POWER TOOLS ‘+ Wear appropriate safety gear safety lanes, a face shield fr extra protection, ‘ad hearing protection. Hf thee sro dust callection system, wea a dust mash, For ‘erotic woods such as ebony, use a esp oF sawdust may cause an allergic ‘reaction. Wear work loves when han, «ling rough lumber. fie hazaed, ‘Drape the power cord of a portable ‘ower tool over your shoulder to keep ‘tout of the way, "Never work when you are tired, stressed, (oF have been drinking alcohol or using ‘medications that induce drowsiness. ‘Always keep your work area clean {and tidy; cluter can lead to accidents, and sawdust and wood scraps can be a WAND TOOLS. © Use the appropriate tool forthe jb, donot ty to maa tot do something for wich it was not intended, ‘= Clamp your workpiece to free both hands for an operation = Cut away from yourset rather than toward your body. ‘Keep your hands well away trom a turing blade orbit. ‘Do not force a too; if possible, try emoving less stock on each pass. ‘Do not use a tool if any prt worn ‘Concentrate on the job; do not rush. or damaged, © Keep the edges of cutting tools sharp. ‘Steam coupling hole Hooks up to fitting from steam source Suppore Triangular stripe support workpece, keeping it om Contacting bottom of ox ‘and being bathed i mater Hinged door BUILDING A STEAM BOX The two basic elements of any steaming setup are a ‘steam generator and an enclosed box in which the wood is steamed. The box can be simple. The version shown, ‘above is made of %-inch exterior-grade plywood, assem- bled with rabbet-and-dado joints. Any tight-fitting joinery ‘method will do. Be sure to make the steamer longer than the pieces to be bent, and seal it tightly to keep the steam from escaping. Also, include a small drain hole at ‘one end and place the steamer on a slight incline to allow the condensed steam to run out as water. If you are using a gas-powered steam source, itis safest to do your steaming outside; your local fire code may insist on it. AS ‘an alternative, you can bend your wood indoors using an electric wallpaper steamer, but remember that a consider- able amount of water vapor will be produced. As a rough Buide, steam air-dried lumber for one hour per inch of thickness; half that time is adequate for green wood, Alter bending, te the ends of the workpiece together with ‘cord and let it dry. After approximately one week, a bent Piece of 1-by-3 stock will be dry.Scribner Library THE ART OF WOODWORKING BUILDING CHAIRSTHE ART OF WOODWORKING BUILDING CHAIRS TIME-LIFE BOOKS ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA ST. REMY PRESS MONTREAL + NEW YORKTHE ART OF WOODWORKING was produced by ST.REMY PRESS PUBLISHER Kenneth Winchester PRESIDENT Pierre Leelle Series Editor PierteHome-Douglas Series Art Direcor Francine Lemieux ‘Senior Editor Mare Casini, Editor Tim McRae ‘Ant Direiors Normand Boudreault, Luc Germs Designers Francois Daxhelet, Héine Dion, Jean Guy Doiton, Michel Giguere Picture Editor Christopher Jackson, Writers Andrew lones, David Simon, Research Asssant Bryan Quin Contributing Mustratrs Giles Benschemin, Roland Rergerat, Michel lis, Ronaid Durepos, James Thien Adminstrator Natalie Watanabe Production Manager Michelle Turbide Sjstem Coordinator Jean-Luc Roy ‘Photographer Robert Chartier ‘Adminisraive Assistant Dominique Gagné Indexer Christine M. Jacobs ‘Time-Life Books is division of Time Life Inc, 1 wholly owned subsidiary of ‘THE TIME INC. BOOK COMPANY TIME-LIFE INC. President and CEO John M. Fahey Editor-in-Chief John L.Papanek ‘TIME-LIFE BOOKS President John D. Hall Vice-President, Director of Marketing Nancy K. Jones ‘Managing Editor Roberta Conlan Director of Design Michael Hentges Director of Editorial Operations Ellen Robling Consulting Editor John 8. Sulivan ‘Vice-President, Book Production Maan Caldwell Production Manager Marlene Zack (Quali Assurance Manager James King ‘THE CONSULTANTS ‘Mike Dunbar bis ine farniture this workshop in Portsmouth, [New Hampshire. The author of seven books anda contributing ‘editor of American Woodworker and Early Americ fe maga ‘ines, Dunbar also offers Windsor chairmaking seminars actos North America (ies Mier Mead taught aban caintmaking at Montel teicislefotk tres iaesyeucaumetcroe ‘aaland he has worked sree ofan urnre (The Art of woodworking) Includes index ISBN 0-8094.9525.2 1.Chair. E 2. Furniture making L Time-Life Books 1 Tile: Building chr. ML Series, ‘TT197.5.CA5B85 1994 68420 9430363 cP For information about any Time-Life book, please call 1-800-621-7026, or writ: ppeasdas ales sagem Giant clipraince ceed porter eteamyettefeted Soccer pe eee acca vane ce naietan poeple TIME-LIFE isa trademark of Time Warner Inc. USA. rr FF Serer es 70CONTENTS 6 INTRODUCTION 94 LEGS AND STRETCHERS 96 Inventory of legs and stretchers 12 CHAIR-BUILDING BASICS 98 Legs 14 Designing a comfortable chair 103 Stretchers 16 Selecting and ordering wood 18 A gallery of chair styles 110 ARMS AND BACKS 112 Inventory of arm and back styles 22 FRAME CHAIRS 113, Arms 24 Anatomy ofa frame chair 119 Backs 26 Designing the chair 30 Making the legs 124 ROCKING CHAIRS 32 Making the backrest 126 Anatomy of a rocking chair 36 Frame chair joinery 127. Rocker design 47 Assembling the chair 128. Making the rockers 132. Rocker joinery 50 SLAB-AND-STICK CHAIRS 52 Anatomy of a 140 GLOSSARY slab-and-stick chair 54 Preparing the seat and legs 142 INDEX 58 Assembling the seat and legs 61 Making the back 144. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 70 SEATS 72 Seat styles 73 Sculpted seats 78 Upholstered seats 83 Cane seats 90 Rush seatsINTRODUCTION Sam Maloof on DESIGNING CHAIRS ] have designed more than 500 pieces of furniture i wood. Ihave done furniture for homes, offices, churches, a arly 50 years of working although I prefer designing for homes. Even now I take time to design and make atleast five new pieces a year no matter how busy Tam or how far behind I am in filling orders ind but I also have hundre 5 of case goods and tables for my clients, but I do many drawings of pieces that come ti stored away mentally. I make dra chairs are designed as I make the prototype. I was asked some time ago to submit a