|
|
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
by
Paul Lewis
photos: Roger Yip
illustration by Len Churchill |
ADIRONDACK REVISITED |
| This
twist on a classic cottage chair improves on perfection |
Before
I built my own version of a traditional cottage chair, I had
been known to take the easy (albeit more expensive) way out
by assembling chair kits. Each time I did, I thought how simple
it would be to make these chairs from scratch. I could have
just traced the kit pieces to make some templates. But, then
I decided to evolve the 100-year-old design that was born in
the Adirondack Mountains. My version is built with 1"-thick
cedar, and I’ve included a few unique features.
Behind
the Design
This chair is lean and low, but the most unusual design feature
is the offset arms—making it easier to get in and out
of. Now, before you dismiss this as a quirky choice, hear me
out. The shorter arm allows you to swing out your leg as you
stand up. It really works too. My parents (and, in the not too
distant future, probably me) have difficulty getting out of
a traditional Adirondack chair with its deep, low seat and forward-reaching
arms. But there’s no such trouble with an offset shorter
arm.
 |
| This
chair is lean and low, but the most unusual design
feature is the offset arms—making it
easier to get in and out of |
|
This design tweak didn’t come easily. I made four full-size
prototypes of the chair before getting the proportions just
right. The comfort of the chair hinges on the relative angles
of the seat and back. Knocking together quick, full-size mock-ups
of these parts is a worthwhile exercise if you want to customize
your chair to suit your own proportions. Your models needn’t
be pretty—I used cheap pine and an air nailer to
cobble mine together. Whether you follow my plan exactly or
experiment with your own adjustments, the basics of the construction
process are the same.
Chairman of the Lake
Begin by working on the main legs. They are the foundation of
the chair and making them is the only tricky part of the whole
process. Cut two blanks from 5/4 decking, then transfer the
pattern onto these blanks either from a template you can download
from this page, or by enlarging the grid pattern
in the plans. Chances are I’ll be making more chairs in
the future, so I created a template for the pattern on a piece
of 1/4"-thick plywood.
Cut the main legs to size with a bandsaw. Then cut the material
for the rest of the pieces to width and length. Take the time
to smooth all the edges with a stationary belt sander.
You’ll need to add contours to the arms and the arm supports
as well. Again, you can trace the pattern by downloading a template
from our website or using the plans.
Transfer the patterns to the arm and arm braces now (or to plywood
templates if you choose to make them), then cut and smooth them
to final shape. Before moving on, use a router to roundover
any freshly cut edges of the slats to match the rounded profile
of the factory-milled edges.
|
|
1. What's in the design? |
2. Assembling the project |
3. Tools and materials you will need |
|
|
|
|
| FREE
NEWSLETTER |
Subscribe to our newsletter. Every few weeks, you'll get a behind-the-scenes
peek at the magazine, the web site and the folks who put it all together.
CLICK HERE |
|
|
PROJECTS
