Replies

1. 
   Napie | Jun 09, 2003 03:42pm | #1

   I built my "reading chair", from cherry.  The arms and back slats are bent laminations and very easy to do.  The curves are not tight and I resawed to 1/4" and used Gorilla glue on a MDF form.  I didn' have plans, just a picture from an old catalog and it worked out very well.  I think the grain will look funny if it is sawn from thick stock, I used the best figure I had for the top lamination of the arms.

2. 
   Boxduh | Jun 12, 2003 01:43am | #2

   C'mon, woodworkers!  Hasn't anyone built a bow arm Morris chair?  Are the arms laminated, or bandsawn to the curve?  We've only one contributor so far.

1. 
   dan48g | Jun 12, 2003 02:53am | #3

   Popular Woodworking's arts and crafts book has a plan for a morris-style rocker with bowed arms -- as I recall the arms are laminated.

   Edited 6/11/2003 8:07:47 PM ET by dan48g

3. 
   Froed | Jun 12, 2003 02:04pm | #4

   Did a Google search on bow arm morris chair plan and came up with the following.  Can't vouch for the quality (good or bad) or level of detail for any of them, though.

   http://www.woodworkersauction.com/amfurnpages/amfurnmission.htm

   http://www.cambiumbooks.com/books/arts_and_crafts/LANG_GST336/

   http://www.woodprojects.com/AF-181.htm

   http://www.craftsmanplans.com/GST336.htm

   There were more, but some were repeats.  The bowed arms are typically laminated, though you could steam bend them.  Cutting them from a thicker piece would work if you're not confident about the other two methods.  IMHO it would be the least desirable of the three.

   Good luck.

   Froed

1. 
   yotonyb | Jun 12, 2003 07:55pm | #5

   I measured an original Gus Stickley Reclining Chair (#2370 or #2470, I think...I'm at my day job and don't have the drawing in front of me) and the bowed arms were solid stock. I can't say for certain whether they were cut/shaped, or if they were steam bent. Someone who knows Stickley's shop practices might know for sure.

   I've also seen the Warren Hile Bow Arm Morris Chair and the bowed arms on his piece were laminated. It appeared that all of the laminations were randomly selected since the plain sawn edges had an irregular pattern.

   I admire and respect the work of both Stickley and Hile. Both pieces were equal in quality of construction and finish.

   If/when I build my reproduction, I would laminate the arms on a form and resawing a piece of quarter-sawn oak thick enough give me the quantity of laminations to reach final thickness while preserving the side grain profile.

   I've gotten consistent results doing laminations. I don't think I'd even consider steam bending, and I'm not confident of my ability to get an even curve on a band saw.

   Good Luck and Good Skill!

   tony b.

4. 
   ownersrep | Jun 12, 2003 08:29pm | #6

   Mr. Micro,

   I'm just finishing mine.  I resawed out of 8/4.  I only have 12" Delta  (MM16 on way) and so was at limit of resaw height.  They came off the blade pretty rough, so took a lot of time with plane and spokeshave to smooth.  They're beautiful when you get done.

   It's not a beginner project (which I am) but it's turning out very nice.

   Jim

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/12/2003 5:12:04 PM ET by Jim in CO

1. 
   Boxduh | Jun 13, 2003 03:51am | #7

   I am presuming you used a plan.  I just ordered a plan today from Woodworkers Supply.  The photo shows a chair with bow arms and four vertical slats along each side, maybe 5/8 x 2 1/4 in cross section, not a group of 5/8 x 5/8 pickets.  The legs are probably shown in the plans as "quadralinear," i.e., each side a quartersawn face board, joined at the edges with miters and splines, or lock miter joints.  I have done a few pieces of Stickley-type stuff, and have the lock miter bit for that.  Do the plan instructions give you the option to bandsaw the arms from thick, or laminate?

1. 
   ownersrep | Jun 13, 2003 04:31am | #8

   Actually, the chair I built was a modification of a plan that someone else had copied off an original Stickley.  I also have slats on the sides and in the back. The back and the arms have 2 1/4"- 2 1/2"  slats with a wider one in the center.  I sawed the curved back rails out of 8/4 material also so bandsawing the arms seemed like the logical way to do it.  I built mine out of cherry with paduk slats.  The final glue up is this weekend.

   It was a great learning experience for me with lots of mortises and tenons and I hope that I'm the only one that notices my mistakes.  (I won't mention the 2 left arms I cut-out (late night) :-)

   Good Luck,

   Jim

5. 
   BobLang | Jun 14, 2003 02:44pm | #9

   The original Stickley pieces were steam-bent. I prefer to build a form and laminate. If you cut the laminations from one thick piece, and keep them in order, it will look a lot nicer. Depending on the material you use, you should be able to make the bend with 3 or 4 pieces to get a final thickness of an inch, or inch and an eight.

   Trying to bandsaw the curve, if I'm ready your question right, would be an awful lot of work, mostly in trying to smooth up the saw marks. It also can make the wood grain look pretty ugly.

   Bob Lang

   http://www.craftsmanplans.com