use these templates to drill a total of six B pieces and 13 A pieces. Before drilling each piece, mark the better long edge as the top, then lay the template over the undrilled piece, with their top edges and ends aligned, and clamp the two pieces together.

    Finally, drill the holes in the two C pieces and two D pieces, as shown in the cutting diagram above.

  4. 4.Make the cutouts in the C pieces.

    Lay out and cut the two matching cutouts near the ends of each C piece, using a jigsaw to make the cuts (see How to Mark & Cut Curves). These cutouts create access holes for tightening the leg hardware.

  5. 5. Cut and drill the backrest pieces.

    There are 21 backrest strips: 17 are E pieces and four are F pieces. All have the same dimensions, and each gets two 1⁄2" holes for dowels. The F pieces also get two 1⁄4" holes for hardware. Because of their angled ends and front edges, these pieces must be cut individually. You can do this in a couple of ways:

    • Rip a long piece of plywood stock at about 6" wide. Use a miter saw to crosscut the front and back edges of each piece, then go back and make the end cuts (these are at the same angle, so you can just turn the piece around for the second cut).
    • Lay out each piece using a factory (or straight-cut) edge of stock as the straight back edge of the pieces. Make the angled front cut with a circular saw, then cut the ends with the circular saw or a miter box and back saw.

    With all of the pieces cut to size, use the template technique outlined in step 3 to drill the holes in these E and F pieces.

  6. 6. Prepare the dowels.

    Arrange all the pieces of the seat (A, B, C, and D) as they will be installed; see the exploded-view drawing above. Gang them together tightly and measure across the assembly (from side to side). Cut four 1⁄2"-diameter dowels to this dimension plus about 2". Repeat the same process to cut two dowels to size for the backrest. Sand the dowels as needed so they fit snugly but easily into the 1⁄2" holes in the plywood pieces.

  7. 7.Install the threaded inserts.

    The backrest is secured with socket-head bolts and threaded inserts. The inserts are epoxied into two of the F pieces; they will be set second in from each end of the backrest assembly. Measure the outside diameter of the threaded inserts, and redrill the 1⁄4" holes in two of the F pieces to match the inserts. Install the inserts in the holes using two-part epoxy.

  8. 8. Complete the glue-up.

    Arrange the parts for the seat in order of installation. Starting at one side of the seat, insert the dowels into the first 17" A piece. Apply glue to the inside face of this piece, then slip the next A piece down over the dowels and onto the first piece (you can use a rubber mallet for assistance). Work quickly in this manner to glue up the remaining long pieces, then add the two shorter D pieces at the ends. Clamp the assembly and let the glue dry. Follow the same process to glue up the backrest.

  9. 9. Sand the seat and backrest.

    Carefully trim the dowel ends flush to the outside pieces of the seat and backrest assemblies, using a Japanese flush-cutting saw or other handsaw without “set” teeth (teeth that angle out to the side). Sand the assemblies so they are smooth across the lamination, using a belt sander (on the plywood edges only, not the veneer faces) or another type of power sander. Finish with hand sanding.

  10. 10. Stain and finish the seat and backrest.

    Apply stain and/or surface finish to all wood surfaces, as desired. The project shown here was stained with Minwax stain in ebony. After the stain dried overnight, the pieces were sanded again with 220-grit sandpaper to remove some areas of stain. Then the pieces were finished with furniture wax.

  11. 11. Cut the aluminum parts.

    Following the cutting diagram, cut pieces G (four total), H (four total), and J (two total) from 1⁄4"-thick aluminum, using a jigsaw with a bimetal blade. Cut the two K pieces from any of the cut-off material from the other pieces. Leave the tabs on the G pieces a little long so you can file them down for a tight fit in the next step.

    Note: If desired, you can have the aluminum parts cut at a local metal shop. This is an especially attractive option if you’re making a whole set of four or six chairs.

  12. 12. Drill and fit the aluminum parts.

    Drill the holes in the G, J, and K parts, as shown in the cutting diagram, making sure they line up with the corresponding holes in the chair seat and backrest. Select mating pairs of G and H parts for the legs. Working with one pair at a time, file the tabs on the G piece to fit tightly into the slots on the H piece. You will press the parts together mechanically, so the joints should be a little too tight to close by hand.

  13. 13. Assemble and finish the aluminum parts.

    Use a bench vise (with blocking to prevent damage to the metal) to press each of the leg pairs together. To create the “raw” look as shown in this project, sand all the metal parts with 150-grit sandpaper, as desired. Be sure to remove any sharp edges and burrs, and soften the edges of the leg ends to prevent them from scratching the floor.

  14. 14. Assemble the chair.

    Secure the legs and back uprights (J pieces) to the seat with 21⁄2" socket-head screws, using washers and nuts tightened from underneath the seat. Secure the backrest to the uprights with 11⁄2" socket-head bolts driven into the threaded inserts, placing the washers against the bolt heads. Tighten the bolts with an Allen wrench.

Shop Tip

Cutting and Drilling Metal

When cutting and drilling metal, heat is a primary concern. Overheating can melt the metal you’re working with and quickly ruin a drill bit or muddle a clean cut. To minimize heat buildup, run your tool at slow speeds, and apply even pressure while letting the blade or bit do the work. You’ll know things are getting too hot when you see smoke; it’s time to hold off for a moment, then start again at a slower speed. You can also add a few drops of lubricant (such as 3-IN-ONE oil) to the bit’s point or the cutting line (when using a jigsaw), and this is fine to do while the tool is going. Also, set your jigsaw for zero orbit, so the blade moves straight up and down.

Sto#2

Designed by Sean Kelly

Sto was inspired by a tree – not as a building material but as the perfect place to recline with a book. Sto also has places for stowing books, including a shelf and an open storage area inside the bench frame. And it has a quilted pad that rolls down over the backrest and onto the floor. With the pad rolled up, Sto’s top makes a great bench-style seat. The Sto shown here is dubbed #2 because it’s a home-shop version of the original Sto, whose parts were cut on a CNC machine. Like a handheld router, a CNC uses round cutting bits that can’t make square inside corners, necessitating slight overcuts for many joints and, in some cases, adding an interesting design element to the finished piece. This effect is mimicked in Sto#2, for both practical and aesthetic reasons.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Drilling Diagrams

Double-tap the image to open to fill the screen. Use the two-finger pinch-out method to zoom in. (These features are available on most e-readers.)

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Cutting Diagrams

Instructions

  1. 1.Cut the plywood workpieces.

    Using a circular saw and a straightedge guide, cut one piece of 1⁄2" birch plywood at 315⁄8" × 48", using the factory edge for the 48" side. Cut this into two pieces at 22" × 315⁄8". Label these pieces A and B.

    Cut two more pieces from the panel at 17" × 48", and label these C and D.

  2. 2. Mark the holes.

    You will mark and drill all the holes (for slat joints, dowels, and slots) in the workpieces before making the saw cuts.

    Lay out the holes on the A, B, and C pieces, as shown in the drilling template at right. Use a straightedge to draw the long lines (parallel to the adjacent edges), and use a combination square or other right-angle square with a lipped flange to mark the crosshairs on the long lines and to mark the centers of the holes. Note the four hole sizes specified in the drawings: 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 11⁄4, and 2". To prevent mistakes, it’s a good idea to label each hole (or series of holes) with the specified diameter (1⁄4, 1⁄2, and so on).

  3. 3. Drill the holes.

    Use the sacrificial plywood panel as a backerboard for drilling all the holes and for making the saw cuts, as applicable. This helps support the pieces throughout the work and helps prevent tearout on the bottommost veneer. Clamp the workpieces to the sacrificial panel, close to the holes being drilled, to minimize tearout. Drill all holes with self-feeding spade bits or (if you have a drill press or Forstner drilling jig for portable drills) with Forstner bits.

    Position piece A on top of B so all edges and corners are aligned, and clamp them both down to the work surface. Using a 1⁄2" bit, drill the eight pairs of joint holes along each side edge, starting with those 1" from the end. Start the drill slowly, and keep the tool steady as you drill straight down through both pieces.

    Separate the two pieces. Drill the remaining pair of joint holes along each side edge of piece A. Then drill the four 1⁄2" holes forming a square in the center of A; these are for the handle cutouts. Drill the four 1⁄2" holes in the upper center of piece B; these are for cutouts that provide access for gripping the pad.

