instruction book.pub - Windsor Chair Online

Windsor Chair Online
Assembly Instructions
Date: 1/4/2007
Other Chairs Offered
Philadelphia Arm Chair New England Comb Back Sackback’d Arm Chair
13 Inch Tri Legged
Stool
15 Inch Tri Legged
Stool
Bow Back Side Chair
Fan Back Side Chair
44 inch Comb and Knuckle Settee
Page 1
44 Inch Double Oval Bowback Settee
Table of Contents
About Us
1
Table of Contents
2
Parts and Tools needed
3
Base Assembly
4&5
Wedging and Shaping of Seat
6
Grinding and sanding the seat
7
Leveling the chair
8
Installing Spindles and Arm
9
Installing the Back Bow
10
Wedging The Arm and Bow
11&12
Installing a side chair bow
13
Installing a comb back
14
Assembling a Settee
15
Basing up a Settee
16
Wedging and sanding a Settee
17
Leveling a Settee
18
Installing an arm on a Settee
19
Installing a bow on a Settee
20
Page 2
Tools Needed
•
Rubber mallet
Metal Hammer
•
Set of Drill Bits
•
Set of Wood Chisels
•
Good Quality Yellow Wood Glue
•
•
•
•
Sander (Orbital)
Sand Paper (40 grit Thru 180 grit)
Dovetail or Coping Saw
Page 3
•
•
2 Foot Level
Basing Up
Start by dry fitting the base stretcher system together. Insure that you have a narrow end and
also a wide end as shown in the photo.
If they are even turn one of the side stretchers
around.
Remember which way you took apart the last
stretchers. Glue the inside of the holes
(A broken pencil or small dowel dipped in wood
glue and spun in a circular motion inside the
stretcher hole will ensure enough glue)
Use a rubber mallet to drive the side stretchers
onto the center one.
Place the Stretcher system down on a flat bench.
Rock the system back and forth ensuring that
both side stretchers are touching the bench at
the same time.
Page 4
Basing up
Next, prepare the seat for assembly.
The bottom of the seat needs to be sanded.( I prefer
hand planeing the bottom for authenticity).
The edges also need to be sanded. Hand sanding or
an orbital sander will work if you don’t have a bagging sander. (shown)
Time to glue the base together.
Be sure to have the base parts ready before you begin. Glue the leg holes first, then glue the large
seat holes. (Bottom of seat facing up)
Slide legs into already glued Seat.
(Only insert legs half way into seat hole. Leave
them loose in the holes to allow for stretcher installation.)
Now install the stretcher assembly into the leg
holes. Be sure the wider openings between the
two side stretchers are toward the front of the
chair.
The process of gluing the base together should
only take a couple of minutes
(remember the glue is drying)
Page 5
Basing Up and Wedging the seat
Use the rubber mallet to drive the legs onto the
stretcher assembly. (Do this to all four legs, flipping
the base as you drive the legs onto the stretchers).
Flip the chair upside down so the seat rests on a
couple of thick pieces if wood. This insures the legs
that are now sticking though the top of the seat do
not touch the bench. Using the hammer, drive the
legs into the seat until the shoulder of the leg bottoms out, or cannot be driven further. Do this firmly
but be careful not to drive the legs too deep. (this
could split the seat). Remember, the glue is drying—the entire base assembly should be completed
in 3 to 5 minutes.
Right the chair, and place onto the floor. Take the
7/8 Wide wedges that are supplied with your kit.
Dip them in glue one at a time.
With the hammer, drive the wedges into the pre
split legs. (Complete each leg before you glue the
next wedge).
Page 6
Wedging, Grinding and Sanding the seat
After the wedge is driven in as far as possible with
the hammer, use the side of a chisel to drive the
wedge down into the leg until it drives no farther.
(When the wedge stops don’t force it).
Cut off what's left of the leg and wedge as close to
the seat as possible.
Make sure the legs and stretchers have not shifted.
Let the base dry thoroughly. (If they have moved
use wood clamps to hold them until dry).
Next, finish grind and sand the scalloped part of the
seat. Take your time, remembering the legs sticking
though the top are a much harder wood. Work
them down first.
Finish sand by hand or with a orbital sander
Page 7
Leveling The Chair
Start by finding a level area on a bench or table saw
top. Using a two foot level is easiest. Level the seat
in one direction: across the seat. Use the small
wedges provided for the back spindles to level the
base.
