Morris Chair
 

I have wanting to build a Morris chair for over 10 years. Now that I am no
longer a pro and my home shop is almost set up I am thinking of doing it. I
remember a long tome ago in FWW a woman built one but used maple. She also
did some exquisite inlay work.
I will find a picture of a chair and will work from it as I don't think a
full set of plans are needed for this simple design.
I am torn. I love quarter sawn white oak. The challenge of making the posts
with the qs rays on all 4 sides as well as the finishing and the leather
seat are appealing, but I also like to make traditional things in non
traditional ways. I haven't decided on the wood choice yet.
Any thoughts on the whole blasphemous idea of alternate woods?
max

max wrote in
:

Any thoughts on the whole blasphemous idea of alternate woods?
max

So the Greene Brothers designed a wide range of furniture in the A&C style
in mahogany and cherry. They seemed to have escaped with their reputation
intact.

Jarrah would be lovely. Or Chechen or machiche. Just don't use
purpleheart. Please.

Patriarch

Patriarch wrote:

max wrote in
:

Any thoughts on the whole blasphemous idea of alternate woods?
max

So the Greene Brothers designed a wide range of furniture in the A&C style
in mahogany and cherry. They seemed to have escaped with their reputation
intact.

Pick wood for function, and hope the customer knows real beauty.

Of course you also have to finish it properly.

JP
********
Caulker.

Fri, Feb 11, 2005, 5:42am (EST+5) (max) blurts out:
snip Now that I am no longer a pro snip

A pro what?



JOAT
Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.
- David Fasold

Check the current Stickley catalog (on-line). You'll find numerous
woods used in their Craftsman selections.

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 05:42:26 GMT, max wrote:

I will find a picture of a chair and will work from it as I don't think a
full set of plans are needed for this simple design.

Get the Bavaro and Mossman book.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/094193635X/codesmiths-20
Plans for the #369 armchair and lots of constructional details. It's a
_very_ good book.

There are few things as annoying as putting effort into a good repro,
then not getting a detail right, like the finishing or the timber.
You'll have a long time to stare at it afterwards.

I could countenance making some of the Craftsman styled pieces in
cherry, particularly things like mirror frames. But they really need a
darker timber, especially if you're using leather upholstery. Of
course you can make them pale, but they just don't look as good.


--
Smert' spamionam

"max" wrote in message

I am torn. I love quarter sawn white oak. The challenge of making the
posts
with the qs rays on all 4 sides

Actually, in the entire scheme of things, that was rarely done and is not
necessarily charateristic of the style.

, but I also like to make traditional things in non
traditional ways. I haven't decided on the wood choice yet.
Any thoughts on the whole blasphemous idea of alternate woods?

Are you doing a reproduction piece, or a piece for your personal enjoyment?
If it's going to be _your_ chair, be damned with someone else's often
mistaken ideas of "traditional" and do what you want.

QSWO has its benefits in stability, but it by no means the only wood that
was used. One of the most beautiful "Morris" chairs I've seen was made of
walnut with an oiled, non stained finish.

As someone else suggested, Bavaro and Mossman's book is a handy book, If
you're serious about the style, you will want to have a copy.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04

A protégé, protagonist, proto type, proponent with leanings towards peller!
max

Fri, Feb 11, 2005, 5:42am (EST+5) (max) blurts out:
snip Now that I am no longer a pro snip

A pro what?



JOAT
Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.
- David Fasold

Theres a post on Wood Central yesterday by a guy that built one from
curly cherry and flame birch spindles. I'm building a couple now with
QSWO if I had seen these earlier I certianly would have considered this
wood scheme
http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/m...pl?read=204862

max wrote:
I have wanting to build a Morris chair for over 10 years. Now that I
am no
longer a pro and my home shop is almost set up I am thinking of doing
it. I
remember a long tome ago in FWW a woman built one but used maple. She
also
did some exquisite inlay work.
I will find a picture of a chair and will work from it as I don't
think a
full set of plans are needed for this simple design.
I am torn. I love quarter sawn white oak. The challenge of making the
posts
with the qs rays on all 4 sides as well as the finishing and the
leather
seat are appealing, but I also like to make traditional things in non
traditional ways. I haven't decided on the wood choice yet.
Any thoughts on the whole blasphemous idea of alternate woods?
max

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
"max" wrote in message

I am torn. I love quarter sawn white oak. The challenge of making the
posts
with the qs rays on all 4 sides

Actually, in the entire scheme of things, that was rarely done and is not
necessarily charateristic of the style.

, but I also like to make traditional things in non
traditional ways. I haven't decided on the wood choice yet.
Any thoughts on the whole blasphemous idea of alternate woods?

Are you doing a reproduction piece, or a piece for your personal
enjoyment?
If it's going to be _your_ chair, be damned with someone else's often
mistaken ideas of "traditional" and do what you want.

QSWO has its benefits in stability, but it by no means the only wood that
was used. One of the most beautiful "Morris" chairs I've seen was made of
walnut with an oiled, non stained finish.

As someone else suggested, Bavaro and Mossman's book is a handy book, If
you're serious about the style, you will want to have a copy.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04


I can't imagine staining walnut.

I like cherry for craftsman style.