Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Jul 12, 2005 09:03pm | #1

   jackplane,

   I've built dozens of sets of period style chairs, numbering in the hundreds.  Only had one chair come back with a broken crest rail (Hepplewhite shield back), and it wasn't broken at the joint, but at the short grain halfway down the arch on one side. 

   The top of the back doesn't get a lot of load, other than lifting the chair to move it.The greatest risk to the top rail is that a chair will get knocked over, and the rail hitting the floor will break something. I think this is what happened to the one I mentioned above. 

   It is important to be careful in locating, sizing, and fitting these mortises and tenons, as there isn't a lot to play with, esp in a shieldback, or some of the Queen Anne designs.  The splat's joint with the crest rail helps with strength at the top of the back, as well.

   You don't usually see damage to old work in the crest rail area; the seat rail-to -rear-leg joint is the area that takes all the stress of course.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   jackplane | Jul 12, 2005 09:24pm | #2

   thank you Ray,

   how far did the tenons extend into the crestrail? 2/3 or 3/4 or more?

   I know there's not much room to work with, but if the chair tips back and crashes, it could be lights out for the crest rail- naturally I'd rather not have callbacks. 

1. 
   joinerswork | Jul 13, 2005 05:23am | #3

   jack,

   What type of chair are you building?  Tenon length, shape, and placement will vary from Chippendale to Queen Anne, to Hepplewhite.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   jackplane | Jul 13, 2005 03:15pm | #4

   Queen Anne side chair, to replace one in a set of 6. I'd figure tenon depth would be proportionally consistent for any style to maximize strength in this joint. 

1. 
   joinerswork | Jul 13, 2005 09:01pm | #5

   jackplane,

   Typical tenon length for a Queen Anne chair is 7/8"-1", at the inside edge of the stile (top of rear leg).  On the outside edge of the stile, I will have a haunch or setback of about 3/8"-1/2"--the tenon is only about 1/2" long here, and the top (end) of the tenon angles upward til it is the full length.  This gives good amount of surface area for gluing.  The angled end is to avoid breaking thru the top of the curved shoulder of the crest rail with the mortise.  I use a 5/16" or 3/8" thick tenon, set back about 1/4" to 5/16" from the front face of the stile.  This will allow plenty of meat at the back for either rounding over, or chamfering, of the stile.  If the stiles are round in cross section, rather than flat faced, I  center the tenon in the thickness of the stile.

   Regards,

   Ray

2. 
   jackplane | Jul 13, 2005 09:14pm | #6

   thanks.

   how's that Indian running? The beamer runs well but I'll sell it in August;need to get an older bike that doesn't require a laptop to keep it running....

     

3. 
   joinerswork | Jul 14, 2005 12:59am | #7

   jack,

   The Chief is running well.  Rode it to Scouts the other night, to show off the new tank decals to a buddy in the sign business.  It had gotten a little hard to start, but dressing the distributor points (BOY! those suckers are HARD!) and resetting the point gap has restored it to a one kick (after priming) starter.

   You can't wear out

   An Indian Scout,

   Nor its brother the Indian Chief.

   They're built like rocks,

   To take hard knocks.

   It's the Harleys that cause the grief!

   Regards,

   Ray

4. 
   cherryjohn | Jul 14, 2005 04:54am | #8

   Yup.thats why Indians have all gone to the Happy Hunting Grounds and the Harleys are still running.....and running well too.  HD almost became a footnote in history too  only their bout with bad management didnt last as long and do as much damage as Indians did. Wicked Decent Woodworks

   (oldest woodworking shop in NH)

   Rochester NH

   " If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"

5. 
   joinerswork | Jul 14, 2005 02:49pm | #9

   John,

   Well, all Indians are not in the Happy Hunting Ground.  Recently, I read that there are thirty-some thousand vintage Indians still on the road.  I do concede that Hardley-Ableson is still building new machines however!

   The story of the two companies is told in a book called "The Harley-Davidson and Indian Wars", by Allen Girdler.  Nowadays, the rivalry, if you can still call it that, is all pretty good natured, though brand loyalty still runs strong.

   "If I had a Harley, I'd leave it for a thief,

   And with the insurance money, I'd buy an Indian chief!"

   It's fun to see the double-takes from Harley riders when they realize that the wave you 've given is with the "wrong" hand (right handed Indian salute,"HOW!")

   Life is good,

   Ray