Keep the level on the chair front to back and
measure from the bench to the bottom of the level.
The front of the seat height should be 17” from the
floor after the legs are trimmed. The back of the
seat should be 16 1/2” from the floor, to allow the
chair to lay back.
Next, determine how much leg needs to be removed
from the front legs to get the front of the seat height
to 17”. Use a pencil laying flat on a chunk of wood
of the proper thickness to mark the cut on the front
legs. For example, if the front of the seat was 17
3/4” leveled with the wedges under it and the pencil
lead is an 1/8” off of the block of wood, you would
need a block of wood 5/8” thick. Remember to take
a 1/2” more off of the back legs.
After the legs are marked you will need to cut them
off. A band saw works great for this but a hand saw
will work well too. Sand the bottoms level to the
line you marked.
Page 8
Installing an Arm on an Arm Chair
Finish sand and do any shaping and carving on the
arm before you begin. Next, dry fit all your spindles
and arm posts so you know where they go when you
are gluing up. Glue the arm post holes. Insert your
arm posts, and set them with your hammer. Then flip
the chair over and wedge them. Glue and insert all
the spindles. Slide the arm down over the spindles,
lining the spindles into the proper holes on the way
down. Before you slide the arm down on the arm
posts, glue the arm post holes and the short spindle
holes.
Then, measure from the middle back of the seat to
the bottom of the arm in the very center of the arm.
Insure that it is 8 3/4” from the back flat part of the
seat to the bottom of the arm, as shown in this picture.
(The only exception to this is the Philadelphia Arm
as it lays the same height of the arm post.)
Now that the arm is in position, peg it to keep it in
place. Use the 3/16 drill bit and drill thru the arm
and center spindle all the way though the back of
the arm.
Using one of the supplied dowels dip it in glue and
slide it though the arm and leave it to dry wile you
work on the rest of the arm.
Page 9
Installing an Arm & Bow on an Arm Chair
Next, wedge the arm posts and shorter spindles.
Take a sharp chisel and hammer place the chisel
blade on the end of the arm post perpendicular to
the grain of the wood on the arm. Use the hammer
to drive the chisel into the post and split the top of
each post. Split both post and what ever short spindles you have.
Use the 1/2” wedges for the arm post and the 3/8”
for the spindles. Dip them in glue and drive them
into the split you have made on the post and spindles. ( Insure that when you Split the arm post from
the top and the bottom that you are perpendicular to
the grain of the wood in the seat and the arm. If you
drive the wedge with the grain there is a fear of
splitting.)
Now, prepare the bow for installation. Sand the
bow by hand to remove the burs that have accrued
during the drilling process.
Glue the holes in the bow.
Starting with the outside spindles first, install the
bow. The outside spindles will be the first to start
into their holes and then the second ones in. On the
third spindles in, start sliding the bottom of the bow
into the arm rail hole. (Do this one side at a time.
This sometime can be a quite difficult step—every
steamed and bent piece of wood is different. It
could be bit of a strain to squeeze the bow into the
holes on the arm rail)
Page 10
Installing, Pegging, and Wedging the Bow
Once the bow is on you need to make sure it is at
the proper height. It should be 22 1/2” off of the
back, flat part of the seat. Do this by knocking the
bow down with the rubber hammer. Also measure
along the second spindle in on each side to check
that they are equal. Adjust if necessary.
Drill though the arm rail and through the end of the
bow with a 3/16 drill bit. Do this on both sides of
the chair.
Dip one of the 3/16” dowels into wood glue and insert it into the holes just drilled, one at a time.
Cut off the top of the spindles about 3/8” to 1/2”
above the bow.
Page 11
Installing, Pegging, and Wedging the Bow
Using a chisel that is wider than the spindles, split
the spindles perpendicularly to the grain of the
wood in the bow.
Dip the end of the 3/8” wedge into some glue and
drive the wedge into the splits just created until the
wedges are seated in the bow. Allow adequate dry
time.
At this point, the chair should be complete and ready for the finishing
touches. Trim off all of the pegs, wedged spindles, and arm posts. Sand all
the tops of the spindles and anything else that needs sanding, either by hand,
or with an orbital sander.
Always remember: sanding is much easier to do before the assembly process
has started.
