I am making 4 chairs to go with a dining room table I just finished.
I posted a question and a couple people suggested getting Jeff Miller's
"Chairmaking & Design".

Miller talks about how important stretchers are, but most of his chairs
don't have any. And the ones that do seem to be more robustly built than
the ones that don't. At one point he implies that he leaves them out of
curving designs because they are a challenge to fit. That doesn't seem like
an adequate reason.

Under what circumstances are stretcher's important? Presumably they are
less important when there are arms.

I am going to try to take elements from his "Captain's Chair" and his
"Slat-Back Chair".

Toller said:

Under what circumstances are stretcher's important? Presumably they are
less important when there are arms.

No expert, but do have an observation to share.
We have a few old maple chairs without stretchers. The legs are fairly
beefy, and are wedged tenons. They make me a little nervous, but are
still solid. But the long, unrestrained legs have splayed at varying
angles, depending on the grain direction, which makes them rock
slightly on a solid floor. And we definitely don't tip them back as 8
year olds are wont to do.

FWIW

On Sun, 08 Oct 2006 04:06:31 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I am making 4 chairs to go with a dining room table I just finished.
I posted a question and a couple people suggested getting Jeff Miller's
"Chairmaking & Design".

Miller talks about how important stretchers are, but most of his chairs
don't have any. And the ones that do seem to be more robustly built than
the ones that don't. At one point he implies that he leaves them out of
curving designs because they are a challenge to fit. That doesn't seem like
an adequate reason.

Under what circumstances are stretcher's important? Presumably they are
less important when there are arms.

I am going to try to take elements from his "Captain's Chair" and his
"Slat-Back Chair".

My grandfather built many chairs some singles, some sets, large and
small.
I recall his thought that stretchers were typically added to
compensate for poor structural integrity. Of course, in some cases a
stretcher would be a valid aspect of the design.

J

Toller wrote:
I am making 4 chairs to go with a dining room table I just finished.
I posted a question and a couple people suggested getting Jeff
Miller's "Chairmaking & Design".

Miller talks about how important stretchers are, but most of his
chairs don't have any. And the ones that do seem to be more
robustly built than the ones that don't. At one point he implies
that he leaves them out of curving designs because they are a
challenge to fit. That doesn't seem like an adequate reason.

Under what circumstances are stretcher's important? Presumably
they are less important when there are arms.

One consideration is how weight is transmitted to the bottom of the
legs...is it straight down or do the legs curve/slope toward the
back/front? In the latter case, the downward force acts a bit like a
wedge and will want to pull them off the seat aprons.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

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....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
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"Toller" wrote in message

Under what circumstances are stretcher's important?

Important for what?

Some folks build for art/appearance, and some build for structural
integrity/longevity. For the former, whenever you think they are; for the
latter, when you have any angle on the legs.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/01/06

On Oct 8, 9:49 am, "Swingman" wrote:
"Toller" wrote in message
Under what circumstances are stretcher's important?Important for what?

Some folks build for art/appearance, and some build for structural
integrity/longevity. For the former, whenever you think they are; for the
latter, when you have any angle on the legs.

Wouldn't there be a minimum angle where the stretchers aren't
necessary? If you're designing the legs as individual structural
members there's no need for stretchers. If you're trying to lighten
the look of the chair by using more slender legs, having the legs act
in concert, as a system, would require stretchers.

R

Toller wrote:
I am making 4 chairs to go with a dining room table...
Under what circumstances are stretcher's important?

Grandmom did antique collecting, and the best old chairs (some very
comfy, others elaborately decorated) all had stretchers. Chairs
without
stretchers, that I've seen, are generally broken before they reach a
century.

Elegance and style matter somewhat, but I get uncomfortable in a chair
that looks like it'd break. And I always expect the long legs of a
chair
to act as levers and break their joints at the seat. The historical
record
of grandma's collection says stretchers are valuable. So does my
stress analysis.

Chair stretchers add a lot of structural integrity, especially when
heavy-set people use the chair or if the chair is abused. If
stretchers are not used I will put in what's called a "ships knee"
made from bent wood or laminated strips. The ship's knee is attached
to the legs and underside of the seat with screws.

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
Chair stretchers add a lot of structural integrity, especially when
heavy-set people use the chair or if the chair is abused. If
stretchers are not used I will put in what's called a "ships knee"
made from bent wood or laminated strips. The ship's knee is attached
to the legs and underside of the seat with screws.

I googled on "ship's knee" but didn't find anything.
Can you either reference it or explain it more fully?

"RicodJour" wrote in message

Wouldn't there be a minimum angle where the stretchers aren't
necessary? If you're designing the legs as individual structural
members there's no need for stretchers. If you're trying to lighten
the look of the chair by using more slender legs, having the legs act
in concert, as a system, would require stretchers.

R


Stretchers help reinforce strength to legs by transferring some of the load
to the other legs. This really makes sense when some one leans back on two
legs and the angle of the applied weight changes.

On Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:33:15 GMT, "Toller" wrote:


"Phisherman" wrote in message
.. .
Chair stretchers add a lot of structural integrity, especially when
heavy-set people use the chair or if the chair is abused. If
stretchers are not used I will put in what's called a "ships knee"
made from bent wood or laminated strips. The ship's knee is attached
to the legs and underside of the seat with screws.

I googled on "ship's knee" but didn't find anything.
Can you either reference it or explain it more fully?


It looks like an upside down "U," with the top fastened to the bottom
of the seat and each leg screwed into the chair legs. You need two
ship's knees for each side of the chair. It acts like a brace. Most
of the ones I've seen were made from steam-bent dowels. This gives
incredible strength to the legs and eliminated the need for
stretchers.

Phisherman wrote:
It looks like an upside down "U," with the top fastened to the bottom
of the seat and each leg screwed into the chair legs. You need two
ship's knees for each side of the chair. It acts like a brace. Most
of the ones I've seen were made from steam-bent dowels. This gives
incredible strength to the legs and eliminated the need for
stretchers.

This may help. http://www.newmansknees.com/

Sonny