A little chair work…

Lets take a little trip back in time….

Im a junior in college heading home for christmas.  When I arrive at home, my father shows me this chair he just finished building.  Doesn’t sound like that much work right, its just a chair.  I was then informed that this chair doesn’t have any metal in it.  Thats right no nails or screws.  The chair is held together using a method called mortis and tenon which involves making a tong and grove style joint system.  You use a special table saw blade called a dato blade which allows you to have a custom width saw blade.  This allows you to cut the tenon (the tounge part) with one pass of the saw.  The mortis is a square notch cut into the wood.  How do you cut a square notch might you ask?

Well there is a drill press looking machine called a Hollow Chisel Mortiser.  It allows you to cut square holes.  I know amazing.  So after a learning all about how this cool chair was made I was throughly impressed.  Not to mention that the chair was extremely comfortable.  So at this point I requested a chair be built for me.  I was informed that it would be a great christmas present for me.  My dad and I went in to Anchorage and picked out the special lumbar.  We used quarter sawn white oak.  Since the logs are quarter sawn the blade makes pretty flares along the board.  When sanded and varnished it really looks nice.  So Im thinking awesome, Im getting a really cool chair for christmas.  Well next christmas comes along and is there a chair under the tree????  Not so much.  I come to find out that its not quite completed, which in reality ment it was far from completion.  No worries though Im told it’ll be a great graduation present.  Flash ahead to my college graduation…. Is there a chair ready to sit on and relax after 5 years of college???  Not so much.  No worries though, it’ll get done.  Flash ahead three years Im ingaged to be married.  I learn that the chair will make a great wedding present.  Summer of 2005 Erin and I are unwrapping our weading presents, and there I am suprised not to find a chair shaped box wrapped in the corner.

Flash ahead to now.  I head home for christmas 2006.  I learn that there is some work to be done on the infamous chair.  After Katie was off to  India, my dad and I tie into the chair.

We cut mortis and tenons, and used hand chisels to clean up the joints to make them fit better.  It really is a lot of work.  I only suffered two minor cuts from the chisel.  They are quite sharp.

So we didn’t get finished when I was home, but I informed my parents that the car doesn’t go back into the shop (garage) until the chair is finished.  I think we have a good enough start that dad will be able to power through to the end.  Im very excited to have this awesome chair in my house.  I will be sure to post pictures of it when it’s done.