Page 12
Installing a Side Chair Bow
Sand the bow inside and out: this is much easier
done before beginning assembly. Insert all of the
spindles into the bow before the bow is put on the
chair. Glue both the bow and the spindle holes on
seat. Slide the bow into the outer holes of the chair
seat. (As shown in the picture)
Gently slide the spindles down to the top of the holes
in the seat, so the spindles are just above the holes in
the seat. Using a glue brush, glue the spindles just
above the bow. Then, drive them down into the seat
with a hammer until they bottom out in the seat.
Next, measure from the back flat area of the seat to
the highest center point of the bow, 22 1/2”. Cut the
spindles off approximately 3/8 above the top of the
bow. Split the spindles with a chisel perpendicularly
to the wood grain of the bow. Now dip the 3/8”
wedges in glue, one at a time, and drive them into
the spindles. Let the spindles dry while completing
Flip the chair upside down, and use a chisel to split
the end of the bow underneath the seat. Make sure
that to split the bow perpendicularly to the grain of
the wood in the seat. Drive the 3/4” glued wedge
into the end of the bow and use the side of a chisel to
drive the wedge down until it is seated into the seat.
Use a saw and cut what is left over flush to the bottom of the seat. Sand. Flip the chair back onto its
legs and cut the spindles flush to the top of the bow.
Finish Sand.
Page 13
Installing a Comb Back
The comb is cut out, carved, and drilled before it is
packaged. Sand the inside, backside, and top of the
comb rounding the top cut edge. Sand thoroughly.
Glue and install the side post first, then flip the chair
over and wedge the side post perpendicular to the
wood grain in the seat. Right the chair and glue the
spindles into the seat. (On a comb back arm chair
this has already been done).
Flip the comb upside down and glue the holes. Slide
the comb onto either one of the end spindles or side
posts. Feed one spindle at a time until you have all
of them in their proper hole. Use the rubber hammer
to seat the fan down onto the spindles.
Measure from the seat to
the bottom of the comb
18 1/2”. Drill with 3/16”
bit though the comb and
center spindle, all the way
though. Glue and insert a
dowel. Repeat this on the
outside post or spindles.
After they dry, trim and
finish sand.
The height from the seat
to the bottom of the
comb.
New England: 24 1/2”
Philadelphia: 28 3/8”
Page 14
Assembling a settee
Start by collecting the three side stretchers and two
center ones. Take one of the side stretchers and one
center stretchers. Glue the hole on the side stretcher
and insert the center stretcher. Use the rubber mallet
to seat the center stretcher into the side one.
Do this to both of the side stretchers. The stretcher
with the hole all the way though is for the center
legs.
While your stretchers are drying, start the work
needed on the seat. Sand the edges smooth by hand
or a orbital sander if you don’t have a bagging
sander (shown). Sand or hand plane the bottom of
the seat. ( It is much easier to pre-sand any of the
parts before assembly.
Flip the chair upside down so the seat rests on a couple of thick pieces if wood. This insures when the
legs a put into the seat the legs do not touch the
bench. Glue the leg holes with plenty of wood glue.
Glue the holes in the legs. Place the legs into the leg
holes on the bottom of the seat. Do not slide them all
the way in yet. This allow them to be spread open to
insert the stretchers.
Page 15
Basing up a settee
Lay the side stretchers out on a bench with the preglued center stretchers touching one another . Notice
how there is splay on the outer side stretchers. The
front legs of the settee are set farther out than the
back ones. Insert one pre-glued side stretcher into
two end legs.
Glue the hole on the remaining side stretcher and install it between the two center legs. At the same time
insure that the center stretcher slides into one half of
the stretcher just installed.
Next, install the last pre-glued stretcher into the
other side legs and also into the center side stretcher.
At this time hammer the legs flush into the seat.
Take the now assembled base and lay it on its side
on the floor or bench . Using a rubber mallet drive
the legs onto the side stretchers. Make sure all of the
base joints are seated together.
Page 16
Wedging and sanding a settee
Flip the settee seat onto it legs and collect the 7/8”
wide wedges.
Dip a wedge into wood glue and insert it into the
split in the leg. Using a hammer, drive the wedge
flush to the top of the leg. Then use the side of a
chisel to drive the wedge until it stops. Do not force
the wedge—it is deep enough when it stops. Repeat
this on all the legs. Insure that the base has not
spread apart and let it dry at least 20 minutes.
