[OP]
Member
So a buddy asks me to cut two inches off the legs of a chair. "No problem," I say, all the while knowing you guys will have an answer if I get stumped.
Front legs are easy, they have a square reference face to cut on a table saw. Back legs can come off the seat but that is all the breakdown that can (will) happen.
I have some handsaws, table saw, circ saw, jig saw....
it just needs to sit evenly on the floor and they'll be happy. Thanks in advance.
Bobby
For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve.
Member
Handsaw
assemble the chair
if it rocks
put a belt sander flush to the top of your bench
with the three legs on the bench top, fourth one goes on the belt sander
find the offending tall legs and sand them to proper height on the mounted belt sander
Carpe Lignum
Member
Assemble the chair and set it up on a flat surface like your tablesaw top. If needed, shim it so it does not rock, and the seat is at the desired angle. Now use a spacer to hold a pencil up from the flat surface the desired amount of the cut, and mark each leg all the way around. Saw to the line by hand.
Member
Easy! Follow Alan's advice!
Member
What Allan said...Done it that way many a times.
Member
Another vote for Alan's solution. Done it many times and it works
[OP]
Member
Originally Posted by Alan Schwabacher
Sounds good to me.
For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve.
Contributor
I didn't read what Alan said, but that's what I'd do. Anybody with that many 1+'s has got to be right.
Member
Thank you Don, you (and your kind) are the reason I post on the Creek!
Oh, by the way, +1 to what Alan wrote.
"... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
WQJudge
Contributor
After taking the 2 inches off each leg. The way I was taught is to set the assembeled chair on a flat surface, I use my TS surface. If you rock the chair you will quickly find one leg is longer than the rest. Let the long leg now hang over the edge of the flat surface then use a flush cut saw to cut it using the flat surface as a guide. This will make the chair set solid on a flat surface, however it does not make the chair level, but it will be so close you will probably not be able to tell and you only have to make one cut.
Last edited by Tom Giacomo; 07-18-2013 at 1:20 AM.
Member
I was surprised to find this works, the first time I did it.
Not a power tool job - too easy to take off more than needed.
Chamfer the edges of the legs where they meet the floor.
Chairs are frequently dragged, and a square edge can catch - leading to splintering along grain lines.
Member
That's how the Schwarz does it: http://blip.tv/popular-woodworking-v...r-feet-4886174
"Live like no one else, so later, you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!"
- Dave Ramsey
Moderator
...and if you are like me and find that this only gets you close without a cigar, then as a final step, doublestick rough sandpaper to the tablesaw under the still offending leg(s) and rub it into submission.
Member
Thats why I came up with the belt sander option
I had to do it to 8 dining room chairs someone else butchered...
Carpe Lignum
Member
I believe FWW had an article about a chair maker (who uses axe handles for legs - go figure) designing a bench with a belt sander built into the top deck.
That way, he could determine which leg or legs were long, and just set it onto the running sander until the other three legs touched down.
You do need a reference, when using a power tool approach - it's easy to over shoot and end up with a footstool instead of a barstool...
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