    Position piece C on top of piece D, align all edges, and clamp them to the work surface. Drill the 1⁄4" holes along the top, bottom, and left edges of the pieces. Then drill the four 1⁄2" holes in the upper right corner of the piece. Next drill the 11⁄4" holes near the top of the piece. (To drill the semicircle on the top edge, clamp a plywood scrap against the top edge of the workpiece, and center the hole on the seam between the pieces.) Finally, drill the six 2" holes; these will become the radiused corners of the large center cutouts (see step 6).

  4. 4. Cut the joint slots (A and B).

    Use a jigsaw to cut straight lines between all of the joint hole pairs in pieces A and B; see the cutting template on above.

    Working on one piece at a time, set up a straightedge guide parallel to one long (side) edge of the piece; this is to guide the jigsaw so you can quickly move from cut to cut. (Though if you prefer, you can simply freehand the cuts.) Make the cuts with a jigsaw and a fine-tooth blade (20 teeth per inch is good for minimizing tearout). Cut all the joint slots (holes along the side edges). You will complete the handle and access slot cutouts after cutting the slats.

  5. 5. Cut the slats and shelf pieces.

    Clamp piece A on top of B so all edges are aligned, as before. Set up a straightedge guide to cut the first slat from the bottom of the pieces, as shown in the cutting template. The slat should be 3" wide after it’s cut. Be sure to account for the saw’s kerf – the material removed by the blade. The slats in the drawings are laid out for a 1⁄8" kerf, which is typical for circular saw blades.

    Cut the first slat with a circular saw and a fine-tooth blade, cutting through both A and B pieces at once. Repeat this process to make seven more slat cuts, for a total of eight slats. Separate the pieces, then cut one more 3" slat from piece A. You should have 17 slats total, plus a 31⁄2"-wide piece left over from A and a 65⁄8"-wide piece from B.

    On the 65⁄8" piece left over from B, use the circular saw and straightedge guide to cut a saw blade’s thickness from the long top edge (the one without the holes). Then use the jigsaw to cut a 13⁄4" × 11⁄2" notch from each of the four corners, as shown in the cutting template. This is the completed front shelf piece. On the leftover A piece, cut a 1⁄4" × 11⁄2" notch from each corner. This is the completed rear shelf piece.

  6. 6.Cut the sides (C and D).

    Position piece C on top of D, with all edges aligned, and clamp them down. Measure in 1⁄2" from the lower left corner of C and make a mark. Do the same at the upper right corner. From the lower left mark, draw a diagonal line up at a 57-degree angle to the top edge of C. Draw a parallel line (at the same angle) between the upper right mark and the bottom edge of the piece. Cut along the outside of each line, using the circular saw and straightedge guide.

    Draw a 1" radius for rounding over the four corners of the cut side pieces, using a compass. Make the cuts with a jigsaw.

    Using the jigsaw and straightedge, cut from the top edge to the edges of the 1⁄4" holes. Then measure 1⁄2" from the top edge, and draw a line across all the joints. Cut off the 1⁄2" of material between the holes, again using a straightedge and jigsaw, leaving platforms for the slats to rest on. Repeat this process on the left (diagonal) edge of the side pieces.

    Use the jigsaw and straightedge to cut out the area between all the 2" holes, paying close attention to the area below where the pad will be. To shape the tab between the two central 2" holes, use the compass to draw a 2"-diameter circle 1⁄8" in (toward the opposing hole) from each hole; at each corner of the tab, cut between the hole and circle, over one and under the other.

    Repeat the process described above to complete the cuts for the slat platforms along the line of 1⁄4" holes at the bottom of the interior cutout. Finally, cut between the two 1⁄2" hole pairs in the upper right corner of the sides to create the slots for the shelf pieces.

  7. 7. Drill the dowel holes.

    Separate the pieces C and D and lay them down with their inside faces up. Measuring from each end of the bottom (interior) row of slat joints, make a mark at 1" below and 2" to the outside of the row. Drill a 1"-diameter hole 1⁄4" deep at each mark, being careful not to drill through the piece. These holes will receive the ends of the 1" dowels for the assembly.

  8. 8. Cut and drill the dowels.

    Secure a 11⁄4" dowel with scrap wood and clamps or a vise, and cut it to length at 24", using a handsaw. Next, cut a 5⁄8" dowel into two 8" lengths and one 20" length. Then cut two 191⁄2" lengths of 1" dowel.

    Secure the 24" dowel. Make a mark 2" in from each end. Drill a 5⁄8" hole through the dowel at each mark. These holes will receive the two 8"-long dowels to create the handles for rolling up the pad (see step 13).

  9. 9. Preassemble the bench.

    Assemble the bench by standing up the sides and placing some slats across the tops and the bottoms for structure. Then insert the 1"-diameter dowels into the 1⁄4"-deep holes in the side pieces, and add the shelf pieces by slipping their tabbed ends into the slots in the side pieces. Add the remaining slats. Fine-tune the fit of any joints as needed, sanding the mating edges of the pieces if the fit is too tight. The bench is designed for final assembly without glue, but gluing is an option. If you’d like to glue any joints, do so before adding the finish.

  10. 10. Finish the parts.

    Disassemble the bench. Mill a slight roundover on all edges that will be exposed in the finished piece, using a router and 1⁄8" roundover bit (if available) or coarse sandpaper and a sanding block.

    Finish-sand all the parts, working up to 220-grit or finer sandpaper. Finish the pieces as desired. The project shown here has a natural wax finish. Allow the finish to dry completely, and assemble the bench again.

  11. 11. Prepare the pad attachments.

    As shown here, the finished pad is 18" wide and 6 feet long. Yours can be as long as you like. When cutting the cloth for your pad, add at least 2" of extra cloth on all sides for seaming; the pad cover will be turned inside out.

    Cut two pieces of duck cloth to size at 22" × 76". Secure the pieces together with pins or clips, and set them aside. Cut two more pieces of cloth at 22" × 8"; these will become the looped ends for securing the pad to the dowels.

    To create the first looped end, make a 2"-deep fold on each end of one 8" × 22" piece so that the fabric is 18" wide. Secure the folds with pins or clips, or just use your hands. Use a sewing machine to sew along each fold, staying as close to the edge as you feel comfortable. Fold the fabric over the 20"-long 5⁄8" dowel so the fabric ends are flush. Pinch the fabric together tightly over the dowel so the fold holds the dowel securely. Use pins or clips to secure the fabric, then slide the dowel out from the loop (you can also mark the fabric where the fold should be sewn). Sew the fabric sides together to complete the loop. When inserted into the loop, the dowel should protrude 1" from either side.

    The second loop is similar to the first, but it uses a zipper instead of a sewn seam to secure the loop over the 24"-long 11⁄4" dowel. Fold and sew the 2" hems on the remaining 8" × 22" fabric piece, as before. Then fold the piece tightly over the dowel and mark it for the zipper location. The zipper pull should be facing up. You may need to trim the excess fabric at the folds so it doesn’t interfere with the dowel. The fabric should just cover the edge of the zipper without covering the teeth. Secure the zipper with pins or clips, and sew it in place, sewing through your pinch mark, the folds, and the zipper. The dowel should fit tightly into the resulting loop.

  12. 12. Complete the pad.

    Using the cut pieces of fabric for the pad, measure in 2" on each long side and sew the pieces together, creating a 76"-long, 18"-wide piece with an opening at each end. Insert the first attachment loop (for the 5⁄8" dowel) about 2" into one open end of the pad. Make sure the two pieces are aligned. Sew the pieces together, securing the loop end and closing the end of the pad. If possible, sew along the existing seam for the dowel, for a cleaner look to the looped end.

    Turn the pad inside out so that all of the stitching is on the pad’s interior. Cut two pieces of quilt batting to fit precisely inside the pad, leaving about 1" of extra fabric at the opening. Double up the batting pieces and work them into the pad so they lie flush and fill each corner. Iron the entire pad with a clothes iron so the batting fuses to the inside of the fabric.

    Fold the edges of the open end of the pad in on themselves. Insert the zippered loop end into the folds so that only the metal part of the zipper is showing. Sew through the folds and the edge of the zipper to complete the pad.

  13. 13. Attach the pad.

    Insert the 11⁄4" dowel into its hole on one of the bench sides, then wrap the zippered fabric loop over the dowel, making sure the zipper pull will be facing up. Center the loop on the dowel, and fit the leading dowel end into the other bench side. Insert the 8"-long 5⁄8" dowels into each hole on each end of the dowel.

    Lay out the pad over the bench so the zipper halves meet with the zipper pull facing up. Close the zipper all the way, then begin rolling the pad. Before reaching the end, insert the long 5⁄8" dowel into the sewn loop. Roll the pad up until the dowel rests in the catches on the bench sides. (If you’re experienced with sewing, you might want to create a handle for the pad.)