Cut what is left of the legs and wedges as flush to
the seat as possible.
Next, finish grind and sand the scalloped part of the
seat. Take your time, remembering the legs sticking
though the top are a much harder wood. Work
them down first.
Finish Sand the seat and clean up any glue.
Page 17
Leveling a settee
Find a level bench or table
saw top. Set the settee on
the level surface. At this
time, the settee will rock
back and forth on the center legs.
Use some of the wedges
that are supplied with the
kit to level the settee
across its length. Measure from the table to the
bottom of the level that is
now laying across the
seat front to back.
Next, determine how much leg needs to be removed
from the front legs to get the front of the seat height
to 171/2”. Use a pencil laying flat on a chunk of
wood of the proper thickness to mark the cut on the
front legs. For example, if the front of the seat was
17 3/4” leveled with the wedges under it and the
pencil lead is an 1/8” off of the block of wood, you
would need a block of wood 5/8” thick. Remember
to take a 1/2” more off of the back legs.
After all the legs are marked. Use a hand saw to cut
the legs off at the lines that you previously marked
on the legs. Use some sand paper to clean up the
bottom of the legs and knock the sharp edges off.
Set the settee back onto the bench to insure it does
not rock. Adjust if necessary.
Page 18
Installing an arm on a settee
Next glue the arm post holes and install the arm post
insure that the already split arm post is put into the
seat with the split perpendicular to the wood grain in
the seat. Hammer them flush into the seat. Flip the
settee base over and wedge the arm post then cut
them off flush to the bottom of the seat. Sand and
clean up any glue. Next glue all spindle holes and
install the spindles—the four short spindles going
toward the front. Use a hammer to seat the spindles.
Prepare the arm for installation by sanding to remove any burs left from drilling. Slide the arm down
on the spindles. Before the arm is lowered down
onto the short spindles and arm posts, glue those
holes. Split the top of the short spindles and the arm
post perpendicular to the grain of the wood in the
arm. Dip a 1/2” wedge in glue and drive it into the
arm posts. Repeat this with the shorter spindles.
Measure from the center back of the seat to the bottom of the arm on the center spindle. Insure that it
is 8 3/4” from the seat to the bottom of the arm. Use
a 3/16” drill bit and drill though arm and center
spindle. Use one of the supplied dowels—glue and
insert into the arm.
Cut the top of the arm post
and spindles flush to the top
of the arm and sand. If you
would like to carve the edge
of the hand on the this is the
time to do it.
Page 19
Installing a bow on a settee
Sand the bow before assembly to remove any
burs from drilling and
flatten the raised grain
from the steaming process. Glue the holes.
Slide the bow down over
the outer most spindles
first then the second ones
in from the outside. At the
same time, insert the bow
into the arm. Measure the
bow from the center of the
seat to the bow, 22 1/2”.
Also measure at the second spindle in from the
outside and insure both
are equal. Drill though
the arm and end of the
bow and insert the 3/16”
dowel to hold it in place.
Cut off flush with bottom of arm
Use a saw and cut the remaining spindles off 3/8” to a 1/2” above the bow.
Using a chisel split the spindles perpendicular to
the grain in the wood of the bow. Using the remaining 3/8” wedges dipped in glue, drive the
wedges in one at a time. Cut the remaining spindle
off flush with the bow, and finish sand. Do a final
inspection—clean up glue and sand where necessary.
Page 20
About Windsor Chair Online
Windsor Chair Online was started in Ohio in 2006 by Master Craftsman,
Chris Benner. Chris began his career by training with one of the foremost
cabinet and furniture makers in the country. He has specialized in building
fine antique reproduction furniture since 1991.
Chris recognized a need in the market for high quality Windsor chair kits that
were designed specifically for recreational or professional woodworkers.
Chris lives in a Colonial style home, in historic Lebanon , Ohio . He enjoys
spending his free time with his wife and son, and his faithful dog, Jake.
We invite you to join the woodworkers of the past, and explore the remarkable world of Windsor chair building.
Our instruction manual can always be improved. Your questions and comments are always welcome please email any comments to
[email protected]
432 East Mulberry Street
Lebanon, Ohio
45036
Phone: 513-934-0292
Fax: 513-934-0292
Email: [email protected]