Basic chair assembly

[John Sproul]

Hi,
i have recently undertaken a project to build, for my family, a dining set. The table is completely custom and ready for varathane. I was recently told by my better half that I best be doing some chairs too, to match the table. The problem is, I don't have access to a multitude of tools. My question is this... Short of buying a kreg jig and pocket screws, would a simple dowel reinforced joint be strong enough to withstand the pressure put against the backrest of the chairs in this photo? Upon drawing out a template, the rear legs and the back rest supports are attached at a 20 degree angle (both the leg and the upright have a 10 degree taper at the joint.)

[Mike Henderson]

Dowels are not the best joinery for that particular joint. A mortise and tenon will be stronger and last longer.

Mike

[Pocket hole screws would also not be a good idea.]

[I don't know why people seem to think that making a chair is difficult. It's just a series of individual steps. If you approach it that way, you'll find out that you're very competent to do each step. And doing each step carefully and accurately will give you a very nice chair.]

[Mike Henderson]

You didn't ask this, but a hint for building chairs is that you build the back and the front and then you attach the two together.

Mike

[Thomas Bank]

I’d start by asking what the plans suggest for joinery? As Mike says, I don’t think pocket screws are the answer either.

[mark mcfarlane]

I've never built a chair, but I've had quite a few (7 to be exact) expensive custom made chairs broken at dinner parties by friends leaning back, sliding on a rug without lifting their weight,... Get a 250 pound person leaning back on a chair and the joint stresses are very high. Add alcohol and the stresses seem to double. There's some weird physics rule in play.

Given the angle of the back, I'd be tempted to avoid any joint and cut the back leg and back as a single piece of 8/4 stock, or a laminate, with a jig saw if that is all you have.

Also, given the angle, it doesn't look like you could get a tenon more than 2 inches long before breaking through the surface of the mortised piece of wood, so there wouldn't be much wood in the morticed piece actually holding the tenon and you could easily split out the mortised piece. Make a larger diagam, draw out the tenon, and see how much wood there is left in the mortised piece to actually hold the tenon.

Or you could do what I do: 'Honey, that's really a great idea, and I love it, but chairs are a very difficult thing to build well and I'd need to spend a lot of money on new tools to make you nice chairs". If she doesn't bite, then try "I think we should go together this weekend and find the perfect set (silently) on sale".

[Mike Berti]

If you build chairs, select a plan that fits your tools and capabilities. Don't stick with one model if you can't do it right. I built a few chairs with hand tools. The back rest and legs were shaped from one arched piece of oak. It is held to the seat with pocket holes. The stretcher which adds much needed support is joined with mortise and tenon. I would add two horizontal cleats to the stretcher in your plan.

[Mike Henderson]

Just to clarify, when I gave you my answer, I assumed that the back leg and seat back support would be one piece of wood. I assumed you were asking how to attach the seat to the back. You don't want to make the back leg and seat back out of two pieces of wood.

Mike

[Tom Ewell]

This looks like the site he's working from, can't find any 'joining' techniques recommended. Maybe within the 'detailed' plans there are some (couldn't find any)
http://www.homegardendesignplan.com/...ing-plans.html


Agree, shape the back/legs from one piece of stock, no joints.

[paul cottingham]

I weigh 260 lbs, and have chairs similar to those. I know it is a matter of time before one of them dumps me. I already have plans for how I will rebuild them with mortise and tenons (dominos, to be exact, so I can reuse the existing pieces.) save yourself a step. Mortise and tenons for chairs....

[lowell holmes]

If you have never made a chair, I recommend you view the dvd by Frank Klausz, "Making Mortise and Tenon Joints". He walks you through the importance of and how to loft the chair on a 1/4" sheet of plywood.

I learned to make rocking chairs at classes conducted by Paul Sellers. The first thing he had us do was loft the chair full size in plan on a piece of 1/4" plywood. You will save money on materials and also time if you will view his video. I have since made eight rocking chairs for family members and friends. The last one I made is being used to rock my first great grand children, a girl and a boy.
(and I am bragging

You can order one from Taunton. I am not affiliated with Taunton, just passing on a good tip. Klausz's video is absolutely top quality.

If you will go to Woodworking Projects, I bumped an old post showing one of my chairs.

[Wade Lippman]

On the one hand, I made a set of 4 chairs using dowels that have seen hard use for 15 years. They are still great; though I would feel a bit better if I had my domino back then.

On the other hand, making the seat back and the rear legs as two pieces is crazy. Nothing short of a tensioned steel rod is going to keep that back up.

[John Sproul]

Wow ok. Seeing as I already have the lengths cut to the pans dimensions, I guess I will have to figure something out... Thanks for all the advice guys.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

I've made two sets of chairs, both were made with mortise and tenon joinery. I made the mortises when the the wood was square, then cut the back and front to shape. It's a lot easier to do that way, especially if the front of the chair is wider than the rear. I used a wedge to make the angled mortises.

[lowell holmes]

I would never use dowels in a chair, even though some do. Mortise and tenons are my choice of joints. The video sequence on lofting will solidify how to make the joints.

The chairs I built at Homestead Heritage were all made with hand tools. The chairs were mortise and tenon chairs and the first chairs ere made over 10 years ago.

At least consider it before committing to a system. All of the chairs I have built are mortise and tenon joints.

[Andy Giddings]

John, sorry to rain on your parade but if the seat and back of the chair is as flat as it appears to be in the plan, I think you're going to have some comfort issues as well. The seat can be fixed by adding a removable cushion but the back is another matter. Almost every chair I've seen has a curved back for comfort