Bug Stool

Designed by Chris Heichel

It shouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that this piece has an interesting design story. For a school project the designer was asked (in his own words) “to explore the word perch and design a stool based on my interpretation of the word. While outside that day, I noticed a large bug that was perched above the grass as though it were looking for its next meal, or maybe just enjoying the view” . . . and the Bug Stool concept was born. In addition to its leggy physique, the Bug Stool is strong and stable and makes a nice stepstool or a seat for kids or even a perch for a potted plant in the garden.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Exploded View
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Rib Detail Drawing
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Router Table Setup for Milling Rib Edges
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Legs Cutting Diagram
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Leg Cutting Diagram
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Leg and Rib Layout on Bottom Disk

Instructions

  1. 1. Cut the body disks.

    The “body” of the bug stool is made up of two 14"-diameter disks. These are sandwiched over four rib pieces and three legs on each side of the body. You’ll cut the disks from 3⁄4" plywood, using a jigsaw and a router.

    Mark the two disks using a homemade compass set with a 7" radius. Rough-cut the disks with a jigsaw, staying about 1⁄8" outside the marked line. Using a trammel and a 1⁄2" or 3⁄4" straight bit, rout the edge of each disk to create a perfect circle with square edges (see Two Easy Ways to Cut a Circle, for more on this technique).

    Round over the top edge of the top disk, using a 1⁄4" roundover bit. Sand both disks smooth.

  2. 2. Cut and shape the ribs.

    It’s important that the ribs are all the same height. This ensures equal weight distribution over the stool’s top. Each rib is 21⁄2" tall and 2" wide, and there are eight ribs total. Using a table saw or circular saw, cut a strip of plywood that is 21⁄2" wide and at least 2 feet long. This provides some extra material in case of error. Cut the strip into eight 2"-long pieces, using a miter saw with a stop block (recommended for accuracy) or a circular saw.

    Create a paper template with two half-circles on one side and one large half-ellipse on the other side, as shown in the rib detail drawing below. Use the template and a pencil to transfer the profile to each rib piece, then cut out the profiles with a jigsaw or band saw.

  3. 3. Mill the ribs.

    Each rib is milled with a cove bit on both sides of its front edge (half-circles) and back edge (ellipse). The top and bottom edges are not milled and should be very flat and smooth. The best tool for milling these small pieces is a router table. If you prefer to use a handheld router, you have to secure each piece to the work surface with something like hot glue or a good vacuum system.

    Sand the front and back edges of the ribs so they will mill cleanly, without bumps and dips. Set up the router table with a 1⁄4" cove bit, and set the depth so it cuts a little less than half the thickness of the plywood. This leaves about 1⁄8" in the middle. For safety, secure each rib to a block, using double-sided tape, and hold the block for making the cut, as shown in the illustration at right. (Holding the rib itself would put your fingers dangerously close to the bit.) Carefully mill all the ribs in this manner. Sand the milled edges smooth and remove any burn marks from the routing.

  4. 4. Cut the legs.

    The legs are really what give the stool the fun “bug” look. They are six identical pieces and are made much like the ribs. Start by creating a paper template, following the leg template drawing. Trace the profile onto a 12"-wide (or wider) piece of plywood, as shown in the cutting diagram. On the leg template, note the dotted line directly above the base of the outside notch: it is critical that the legs measure 21⁄2" at this point, so that the top disk rests evenly on the ribs and legs.

    Carefully cut out the legs with a jigsaw or band saw, but do not cut the slots yet. Clamp or tape three of the legs together and use a band saw to cut out the slots so they are all alike. If you don’t have a band saw, you can cut the slots individually, but take care to mark and cut them accurately. Test-fit the slots on the bottom disk to confirm a snug fit; it’s better to be too tight than too loose. Once all the legs are completely cut, gang the cut legs together and sand their edges as needed so the pieces are identical and the edges are smooth.

  5. 5. Mill the legs.

    Mill the top and bottom edges of the legs with the cove bit, as you did with the ribs, but here, stop the cove cuts at the top of the curve on both top and bottom (inside/outside) edges, and leave a little more material in the center than before (see the leg template). You also won’t need the extension block for safety, since these pieces are large enough to handle directly. After routing, sand the legs smooth and remove any burn marks.

  6. 6. Assemble the stool.

    Lay out the leg and rib locations on the top face of the bottom disk, as shown in the illustration of the leg and rib layout. You have a little bit of design flexibility here: the legs and ribs should be evenly spaced on each side, and each piece should line up with its counterpart on the opposing side of the disk, but the precise spacing is not critical. Experiment with different leg spacing to find the look you like best–and make sure the stool will be stable. Mark the leg positions, then space the ribs evenly in between and outside the legs.

    Glue each rib onto the bottom disk, clamp it, and let the glue dry. Then glue up the legs. Finally, apply glue to the top edges of the ribs, center the top disk in place, and clamp it down until dry.

    Finish the stool as desired. If the stool will be exposed to moisture, be sure to use a good exterior paint or outdoor-rated varnish (such as UV-protected polyurethane).

Symbiosis Chair

Designed by Greg Bugel

This enigmatic piece is a bit of a puzzle in both form and concept. True to its name, it’s an assembly of two distinctly different profiles that cannot stand on their own. One profile forms the backrest, seat, and rear legs; the other forms the seat and front legs. The parts are layered like alternating ribs, yet this is not laminated construction (as with the TAB-1 chair, for example). In fact, only one piece is glued. To get the gentle curves on the legs and backrest, each piece has a slightly different shape than its neighbor in the layering. In all, there are 12 distinct shapes, and all but two have a twin. So now you can see how their symbiosis is also synergistic. It’s symple, really.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Back and Front Piece Templates

Double-tap the image to open to fill the screen. Use the two-finger pinch-out method to zoom in. (These features are available on most e-readers.)

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Cutting Diagram

Instructions

  1. 1.Create the two templates.

    Here’s how the chair works: There are two main profiles–the back (backrest, seat, and rear legs) and the front (seat and front legs). There are 11 back pieces and 11 front pieces. Moving from the outsides to the center of each profile set, there are five matching pairs of pieces and one unique center piece. The backrest and legs of the profiles get narrower as you move toward the center, and the center pieces have the narrowest legs and backrest. The seat sections (and all of the dowel holes) remain the same throughout.

    All the parts for the chair are traced from two templates–one for the back profile and one for the front. The templates begin with the widest leg and backrest dimensions, and you will trace them to lay out the two sets of outside pieces. To lay out the next pieces in toward the center, you will trim off a portion of the backrest and legs from the templates and trace again. After repeating this process three more times, you will trim (or sand) the templates a final time and use the templates as the center pieces of each profile set.

    Lay out the front and back templates on 3⁄4" plywood stock, following the template drawings. The cutting diagram shows you how to fit all the parts onto the two panels. The rounded corners at both ends of the seat have a 1" radius. Mark the locations of the four dowel holes on one of the templates.

    Carefully cut out the templates, using a circular saw and straightedge guide for the straight cuts and a jigsaw for the curves and inside corners. Sand the cut edges smooth and flat with coarse sandpaper and a sanding block.

    Sandwich the two templates together so their seat tops and ends are perfectly flush and the dowel-hole markings are on top. Clamp the parts together. Check to make sure the legs will stand squarely on the floor. Carefully drill the dowel holes through both pieces at once, using a 1⁄2" bit. Keep the drill bit perfectly vertical (plumb) as you work so the holes are perpendicular to the faces of the templates.

  2. 2. Cut the chair parts.

    Set each template on the plywood stock and trace around it to mark the cutting lines for the two sets of outside pieces; you will trace out two pieces for each of the back and front profiles. Cut out the four pieces with a circular saw and jigsaw, as before, and sand any rough edges flat and smooth.

    Sandwich the two mating pieces together with their matching template on the outside, aligning all edges, and clamp them securely. Drill the dowel holes through the two new pieces, using the holes in the template as a guide. Repeat with the other pair and template.

    Mark and trim the legs (and backrest) of the templates, following the template drawings. This requires one straight cut for each leg/backrest member. Make the cuts with the circular saw and straightedge guide. Sand the cuts smooth, if necessary, but do not round over the edges. Complete the same process of tracing around the templates and cutting and drilling the two pairs for the next front and back pieces, as before.

    Repeat the entire process to create the five pairs of front and back pieces. Then trim the templates a final time so they can be used as the center pieces. (The difference in leg/backrest width between the center pieces and their neighboring pieces is only about 1⁄8". If desired, you can simply sand the legs and backrests to size rather than cutting them.)

  3. 3. Assemble the chair.

