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Thread: Chair Design input needed & Sketchup question

  1. #1
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    Chair Design input needed & Sketchup question

    So I'm delving into the realm of making chairs, for my personal use.

    I really like the picture attached, and have used it as my primary design influence. It's by Ted Blatchley and I found it in a FWW audio slideshow.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
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    That's a lovely chair, but what's your question?

  3. #3
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    I have 2 designs going right now, one where the back legs are curved like the slats and one where they are tapered (see attached). I think I'm leaning toward the tapered, but would tapered legs and curved slats be a conflict for someone sitting in the chair?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
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    Sorry for taking a while to load the pictures and actually ask the questions Jamie!

    I'm looking for general design advice & critiques (Mark Singer seems to be very knowledgable on this subject), but have one specific question:

    I know the seat should slope back, having a vertical change of 1/2" - 1". I'm confused on how the intersection of the front leg and the side rail should work. If the side rail is sloping at an angle, when it intersects the front leg, shoudl the top of the front leg be at the same angle or should it stay at 90* to the floor? If it slopes, there would be a wierd conflict with the front rail.

    Or should I leave the side rails at 90* to the legs (as I've shown) and simply cut 1" off the rear legs (and subsequently have to put an angle on the bottom of each leg?


    I plan on using bent lamination for the curved back slats. First time for everything!

    I plan on making at least one mock-up out of secondary wood.

    Thanks for your input!

  5. #5
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    Oh, and my sketchup question: As you can see, on the bottom of the rear legs I can't seem to get SU to make these "solid" objects rather than just lines. I can't find any discontunuity so I don't know why it's not working. I can't even get one side done in 2D, then push/pull it to make it 3D. Any advice? I can send you the .skp file if you'd like to play with it yourself (I use Pro though, so you can't open it with the free version).

  6. #6
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    Anybody?...

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    Anybody?...
    I'm a SketchUp novice, so I fit that category - "Anybody"

    >What is the difference, other than shape, between the front and back legs? If you can get all the faces on the front legs why not the back legs?

    >Can you post an X-Ray view of the chair, like the last picture, without the chair back?

    >Are the legs a group or component? Can you post a 2D, side view picture of the leg?

    I can draw a shape similar to the leg with the all the faces, but I can't tell from the pictures what the top part w/faces consists of.

    Larry, AKA "Anybody"

  8. #8
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    Matt,
    I will be posting a tutorial on chair design soon. This may help you. I like the chair very much. I think it would be better in all walnut rather that 2 different woods. Also the back top stretcher could have a better form IMHO.
    "All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"

  9. #9
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    Thanks Mark,

    I look forward to your tutorial. When do you think you'll have it ready? I plan doing the milling of the wood this weekend, and if I get settled on a design I'll start rough cutting the shapes.

    When you say the stretcher needs a better form, do you mean it shouldn't be a simply rectangle?

    I haven't decided on wood choices yet, but I like the walnut/maple combination as it accents the curves of the back slats, and it would fit with my walnut/maple dining table.

    Larry,

    I'm still working through some Sketchup issues. It seems that once these drawings get detailed, little things done quite match up. What I'm having problems with is when I use 2 arcs in different planes, such as where the rear legs taper in both directions (2x2 to 1.25x1.25).

  10. #10
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    i posted already!
    "All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"

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