Arts & Crafts sofa progress and a new question

[Jay Knepper]

This is the same sofa that I asked for ideas about how to attach the top cap a couple of weeks ago. I've included a couple of progress shots, a photo of the key joinery, and my resolution of the top attachment problem. Of course there's another question: the best way of supporting the seat cushions.

The first photo shows the overall sofa at this point. It's about ready for finishing. It follows the dimensions in Robert Lang's Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture. The panels have been pre-finished with Watco.

The second photo shows the sofa with the top off. My concern about how to hold the top on came about because the upper rails are the only long grain gluing surface. A late-blooming concern about the viability of the long miter joint (it will open up if/when the top 8 1/2" cap swells or shrinks) motivated my final solution--don't anchor it to the base at all. Rather, glue on some small blocks to lock the top cap in x-y position and simply lift the top off before lifting the sofa. That way I can easily replace the top cap if the joints do open, and moving the sofa is no longer an issue. (The blocks aren't yet on the top cap in this photo.)

The third photo shows some of the key joinery. The legs are made up of 3/4" qswo joined by a lock miter joint. 40' of lock miter cuts are required, and this is enough to make anyone start thinking about a shaper! Inside of the leg to the right you can see the end of the "slip tenon" that joins the back stile to the post. To the left the top of the tenon joining the side panel upper rail and stile is visible. All of the tenons are 10mm (a bit over 3/8"), thick. The remaining two pieces at 5 o'clock and 8 o'clock to the leg are the tops of the corbels. I used glue and a couple of 23 gauge pins for these.

I'm thinking about using wood slats running fore to aft to support the seat cushions. Perhaps 3" wide by 1/2" thick ash slats. It these prove to be too stiff, I can then rip the slats and use fewer of them. Is this a reasonable starting point?

[Mike Cutler]

Jay.

Very nice, and especially good work with the lock miter(those are some very clean looking joints).

It's going to look fabulous when it's finished. It looks good now.

Once again. Nice work.

[Roy Wall]

Jay - the sofa looks great! Nice Joints........

The top solution is certainly reasonable..... I can't help you with the
"slats" question......sorry.

What did you use for the panels?

Beautiful work......the finish is going to make it explode!

[David Miller]

I started a couch like this a couple years ago (it's on hold for now) and the plans called for canvas webbing as a support for the cushions. I managed to get a roll from an upholstery shop. It's about 3 inches wide.

-Dave

[Bob Lang]

Nice Work Jay!

Slats would be a good place to start, depending on what you use for the cushion itself, it might be a bit stiff. Cushion material and constructtion will make a big difference in how it sits. Think of it as a two part system, like springs and shock absorbers on your car.

Canvas webbing will have a bit more give to it, and if you really want it comfy you can add springs, either sinuous wire going front to back, or hand-tied coils. Any of these can be attached to a frame sitting inside the rails, so you can easily "undo" if you don't like it later on. My second book "More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" discusses the options.

The original of this piece pioneered the drop in seat cushion, similar to automobile seats.

Hope this helps, and again my compliments on your work.

Bob Lang

[Jim Becker]

Jay, that's looking outstanding! 'Can't wait to see the finished piece.

[Jay Knepper]

Thanks to all for the comments.

Roy, the panels were resawn and bookmatched from some 5/4 qswo. They finished out at 1/2" thick.

I may be over my head in tackling the upholstery. My wife is interested in doing it ourselves, but there's sooo much to learn.

[Gail O'Rourke]

Jay, this sofa is going to be gorgeous when completed...it is a project I would love to make some day. I love the idea about the lift off top - good solution. I definitely think you can handle the upholstery. Go for it.

I was thinking the webbing would also be the solution - but good foam is also very important to making a comforable seat. Head over to This End Up furniture (check online) and see what they make their cushions out of.

Good luck.

[Mark Singer]

Jay,
Terrific work...nice design! It is going to be a wonderful piece!

[Jay Knepper]

Mark,

Thanks for your kind comments.

Regarding the design, I think that Mr. Lang has done us a terrific service in publishing his Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture series. I have a number of catalogues of arts and crafts-type designs, and I cannot say that I particularly like most of what I see in them. However, to my eye, Robert has done a great job of "cherry picking" the best designs from that era. I've built several pieces based on his plans and hope to do many more.

Gail,

Thanks for your comments and for the lead on upholstery! I will certainly check them out. I just may go with the webbing since I don't like sofas that I sink into and cannot get out of!

[Daniel Fisher]

Sometime ago WOOD had an article about building a similar sofa -- the big difference was that they used slats instead of panels for the sides/back. They use a separate drop-in frame 72" long, made out of 3/4" x 1 1/2" oak. The sofa has 3 spreaders. On the seat frame, WOOD uses 2" seat webbing, 23 pieces back-to-front. (The hardware and webbing can be purchased at Rockler.) When the webbing is put on the seat frame, 3 temporary spreaders are used.
The seat cushions are made with upholstery foam.

[Bill White]

Use the burlap webbing crisscross woven and streched with a "webbing strecher". Tack the webbing down. Just like the olden days. This stuff is strong, and if done properly, will last a long time. Visit an upholstery shop. They'll help you get started.
High density foam for the cushions, and you're in business.
Bill

[Alan Schaffter]

On attaching the top rail-

1- Use through tenons at the ends of the pins for an A&C look. Make them proud of the top plate and bevel the top edges.

2- since the back might flex and rub along the underside of your top cap, at least in the middle, you might consider adding two 3/4" X 3/4" cleats to the underside of the cap board spaced so they slide over the back top rail.back attach

[Jay Knepper]

We decided to hire a pro to do the upholstery, and I'm glad we did. He specified a 1 1/2" thick by 3" wide oak frame with a front-to-back center brace to support the seat and cushions. The center brace has a 1" deep arc sawn out of the top and glued back on to the bottom. The idea of the arc is to make it more comfortable for a person sitting in the middle of the sofa. He did a great job of continuing the fabric pattern across the seat cushions and up the back cushions.

Here's a couple of shots of the completed job. The finish is Watco Medium Walnut.

[Bob Marino]

Jay,

Outstanding job on the sofa all around. I like what you did with the top. I did a very similar sofa a few years back and glued the top on. I haven't had any problems but cringe at the thought of having to deal with an opening miter joint or if someone moves the sofa from the top.
The upholstery is doable by yourself, but I think you made the correct decision in hiring a pro.
Other than Watco, is there any top-coat?


Bob