    Cut the 1⁄2" dowel into four lengths of 18" each. Sand the ends of the dowels a little so they’ll fit easily into the holes of the chair pieces. To assemble the chair, lay down one outside back piece and insert the four dowels into the holes in the back piece. Fit one of the outside front pieces onto the opposite ends of the dowels and carefully work it down, tapping gently with a mallet as needed, until it rests against the inside face of the back piece. Keep the piece as horizontal as possible as you work; striking it while it’s at an angle can cause splintering around the dowel holes.

    Align the two pieces along the tops and ends of the seats, and fasten through the inside face of the front piece and into the back piece with two or three 11⁄4" screws–just enough to keep the assembly tight. Repeat with the remaining pieces, alternating backs and fronts. The final piece on the opposite end will be a front; do not screw through this piece, as the screw heads would show. Secure it with wood glue, clamping it to the assembly until the glue dries.

  4. 4.Finish the chair.

    Trim the dowels flush to the chair’s sides, using a jigsaw or flush-cutting saw. Since the dowels aren’t secured, you can mark a cutting line flush with the chair side, tap the dowel out a little and cut it off at the line, then tap it back in so it’s flush. This prevents any marring of the plywood face with the saw blade.

    Sand the seat surface, as needed, so it is smooth and flat, using a sanding block and various grits of sandpaper. If the chair wobbles at all, sand across the bottoms of the legs so they sit flat on the floor.

    Finish-sand all exposed surfaces, working up to 220-grit paper. Finish the chair as desired. Be sure to test any stain or finish on some scrap material to see how it is absorbed by the edge grain of the plywood.

Chalk Back

Designed by Dieter Amick

If you asked a class of early-elementary students to design their own chairs and then incorporated their best ideas into a single creation, you’d probably have something very similar to the Chalk Back chair. In other words, you have to think like a kid to come up with something this cool. It’s a kid-size chair that flips onto its front to become a chalkboard and drawing table. It even has a secret art-supply drawer that’s revealed only when the chair is in artiste mode. The drawer is optional, but it’s definitely worth doing because . . . well, because it’s a secret drawer. Duh.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES FOR OPTIONAL DRAWER

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Exploded View
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Cutting Diagrams

Instructions

  1. 1.Lay out and cut the chair parts.

    All the chair parts are cut from a 3 × 4-foot sheet of 3⁄4" plywood. The dimensions and profiles for each part are detailed in the cutting diagram. The following walks you through the process of laying out the more complex parts.

    Chair back
    The back piece starts with a 141⁄2"-diameter circle. Mark the circle using a homemade compass set with a 71⁄4" radius. Rough-cut the piece with a jigsaw, staying about 1⁄8" outside the marked line. Using a trammel and router with a 3⁄4" straight bit, rout along the line to create a perfect circle (see     Two Easy Ways to Cut a Circle, for more on this technique).

    Cut two 5⁄8"-wide, 3"-deep slots, 81⁄2" apart, into the back, as shown in the cutting diagram. A hammer and chisel are handy for cleaning up the corners at the base of these thin slots. (This slot is 5⁄8" rather than 3⁄4"–the plywood’s width–to allow for some fine-tuning during the assembly.)

    The outer edge of the chair back’s handle is a 31⁄2"-long arch set 1" in from the edge of the back and concentric with the back’s edge. Another arch with a radius of 13⁄4" completes the bottom edge of this handle. Mark the cutout with a compass, then drill a starter hole inside the marked cutout, and cut out the handle with a jigsaw. Sand all the cut edges smooth with 150-grit sandpaper.

    Seat panel
    The seat is a simple trapezoid shape measuring 14" in the front, 12" in the back, and 11" along both sides. Cut this with a circular saw and straightedge guide. Sand the edges smooth with 150-grit sandpaper.

    Arm supports
    These two pieces have a fairly complicated profile, but the layout is straightforward if you follow the steps given here and reference the cutting diagram as you go. Use a protractor or Speed Square (rafter square) and a straightedge to lay out the angled lines. Lay out and cut one support (arm support 1 in the cutting diagram), then use it as a template to mark the second support.

    Begin by drawing the bottom horizontal edge of the support, which measures 151⁄2". Starting from the right end of this first line, draw an 11"-long line at an 85-degree angle to the left; this represents the front outer edge. Continue this line roughly 8" longer, to mark the end cut for the armrest.

    At the 11" mark on the line you just drew, draw an 111⁄2"-long horizontal line to the left; this will become the seat panel mounting point (this cut should be as straight as possible).

    Moving to the left end of the very first bottom horizontal line, lay out a small protruding foot (this is to prevent the chair from tipping backward). Draw the foot with a 3⁄4" vertical line and a 1" line at 10 degrees to the right. Continue this line for about 12" to assist with a future 8" cut you will need to make. At the termination of the 1" line, mark a 15"-long line at an 85-degree angle, making sure it is parallel with the right most (front) cut of the profile.

    At the end of the left most (rear) line that you just drew, draw a line at a 10-degree angle to the right that intersects with the front 85-degree angle line; this marks the top edge of the armrest. Starting 1" in from the left end of the top edge of the armrest, draw a 7⁄8" × 3⁄4" slot at an 85-degree angle; this slot will receive the chair back and is parallel to the back edges of the arm support.

    At this point, the remaining five lines that complete the inner profile are easy to make using the cutting diagram. Cut out the arm-support profile, using a jigsaw and a straightedge guide, as appropriate. Sand the cuts smooth with 150-grit sandpaper, then use the cut piece as a template to trace the same profile for the second support. Cut the second support, and sand the edges smooth.

    Lower back support
    This piece spans the two rear verticals of the arm supports and further strengthens the chair (it’s also the top of the drawer compartment when the chair is in the forward position). Mark the panel at 89⁄16" × 91⁄4", as shown in the cutting diagram. Cut the 91⁄4" (side) edges at a 5-degree outward angle, using a circular saw. This angle will match that of the arm supports, which will be toed outward so that they are wider apart at the front of the chair than at the back. Cut the shorter edges square. Sand the edges smooth with 150-grit sandpaper.

  2. 2. Begin the drawer (optional).

    To add the drawer to the design, cut a 10"-long, 1⁄4"-deep slot on the inside of both arm supports, using a 5⁄16" straight router bit; see the cutting diagram. Set up a straightedge or straight piece of scrap as a template to guide the router base. The slot is parallel to and (along most of its length) 1⁄2" from the inside edge of the arm support.

    The next step is to cut the top drawer housing panel, which will slot into the lower back support. This piece is a trapezoid at 9" on the wider end, 811⁄16" on the smaller end, and 13⁄4" deep.

    Create a shallow slot across the face of the lower back support panel, as shown in the diagram. Use a 3⁄4" router bit to make a 5⁄16"-deep slot 1⁄2" down from the top edge of the lower back support panel. The top drawer housing panel will be glued and nailed into this slot during the assembly stage.

    Mark and cut the drawer front panel: this panel has basically the same shape as the top drawer housing panel, except it is 21⁄2" deep, with the same measurements of 9" on the wider end and 85⁄8" on the smaller end.

  3. 3. Paint the chalkboard.

    The chalkboard surface is the backside of the round chair back. Prepare the surface by sanding the face smooth with 220-grit sandpaper. Wipe down the surface with a wet rag or sponge, and let it dry. Apply two coats of primer (check the chalkboard paint manufacturer’s directions for product recommendations), then apply chalkboard paint as directed.

  4. 4. Round over the edges.

    Use a router (with or without a router table) and a 1⁄8" roundover bit to mill the edges of all parts, except the following areas:

    • All slots and grooves
    • Chalkboard side of the chair back
    • Edges of the arm supports that will join with the seat panel
    • Attachment points of the lower back support and top drawer housing
  5. 5. Assemble the chair.

    Chair back and arm supports
    The first step of the assembly process is to fit the round chair back onto the two arm supports. The supports should fit at a slight angle so that they angle out to match the sides of the seat panel. Using a file, sandpaper, and/or a hammer and chisel, carefully widen the slots in the chair back as needed create a tight fit.

    Drill a 1⁄4"-diameter hole to a depth of 5⁄16" at the side of each slot of the chair back, as shown in the cutting diagram. Apply a small amount of glue to the mating parts, and fit the chair back and arm supports together. Drive a finish nail into the center of each 1⁄4" hole, then set it with a nail set (the 1⁄4" bores will be filled with dowel plugs).

    Lower back support
    If you are making the optional drawer, attach the top drawer housing panel by gluing its 811⁄16" edge into the slot in the lower back support panel. Drill two 1⁄4"-diameter, 5⁄16"-deep bores in the reverse side of the slot and nail the two panels together, as you did for the chair back and arm supports.

