Rustic chair
The chair is made from saplings, ash and maple (mostly red maple). The arms are walnut, and the seat is woven from simulated rush (twisted kraft paper).
I was inspired by Paul Ruhlman’s video to make this rustic chair, though mine has a couple unique twists. This was a fun project and has a lot in common with traditional windsor chair making. the chair is ample in proportions, about 20-21″ wide. It now sits in my office at work next to my desk where visitors use it, and it makes a great conversation starter.
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The chair is made from saplings, ash and maple (mostly red maple). The arms are walnut, and the seat is woven from simulated rush (twisted kraft paper).
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The fit is less than precise in this chair. I used epoxy to be sure that any gaps and irregularities were filled and to allow myself plenty of open time.
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The front legs are mortised through the arms, and then wedged with a contrasting walnut wedge.
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I picked stretchers in part for interesting shapes that would still align well enough to form a decent tenon. 7/8" oak dowels were used for the seat rails for strength and straightness. They are completely covered by the rush but make for a more consistent seating and weaving platform.
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All mortise-and tenon joints were pegged using bamboo skewers. The back legs, the back cross members, and the spindles were all eased into a better shape with steam bending.
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