Replies

1. 
   davamoore | Aug 12, 2002 05:54pm | #1

   Set the chair on something flat, like the table of your tablesaw or a good workbench.  Note which two legs are the longest and decide which ONE you want to shorten (unless the two long legs are both very long).

   With the chair still on the saw table, slip some 100-grit sandpaper under the long leg.  Holding the long leg (and, thus, the chair) firmly on the sandpaper and table, quickly slide the sandpaper out from under the bottom of the leg.  Repeat until the chair is level.

   It's a bit slow, but it works, and keeps you from turning a chair into a stool.

   David

   Hmmm... the garden or the workshop today?
1. 
   hfwhelden | Aug 12, 2002 06:05pm | #2

   Thanks for the reply.  Since the legs arll cut at an angle all have ato be leveled. approximately the same amount.  I put the base on a flat surface and laid a pncil on a piece of 1/4" plywood. I then drew a line across the legs that is paralell with the flat surface. I am still not convinced that this will work.

1. 
   davamoore | Aug 12, 2002 06:17pm | #3

   Is the chair already assembled and glued?  Personally, I'd be a bit nervous cutting angled legs on an already-built chair... but that's just me, I'm sure it can be done.  Perhaps someone else has more experience with the proper tools, procedures.

   DavidHmmm... the garden or the workshop today?

1. 
   hfwhelden | Aug 12, 2002 07:12pm | #4

   Yes the Chair is complete. The plans that I used were not very good and they had  you  assemble the chair so that you can not cut  the feet for the chair  as they described.

2. 
   BG | Aug 12, 2002 07:34pm | #5

   Is the chair all assembeled?  Are the legs at a compound angle? Are the legs turned on a lathe?  Assuming the answer to those questions is yes...but the legs are different lengths, is that the issue ? 

   Making several assumptions, it would appear your interested in having the seat of the chair in a specific plane (flat or slightly pitched back) and the end of the legs in a different plane eg.the floor.   It would seem that if you got the seat fixed in the proper plane ..and then took a sheet of MDF...or something stable and flat..and cut holes for the legs to slide down into...and made that MDF parrallel to the floor...you could mark the legs with fair degree of accuracy.  Cutting would be another issue..but minor adjustments could be made with the sandpaper suggestion.

   Just guessing  

2. 
   BenM | Aug 12, 2002 07:48pm | #6

   Find a flat, level surface to place the chair.  It has to be level, not just flat.  Put a bubble level across the seat.  Place shims under 3 legs so the chair does not rock and so the chair is level from side to side.  Determine the amount of front to back slant you want.  For a high chair I assume it will be almost zero.  Put additional shims under the front two legs till you have the desired slant.  Now take a pencil and scribe a line around each leg; the scribe line will be the same height from the flat surface for each leg.  You can make a homemade device to hold the pencil at the appropriate height.  I use a bevel gauge and tape the pencil to the blade.  I can then adjust the blade angle to get the pencil to the correct height.  After scribing use a fine toothed handsaw and cut each leg, using the lines as a guide.  For stability, hold the leg you are cutting.  Your chair should now be level across, properly slanted front to back and sit firmly on the end of each leg.  Don't forget to chamfer the sawcuts, this will prevent splitting off some wood when the chair is dragged across the floor.

1. 
   hfwhelden | Aug 12, 2002 08:30pm | #7

   Thank you very much for your help.  The chair is level and all 4 of the legs touch the flat surface but since the legs themselves are splayed they touch on the front or the back of the leg depending if it is a front or rear leg.  I did what you suggested before writing for help but I just wanted to see if there was another way before I cut them.

   Thanks to all for your replies