    To install the lower back support, drill three 1⁄4" bores on the outside rear edge of each arm support, as shown in the cutting diagram. These holes should be centered over the edges of the lower back support. Secure the lower back support with glue and finish nails, driving the nails into the centers of the 1⁄4" bores.

    Seat panel
    Set the seat panel on top of the arm supports with the wider end facing front. Make sure the front edge of the seat panel doesn’t extend past the arm supports (this is important so that the chair sits flat in the forward position). Hold the seat in place, and mark the position of the outer edges of the arm supports on the bottom face of the seat panel.

    Remove the seat panel from the arm supports and flip it over so you can see the lines you just made. Make three evenly spaced marks on the bottom face of the seat on each side, 3⁄8" inside the traced lines. Use a 1⁄16" drill bit to drill all the way through the seat at each mark. Flip the seat over and drill six 1⁄4"-diameter, 5⁄16"-deep bores, centered on the holes you just drilled. Reposition the seat and fasten it to the arm supports with finish nails; set the nails. If the two rear most holes are too hard to reach, you can drive the nails through the underside.

  6. 6. Complete the drawer (if applicable).

    Set the drawer front panel against the lower back support (between the arm supports) in the precise position where it will be installed (allow for a small amount of clearance for opening and closing the drawer). Holding the panel in place, transfer the locations of the two slots on the supports onto the back face of the drawer panel. Use a router and 1⁄4" straight bit to mill slots at the marks, matching the slots on the arm supports; these slots will receive the drawer’s bottom panel.

    Drill the screw holes for the drawer handle/pull. You will install the pull at the end of the project.

    The drawer bottom is cut from 1⁄4" plywood, and it slides along the slots of the arm supports. Measure the distance between the bottoms of the slots to find the width of the drawer bottom (it’s approximately 9"); take a little bit off the measurement to allow for smooth sliding. Next, find the desired length of the drawer bottom by holding the drawer front in its installed position and measuring the space within. Cut the drawer bottom to size.

    Mill the slots for the drawer sides: Make two 1⁄4"-wide, 1⁄8"-deep slots in the top face of the drawer bottom, locating them 1⁄2" in from and parallel to each side. Fit the drawer bottom into the slot on the drawer front panel and mark where the new slots intersect with the drawer front. At these points, continue the slots upward across the drawer front, as shown in the cutting diagram.

    Cut the two drawer sides from 1⁄4" plywood: they measure 2" tall at the front and 11⁄4" at the back and are the same length as the drawer bottom. Assemble the drawer front, bottom, and sides with wood glue.

    Disk magnets keep the drawer from opening when the chair is upright. To install the magnets, drill a shallow hole of the same diameter and depth as the magnets into the center of the top edge of the drawer front. Drill a corresponding hole for another magnet on the inside face of the lower back support; the magnets should line up and touch when the drawer is closed. Glue the magnets in place with a small amount of epoxy.

  7. 7. Finish the chair.

    Cut the 1⁄4" dowel into 1⁄4"-long pieces to create plugs to fill the nail-hole bores, using a handsaw. Before cutting each piece, taper the end of the dowel with sandpaper to allow the plug to fit into the bore easily. Leave the butt end of the plug unsanded.

    Apply a thin layer of glue around each plug and press into a hole. Using a hammer and scrap wood or a mallet, drive down the plug to get it as flush with the surface as possible. Let the glue dry, then use 220-grit sandpaper to sand the plug flush. Fill all the nail-hole bores in this manner.

    Finish-sand the entire piece with 220-grit paper, making sure to smooth all exposed edges. (Wetting the wood a little with a rag during this final sanding will help get the surfaces even smoother.)

    Finish the piece with three or more coats of polyurethane or other desired finish so all surfaces are durable and stain-resistant. The chair shown here was finished with Daly’s CrystalFin clear polyurethane in satin.

    Install the drawer handle/pull after the finish has fully dried.

Three’s Company

Designed by Patrick McAffrey

The Three’s Company chair, coincidentally, has a lot in common with the TV show of the same name. The design of the chair is very clever (like Janet), while its construction is exceptionally simple (like Chrissy). The chair has three legs, two of which are matching and one of which has a shape that might seem a bit queer (like Jack). Fortunately, Three’s Company the chair is likely to age much better than the show, and it does something really far out: the third leg isn’t fastened, so the chair can be disassembled into two lightweight parts. This makes it portable enough to take with you for extra seating at the Regal Beagle or wherever you like to hang out and cruise foxes.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS
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Exploded View
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Cutting Diagrams

Instructions

  1. 1. Build the legs.

    Each of the legs is constructed with two matching plywood pieces glued together to create a 1"-thick member.

    Lay out one of the front leg parts on the plywood stock, following the cutting diagram. Note that the radius at the inside of the bend is 1", and the outer radius is 2" (see How to Mark & Cut Curves). Cut the leg with a jigsaw or band saw. Sand the cut edges so they are as smooth and straight as possible, with no saw marks or rough spots.

    Use the cut leg as a template for marking the remaining three front leg pieces. Cut these pieces, then gang the four parts together and sand them as needed so they are perfectly flush along all edges. Glue pairs of the parts together with their edges flush, clamping them securely with flat pieces of scrap wood for blocking to provide even pressure. Clean up any glue squeeze-out, and let the glue dry.

    Drill a 1⁄4" hole through the face of each front-leg assembly, as shown in the cutting diagram. This hole is 4" from the edge of the leg’s vertical portion and is centered top-to-bottom on the horizontal portion. Drill two more holes into the top edge (horizontal portion) of each leg, as shown in the diagram, using a pilot bit sized for 11⁄2" screws.

    Follow the same process to build the rear leg. This leg gets no holes at this time.

  2. 2. Create the seat.

    Draw the seat shape on the plywood stock, following the cutting diagram. The corners are rounded with a 6" radius. Mark the 1" × 3" slot for the rear leg so it is centered side-to-side on the seat and 1" from its back edge.

    Cut the seat outline with a jigsaw or band saw. Drill a 3⁄8" starter hole inside the leg slot, then complete the cutout with a jigsaw. It’s a good idea to cut this slot a little small, so you can fine-tune the fit later with a file.

    Sand the seat to smooth the cut edges, but do not sand the leg slot. Drill four 1⁄4" holes through the seat at the locations noted on the cutting diagram.

  3. 3. Cut the backrest and cross rail.

    Lay out the backrest as shown in the cutting diagram; you can use a standard compass to draw the 41⁄2" radius on the sides, but you’ll need a homemade compass to make the 35" radius on the top and bottom edges. Cut the backrest with a jigsaw or band saw, and sand the cut edges smooth. Drill two 1⁄4" holes through the backrest as shown in the cutting diagram; these are centered side-to-side and 11⁄2" from the top and bottom edges.

    The cross rail is a simple rectangle measuring 2" × 15". Cut this with a circular saw and straightedge guide, making sure the end cuts are square (you can also make the crosscuts with a miter saw, if available). Mark the precise center on both end edges of the cross rail, and drill a pilot hole (for 2" screws) at each mark. These holes are parallel to the length of the rail.

  4. 4. Test-fit the parts.

    Because the chair’s parts will be finished individually, it’s a good idea to test-fit the assembly and make any necessary adjustments before applying the finish. For this step, it’s best not to tighten the screws all the way, allowing for the strongest connections with the final assembly.

    Assemble the chair by screwing the cross rail between the front legs, using two 2" screws driven through the pilot holes. Make sure the cross rail is flush with the top edges of the legs. Attach the seat to the legs with four 11⁄2" screws.

    Insert the rear leg into the slot on the seat; it should slide in easily with no side-to-side play. File the slot’s sides as needed for a good fit. Position the leg so that the lower angle (or “kink”) is just below the seat and the chair sits squarely on all three legs; the long bottom section of the rear leg should angle toward the rear.

    Position the backrest against the front edge of the rear leg so its top edge is flush with or slightly above the top end of the leg and it’s centered from side to side. Mark and drill pilot holes into the leg, using the predrilled holes in the backrest. Fasten the backrest to the leg with two 11⁄2" screws.

    Note: For comfort, it’s best to countersink the screw heads on the seat and backrest so they are just flush with the wood surface. Drill these countersink holes with a bit that’s slightly larger than the screw head diameter, but be very careful to avoid tearout on the faces of the plywood.

  5. 5. Finish the parts and complete the final assembly.

    Disassemble the chair. Finish-sand all the parts as needed for a smooth finish. Also sand a slight roundover at all outer edges of the pieces. Apply the finish of your choice and let it cure completely.

