# Tom's Chairs



## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

I have not shown much interest on the forum unless I can contribute to try and solve someones problem with the use of the router but enclosed pics will give you some indication as to what I have been doing. 

In an earlier posting I said I was in the process of producing chairs this has been a large project with lots of jigs and templates required to produce the various sections and to rout the mortice and tenon joints not to mention the sliding dovetail joints.

I suppose it could be said that making chairs is a very time consuming project and I would never disagree but it has been a rewarding project to attempt. I have two at this stage with another six to go.

The jigs and templates are too numerous to display in one posting and it might be better to send by PM the jigs used to those who may be interested

Tom


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Very nice Tom what kind of upolstrey are you going to use for the seat. How many templates are used to build a chair.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Tom,

Great looking chairs, I like the leg details. What wood are you using? 

thanks for the inspiration, (and education!),


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Hello Tom,
So far so good, as they say. Is it getting any easier as you progress?


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## chippypah (Dec 24, 2007)

As expected Tom, a true craftsman at work great chairs.
Cheers
Pete


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

kp91
The material I am using is a local timber to Western Australia called Jarrah. Referred to as 'Swamp Mahogany'. Very hard and solid and a pleasure to work with. When I was working as a cabinet maker I called my busines 'Tom and Jarrah' simply love the timber with all its colours and the formation of the grain 
The front legs were produced in a simple box Jig with the necessary templates to control the router in the plunge mode with the aid of the template guides. I know there are many who would say use the band saw to shape them, but I consider the effort of making the Jig and templates much easier and safer, also there is a bit more to the design that the bandsaw could not achieve. It is the sort of leg I could get a blind person to produce using the new techniques. 

Glenmore
I can say there are a great number of templates and Jigs required to make such a project and when I come to do my 'shoot' of the various steps I will be able to let you know then

George
It does get easier to do as you progress from one to the other but you have to keep your thinking cap on all the time as there are processes that must be done before another stage of assembly. 

I gave a lot of thought to the various joints I have included in the construction 'Floating tenons was the easiest way to go as there were a few compound angles to be cut that required tenons. Joining the support for the armrest to the cross rail was dovetailed as a further example, producing the dovetails male and female with the router. It was the same with the arm rest only I added another aspect to that joint to give more strength,

I suppose the joint that did worry me was the upright joining to the armrest because I knew there would be a great deal of lifting of the chairs and this was the obvious place to lift them, and as the chairs are so heavy it would have put a great strain on the joint when moving them around. This joint also had to be completed before the chair was assembled and one of the problems was setting it at the correct angle to match the angle of the seat rail. To overcome this problem I inserted a metal threaded rod into two metal nuts that were implanted into the upright and the armrest this not only gave me the strength but also the slight movement I required when I was doing the final assembly.

It has been a project I have taken on some 12-15 years ago when the first chairs were produced, just to show how versatile the router can be when the template guides are used, and also introduce router safety in the process. (It's great to have my workshop back after an eight year break of not having sufficient room to work.)

Six more to go before I can settle down to dinner at the table I made some 12 - 15 years ago. That was another project with some new inovations and design. Simple but effective.
Till next time 
Tom


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Tom,

Those chairs are beautiful. It's always amazing to see just how much versatility the router truly has. I have to agree with Doug about "inspiration and education".

It's good to see you on the forums.


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## karateed (Feb 7, 2006)

Awesome job Tom,

You truly are a teacher, the most important job any man or woman can have in this world. Thanks for all the info and education.

Ed......


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