    Assemble the chair as before, tightening the screws with an Allen wrench. Be careful not to overtighten the screws; they can strip fairly easily in the plywood edges.

Children’s Chair

Designed by Steven De Lannoy

Comfortable for reading, daydreaming, or holding court (which one does your kid do best?), this chair is simple, sturdy, and storage-savvy. All kids will love the private place to stash stuff, and those with a discriminating eye will of course appreciate the originality of the chair’s basic form, as well as its clean, modern styling. As shown, the chair is designed for an average-size six-year-old, but you can easily shorten the side panels to accommodate a smaller child or heighten them to suit a larger kid or simply to create a more magisterial perch.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Side Panel Template
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Beam Layout

Instructions

  1. 1. Cut the panels.

    The chair is constructed of five plywood panels:

    • Two side panels at 1911⁄16" × 1911⁄16", cut from 5⁄8" plywood
    • One back panel at 1313⁄16" × 25 5⁄8", cut from 1⁄2" plywood
    • One seat panel at 1313⁄16" × 1313⁄16", cut from 1⁄2" plywood
    • One shelf panel at 1313⁄16" × 12 5⁄8", cut from 1⁄2" plywood

    Cut the five panels to size, using a circular saw and straightedge guide or a table saw to ensure clean, straight cuts (straight, square edges are especially important for strong glue joints). Also cut six “beams” from 1⁄2" plywood:

    • 2 long beams (“E”) at 1⁄2" × 1313⁄16"
    • 2 medium beams (“D”) at 1⁄2" × 1213⁄16"
    • 2 short beams (“F”) at 1⁄2" × 811⁄16"
  2. 2. Shape the side panels.

    Following the side panel template above, draw line A (running from corner IV to corner I), line B (from corner I to corner II), and line C (from corner III to corner II). Make these lines on what will be the inside face of the side panel.

    Place the second side panel underneath the first and screw the panels together at the locations indicated in the plan. Make sure that the panels are neatly aligned and that the screws are close to the corners, as shown. Cut along the marked lines with the circular saw to trim both panels at once.

    For now you will round off only corner II. You’ll shape the other corners later. Using a homemade compass or an 81⁄2"-diameter dinner plate, mark a 41⁄4" radius between lines B and C on the top side panel. With the two panels still screwed together, cut along the curve with a jigsaw. Separate the panels.

  3. 3. Install the beams.

    Following the beam layout illustration above, measure down 811⁄16" from line B and draw line D parallel to line B. Next, draw line E perpendicular to D and 145⁄16" from the front edge of the panel. Then draw line F parallel to D, running from the very end of line E to the front edge of the panel.

    Fasten one long beam (E) along line E on the panel, using wood glue and three 1" brads driven through pilot holes.

    Fasten one medium beam (D) along line D. Note that there is a gap between beam D and beam F–this should be just large enough to accommodate the back panel, which will slide in between. A snug fit here is important, as it adds strength to the chair.

    Finally, glue a short beam (F) along line F. Note that beam D and beam F do not extend to the front of the side panel. This is to hide the beams from view from the front. Install the three remaining beams on the other side panel to match the first panel.

  4. 4.Glue up the chair.

    With a helper, dry-fit the entire assembly so it stands upright on a flat, level work surface. The back panel installs against the E beams and is flush with the bottoms of the side panels (it touches the floor). The seat installs on top of the D beams and butts against the back panel. The shelf installs on top of the F beams and butts against the back panel. The front edges of the seat and shelf should be flush with the front edges of the side panels. Make any necessary adjustments for a good fit.

    Cut three lengths of 2 × 4 at 1311⁄16". You’ll use these in lieu of clamps to draw the side panels together during the glue-up. Set a 2 × 4 between the side panels at each of corners I, III, and IV, and screw through the existing holes in the side panels and into the ends of the 2 × 4s, without tightenening the screws all the way.

    Apply glue to the front edges of the E beams, and set the back panel in place. Glue the top edges of the F beams, and set the shelf in place, then glue the seat into place on the D beams. When all panels fit properly, tighten the screws into the 2 × 4s to pull the sides together. Add a bar clamp across the side panels, just below the points where the back meets the tops of the side panels (corner II). Weight down the seat and shelf with heavy objects positioned over the beams. Let the glue dry overnight.

  5. 5. Shape the remaining corners.

    Remove the screws and 2 × 4s. On each side panel, mark corners III and IV with a 41⁄4" radius, and cut the curves with a jigsaw, as you did with corner II.

    Mark corner I with a 11⁄2" radius, using a compass or a 3"-diameter coffee cup (the size of this curve is not critical). Draw the same radius on each top corner of the back panel. Round off these corners with a jigsaw.

  6. 6. Finish the chair.

    Finish-sand all surfaces smooth, and slightly round over all edges to prevent splintering. Apply a clear protective finish, such as polyurethane or other varnish, for a durable, washable surface.

    If desired, add pieces of pipe insulation to the top edges of the side and back panels, to serve as cushions for the arms and head. Cut the insulation to match the straight portions of each panel, then slit the pieces lengthwise so you can fit them over the plywood edges.

Rubber Hose Chair

Designed by Will Holman

This piece comes from an architect and designer who makes a lot of great stuff with junk–things like chairs fashioned from road signs, lighting using traffic cones, and tables constructed with cardboard tubes and greenhouse glazing. All are perfectly functional, human-scaled pieces, but none seems more inviting than the Rubber Hose Chair. “It’s like sitting on a bed of rubber bands,” says its creator. Like many of his other works, this chair can be made primarily with found or reclaimed materials. Just hit up any carpenter, mechanic, or tool hound you know for an old air hose (see Air Hoses), and you’re halfway there.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

Note: Use only exterior-rated materials if the chair will reside outdoors.

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Cutting Diagrams
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Side View

Instructions

  1. 1. Lay out the plywood parts.

    The chair’s four legs and two L-shaped side supports are cut from a 2 × 2-foot piece of plywood. Because virtually every cut affects more than one piece, it’s important to cut with accuracy and avoid overcutting all interior cuts.

    Lay out the parts on your 2 × 2 panel, following the cutting diagram: Start by drawing two straight lines that run diagonally between opposing corners. Mark one of these diagonal lines 3" in from each opposing corner. Mark the other diagonal line 7" in from its opposing corners. Connect these four points to create a parallelogram on the interior of the panel; the four legs will be cut from this section.

    Across the top of the parallelogram, mark off the leg ends alternately at 31⁄2" and 5". Do the same at the bottom of the parallelogram, starting with 5". Mark a 3" right triangle at the two panel corners corresponding to the 7" marks. Finally, erase or cross out the original diagonal lines from the 7" marks to the panel corners; you will not make cuts here.

  2. 2. Cut the plywood parts.

    Using a circular saw with a straightedge guide, cut out the parallelogram from the panel. This requires a plunge cut to get the blade started inside the panel. Cut just to the marked corners of the parallelogram (do not overcut), then finish the cuts with a jigsaw or handsaw. Remove the parallelogram piece, and cut along its marked lines to create the four legs.

    Next, cut along the 3" diagonal lines to separate the two side supports, then make the 3" triangular cutoffs at the bottom of each L-shaped side support.

  3. 3. Customize the chair geometry.

    This step sounds more complicated than it is. All you’re doing is setting two of the legs over one of the side supports and experimenting with different positions to find the ideal reclining angle and seat height for your comfort; see the side view drawing.

    In the chair shown here, the front legs are at a 61-degree angle from the ground, and the back legs are at a 50-degree angle. The lowest point of the seating surface is about 12" above the ground.

    Once you find the geometry you like, have a helper hold the legs in place while you place a straightedge between the front bottom corner of the front leg and the rear bottom corner of the back leg, and draw a line along the straightedge to mark a bottom-end cut for each leg. Also mark the legs’ positions on the side support, and trace along the front edge of the front leg onto the side support; trim off the side support at this line, to match the angle of the leg.

  4. 4. Cut and install the legs.

    Cut off the two leg bottoms at the newly marked angle lines. Test-fit the legs on the side support and make any necessary adjustments.

    Place each cut leg over its corresponding uncut leg and trace the end cut to the uncut leg. Cut the other two legs to match the originals. Fasten the legs to the side supports with wood glue and 11⁄4" screws driven through the insides of the legs and into the side supports.

    Stand each side assembly upright and use a level to mark a level line along the top end of the side support. Trim at this line so the top end of the support is level with the ground.

  5. 5. Drill holes for the hose.

    Mark the holes for the hose on the outside face of each side support; see the side view. On each side support, the first hole is centered 1" from the top and front edges of the support; the remaining nine are spaced 11⁄2" on center, in a line parallel to the seat.

    Mark the bottom most backrest hole so it’s aligned with the crook of the side support (between the seat surface and backrest surface), then mark 10 more holes going up the backrest portion of the side support, again with 11⁄2" on-center spacing.

    Drill the holes with a 7⁄8" spade bit. To prevent tearout on the inside faces of the side supports, drill about halfway through from the outside face, then flip the side support over and complete the hole from the inside face.

    Smooth the edges of the holes with sandpaper, creating a slight roundover for a finished look.

  6. 6. Drill holes for the all-thread.

    Lay out the four holes in each side assembly for the all-thread rods, following the side view drawing. The holes near the top of the legs are centered over the width of the legs.

    At each hole location, drill a counterbore for the washer and nut, using a 11⁄2" spade bit (the bit must be slightly larger than the outside diameter of the washers). Check the depth of each hole as you work, drilling until the washer and nut will be flush or nearly flush with the plywood surface, but don’t drill any deeper than about 1⁄2". Then drill through the piece(s) at the center of each counterbore with the 3⁄4" spade bit.

    Sand the edges of the counterbores and through holes, as before.

  7. 7. Rout the side assemblies.

    Mill a roundover on all the edge corners of each side assembly, using a router and 1⁄4" or 3⁄8" roundover bit. A partial roundover is sufficient for a finished look and a comfortable edge. Test the bit depth on some scrap plywood to find the roundover depth you like best. If you don’t have a router, you can simply hand-sand the edges with 60-grit sandpaper and a sanding block, then work up to finer grits until the edges are smooth.

  8. 8. Finish the side assemblies.

    Finish-sand all the plywood surfaces, working up to 220-grit paper. Finish the assemblies with three coats of polyurethane (use an exterior-grade product if the chair will be used outdoors), as directed by the manufacturer.

  9. 9. Assemble the chair structure.

    Assemble the chair structure with the four all-thread rods and 16 washers and nuts; each rod gets a washer and nut on each side of the side assemblies. Use a socket wrench and an adjustable wrench to tighten the nuts and rigidify the chair. The outer nuts should be flush with the ends of the rods.

    Note: To keep the nuts from working loose over time, apply a touch of thread-lock, polyurethane glue, or similar adhesive to the all-thread ends or nuts before installing the nuts.

  10. 10. Thread the hose.

    Cut the metal fittings off the ends of the hose with a utility knife. Feed one end of the hose through the inside of one of the front-most seat holes (in the side support), and secure the end to the outside of the side support with a #10 washer and 1" screw (place the washer on the outside of the hose, and drive the screw through the center of the hose and into the wood).

    Thread the hose through the seat holes, looping it on the outsides of the side supports. Stretch the hose tightly as you lace up the seat; it’s even okay if the side supports flex inward a little bit.

    Continue lacing up the hose to complete the backrest, then secure the end to the side support with another screw and #10 washer–this will be on the opposite side support from the first screw. Trim the hose end about 3⁄4" from the washer.

    Note: Rubber air hose is very strong and elastic, and the tighter you stretch it, the more comfortable and long-lasting the chair will be. However, if the hose begins to loosen or sag over time, simply remove the screw at one end and rethread the hose, stretching it tight again.

Shop Tip

Air Hoses

Air hoses are commonly used for pneumatic shop tools and are typically 1⁄4 to 3⁄4" in diameter, with a wall thickness of up to 1⁄8". They are made of tough, flexible rubber. Once a hose develops hairline cracks or pinhole leaks, it has lost its usefulness for pneumatic tool applications, but it’s still plenty strong enough to make a comfortable lounge chair. New air hoses can be quite expensive, so look for discarded hoses at places like cabinetry shops and construction sites (including Dumpsters), or you might post a wanted ad on Craigslist to ask for decent used hoses. To clean an old hose, start with a damp soapy rag, and use denatured alcohol to remove varnish, paint, and old stains.

Telephone Book Chair

Designed by Christy Oates

When you see the range of materials in this designer’s portfolio–from recycled film reels to cast aluminum to electroluminescent wire–you’re not entirely surprised to find a chair made with blocks cut straight from a phone book (but you’re no less delighted). The “fragile” labels on the chair are for real, too; the plywood sides are recycled from an old shipping crate. So now you know what to do with all those unwanted directories that migrate to your doorstep.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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SideTemplate
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Cutting Jig

Instructions

  1. 1. Cut the chair sides.

    Following the side template at right, draw the profile of the chair side on 3⁄4" plywood stock. Rough-cut the profile with a jigsaw or circular saw, staying well outside the lines.

    Place the cut piece on top of the remaining plywood stock and clamp the pieces together. Cut through both pieces with a jigsaw and a straightedge guide (or use a circular saw and guide, then finish the inside corner cuts with a jigsaw or handsaw), cutting to the lines. To make the interior cutout, drill a starter hole inside the cutout, using a 3⁄8" straight bit. Insert the jigsaw blade into the hole to begin the cut.

    With the two cut pieces clamped together, sand the edges so they are flat and smooth and the pieces are identical.

  2. 2. Drill the side holes.

    Keeping the chair sides clamped together with their edges precisely aligned, mark the six holes for the all-thread rod on the top side piece, as shown in the side template. Drill the holes with a 3⁄8" bit and a drill press or a portable drill set up with a drill guide to ensure the the holes are perfectly straight. If necessary, use a backerboard to prevent tearout on the bottom piece.

  3. 3. Finish the chair sides.

    Finish-sand the two plywood sides, working up to 220-grit sandpaper. Also sand a slight roundover on all of the edges, for comfort and to prevent splintering.

    Finish the pieces with a durable, clear finish, such as polyurethane, applied as directed by the manufacturer. Let the final coat cure completely before assembling the chair.

  4. 4. Cut the phone book pieces.

    Now comes the fun part: cutting the phone books into pieces. The pieces should be roughly equal to the thickness of the seat and backrest portions of the chair sides. Cut enough pieces so that the chair will be at least 14" wide (with the book pieces tightly compressed). If you have books of different thicknesses, be sure to match up cut pieces on both the seat and backrest so the overall width of each will remain the same.

    You can cut a phone book with a variety of tools, including a table saw, a circular saw, and even a utility knife. To use a table saw, you’ll need to create a custom sled/jig that supports the back of the book and allows for clamping on a top support to hold the pages together. You’ll know your saw and technique best, so a description isn’t provided here.

    To use a circular saw, mark the cut line on the book, and set the phone book on a sacrificial work surface. Set a piece of scrap plywood or other material that’s several inches longer than the book on top, and clamp the assembly together; clamp on one side of the cut line only. Make the cut by cutting through the plywood and slightly into the work surface below, stopping just after the phone book is cut through along its length, and leaving a portion of the plywood uncut, as shown in the cutting jig illustration below right. Align the saw kerf with the cutting line for the next cut.

    To cut with a utility knife, mark the cut line on the book, then clamp a straightedge or straight scrap material along the cut line. Cut along the straightedge repeatedly until you’re all the way through the book, being careful to keep the blade perpendicular to the book throughout the cut. If the blade is too short to cut through from one side, clamp the book between two pieces of scrap so the scrap edges are aligned, and make the cut from both sides of the book.

  5. 5. Drill the book pieces.

    Using scrap plywood, create two drilling templates that match the backrest and seat portions of the chair sides, including the two holes in each piece.

    Referencing the same edge of each template, clamp each book piece under the template so it is flush with the template’s reference edge, and drill the two holes through the book piece with a 3⁄8" bit, using a drill press or portable drill and drill guide.

  6. 6. Assemble the sides and book pieces.

    Cut four lengths of 3⁄8" all-thread about 2" longer than the assembled width of your chair (both chair sides, plus all the seat/backrest book pieces); see Working with All-Thread for advice on cutting all-thread. Insert one end of each rod through the inside of the seat and backrest holes on one chair side, then add a cap nut to the end, using a small amount of Loctite (thread-locking adhesive) to keep the nut from loosening over time.

    Begin sliding the book pieces onto the rods, alternating between the seat and backrest to maintain matching widths. When all book pieces are in place, fit the other chair side onto the rods, and clamp the entire assembly together, using a bar clamp placed near each of the four rods. Align the book pieces as you clamp so they create a flat surface across the top and front of the seat and backrest. Tighten the clamps firmly and evenly, and measure to make sure the overall width of the chair is consistent over the entire backrest and seat areas.

    Add a washer and short standard nut to the loose end of one of the rods (the nut and washer together should be shorter than the threaded depth of the cap nut), and tighten the nut snug. Cut off the excess from each rod so the rod end is flush with the standard nut, using a hacksaw or a grinder with a cutting wheel. Remove the nut and washer and replace them with a cap nut (with Loctite). Repeat this process with the three remaining rods, then remove the bar clamps.

  7. 7. Install the lower rods.

    The two all-thread rods on the chair legs are concealed inside hollow metal tubes, which also act as spacers to help rigidify the chair. Measure the overall length of the installed rods (on the seat or backrest), and cut two more rods to this length. Then measure the distance between the inside faces of the chair sides–measuring in the seat or backrest area–and cut two lengths of tubing to this length, using a pipe cutter or hacksaw.

    File and/or sand the cut ends of the tubing to remove any burrs or correct unevenness. Install the rods with Loctite, as before, threading them through the tubes between the chair sides.

Ribbed Bench

Designed by Justin Orton

For inspiration, the designer of the Ribbed Bench looked to Gothic cathedrals of early twelfth-century Europe, which had the express design goal of letting in plentiful light. The bench achieves the same with its slatted construction, allowing light to travel through the top and legs and giving the whole piece an airy feel. And with their alternating curves, the legs have a distinctive architectural look reminiscent of the ribbed vaults of classic Gothic structures.

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MATERIALS

TOOLS

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Exploded View
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Cutting Diagram
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Leg Template
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Front View
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Top View

Instructions

  1. 1.Cut the top pieces.

    Cut the 12 top pieces to size at 2" × 42", using a circular saw with a straightedge guide or a table saw to ensure straight, accurate cuts. The layout in the cutting diagram below shows you how to make the most of your plywood panel. If you have a miter saw, use it with a stop-block setup to cut the pieces to length. Otherwise, measure and cut each piece carefully so all are the same length.

  2. 2. Create the leg template.

    There are 22 leg pieces total. All are rough-cut from the plywood panel with a jigsaw and then cleaned up with a router and an MDF template (see Template Routing).

    Create the template by drawing the leg profile on the MDF stock, following the leg template. Carefully cut out the template with a jigsaw, making sure not to cut inside the marked lines; it’s better to cut the piece a little large and sand down to the line than to cut too much.

    Sand the edges of the template so the curves are smooth and the edges are flat, without saw marks or irregularities. Any flaws in the template will be transferred to each workpiece, so take the time now to shape the template just right.

  3. 3. Cut and rout the legs.

    Use the leg template above to trace the 22 pieces on the plywood stock, as shown in the cutting diagram; be sure to leave enough space between pieces for making the cuts. Rough-cut the legs with a jigsaw, staying 1⁄16" to 1⁄8" outside the cutting lines.

    Using a small amount of double-sided tape to prevent slipping, place a plywood workpiece on top of the template (for a bottom-bearing router bit) so the plywood overhangs the template along all of its edges. Clamp the parts to your work surface. Rout along the perimeter of the template to create an exact duplicate in the plywood, using a router and flush-trimming bit.

    Note: If you have a top-bearing bit, the template goes on top of the workpiece, and you’ll need some spacers to raise the work for each cut.

  4. 4. Round over the edges.

    Using the router and a 1⁄4" or 3⁄8" roundover bit, shape the edges of all of the top and leg pieces at the desired depth. Be sure to test the bit depth on scrap material first, and round over less than half the plywood’s thickness (see Finishing Plywood and MDF).

  5. 5. Drill the holes for the all-thread rod.

    Each leg gets two 3⁄8" holes, and each top piece gets four 3⁄8" holes, as shown in the front-view drawing above. The holes will receive the 3⁄8" all-thread rods that bolt the bench together. In addition, the two outside top pieces and four outside legs receive a 1⁄4"-deep counterbore to partially recess the washers and cap nuts. Select these pieces now and set them aside; you will drill the counterbores and holes for them in step 6.

    Mark the locations of the leg holes on the MDF template: The top hole is 1" from the top edge and centered side-to-side on the width of the piece. The bottom hole is 2" from the bottom end and centered side-to-side. Carefully drill the holes with a 3⁄8" bit. Use the template to drill the holes into the leg pieces. To save time, you can clamp the template and two leg pieces to your work surface, using a sacrificial backerboard to prevent tearout, and drill both legs at once.

    Mark the locations for the four holes on a top piece: The two outer holes are 4" from each end, and the two inner holes are 47⁄8" from the outer holes; all holes are centered (top-to-bottom) on the width of the piece. Drill the holes, then use the piece as a template to drill the remaining top pieces, as with the legs.

  6. 6. Drill the counterbores.

    Mark the hole locations on the four outside legs and two outside top pieces, as with the others. Drill the counterbores using a 3⁄8" spade bit or Forstner bit to a depth of 1⁄4"; the bit must be slightly larger than the outside diameter of the 3⁄8" washers. (If you’re using a Forstner bit in a portable drill, set up a homemade jig to keep the bit in place (see A Forstner Drilling Jig, for advice). If desired, you can countersink the nut completely, provided the washer and nut have a combined height of about 1⁄2" or less.

    Once all the counterbores are complete, drill a 3⁄8" hole through the center of each counterbore, going completely through the piece (this hole comes after the counterbore because spade bits can’t be started in holes larger than their guide points).

  7. 7. Finish the plywood parts.

    Using 220-grit sandpaper, lightly sand the faces and edges of all the legs and top pieces. Finish the pieces as desired. Because refinishing or touching up the pieces requires disassembly, it’s a good idea to use a durable varnish such as polyurethane. In the project shown, the parts were finished with clear, wipe-on polyurethane in satin. This typically yields a somewhat more hand-rubbed look and feel, while standard brush-on poly is thicker and will coat over surface imperfections better, for a smoother finish than you get with wipe-on formulations.

  8. 8. Cut the all-thread and spacer tubes.

    Cut four lengths of 3⁄8" all-thread at 17 3⁄8", using a reciprocating saw or a hacksaw. Cut two lengths of rod at 15 13⁄16". File away any edges or burrs created by the cut, being careful to not damage the threads (see Working with All-Thread, for tips on cutting all-thread).

    Use the same saw to cut the metal tubing into 42 pieces at 3⁄4" each. A bench vise (if available) is the best tool for holding the tubing during the cut. For a finished look, file away any burrs or rough edges left from the cuts.

  9. 9. Assemble the bench.

    Assemble the parts in sequence from one outer top piece to the other, with the bench on its side as you work. Place a washer and a cap nut (also called an “acorn nut”) on one end of each piece of all-thread. The four 173⁄8" rods join the tops of the legs and the top pieces, and the two 1513⁄16" rods join the bottom ends of the legs.

    Fit one outside top piece over the four upper rods with the counterbores facing the washers and nuts. Next, fit one outside leg onto each of the outside upper rods and the lower rods, with the legs curving out, as shown in the front-view drawing. Fit a 3⁄4-inch spacer tube onto each upper rod, sliding it up against the top piece, as shown in the top-view illustration. Add a spacer to both lower rods, against the legs. Fit an interior top piece onto the upper rods, followed by two interior legs (with curves facing in), then add two spacers on the outside upper rods.

    Repeat this alternating pattern to complete the assembly, and finish with washers and nuts on the outside faces of the remaining outside top and leg pieces. Tighten the nuts to secure the assembly.

Plywood as . . . A showcase of inspired pieces and
the stories behind them. . . hand-tailored gift

Bespoke Chair

by Kristin Hare

I designed this chair as an industrial design studio project. The assignment was to design and build a custom-fit studio stool for another person, and I made the chair for my studio partner, Derek, to specifically fit his body and needs. He liked the height of his original studio stool, but it was uncomfortable after long periods because he couldn’t rest his back. To remedy this, I decided to upholster the seat of his new chair and included a backrest. To allow for a full range of movement, I installed a lazy Susan below the seat, so the seat and backrest can turn in a full circle.

This is the first piece of furniture I’ve ever built, and the biggest challenge was forming the backrest. To make it conform to the curves of Derek’s back, I laminated thin layers of bendy plywood, using a comfortable preexisting chair as the mold. I laminated seven layers of the plywood, one at a time, clamping them to the chair. After lots of wood glue and many hours, the backrest was sturdy and formed the complex curves I wanted. I covered the backrest with a cherry veneer for an elegant look.

The rest of the chair is a half sheet of 3⁄4" white oak plywood. I simply cut one curved form five times for the chair legs. The five legs are splayed outward for radial symmetry, and the footrest holds them together. I finished the plywood with a cherry stain for a uniform appearance.

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