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by
Adrian Jones
photos: Tracy Cox
illustration: Len Churchill |
ELEGANT PATIO SET (part 2) |
Do a Little Jig
The side seat rails have a decorative arch cut into their lower
edge. To prepare this feature, you could draw the outline of
the curves on each piece by hand, then use a saw to cut them
before sanding, but there’s a better way.
Start with a router table template
made from a piece of scrap medium-density fibreboard (MDF) a
couple of inches longer than the rail. Trace the required curve,
as shown in the plans, with a drawing bow, then carefully saw
and sand the MDF to the exact shape. Be careful: every bump
and wave in the curved edge of the MDF will be transferred to
your chair rails.
Rough-saw the curved shape onto
the bottom edge of all white oak chair rails (no sanding is
needed), keeping about 1/16" to 1/8" on the waste
side of the line. Next, temporarily fasten one chair rail to
the MDF template, with the oak overhanging the edge slightly.
Install a flush-trimming bit into your table-mounted router,
with the height of the bit adjusted so the bearing rides only
on the edge of the MDF template. You can use double-sided tape,
small finishing nails or a system of toggle clamps and stop
blocks to hold the oak in place. The wood and MDF must stay
solidly together while you push the assembly across the spinning
flush-trimming bit.
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The
genius of the flush-trimming bit is that it cuts away everything
that’s beyond the diameter of the bearing. This means
that all the excess oak you left when you roughed it out will
neatly disappear, leaving the edge smooth, crisp and identical
to the MDF pattern. Work slowly and take shallow passes as you
rout against the grain of the curve to prevent splintering along
the grain.
Once you’ve cut and trimmed
the curves, use a 1/4" roundover bit to refine the edges
of the legs, lower rails and the lower edges of the seat rails.
Leave the seat rails’ upper outside edges square.
Cleats and Seats
With the side seat rails complete, cut the two screw cleats
that will fasten the seat slats to the frame. Cut them a little
shorter than the distance between the tenons, then bore countersunk
screw holes to attach each cleat to its rail and the rail to
the seat slats.
Mill enough wood for five seat
slats for each chair you’re building, then cut them to
fit snugly between the side seat rails. Make one pair of slats
for each chair notched to fit around the front and rear legs.
Use a 3/4" bullnose bit in the table-mounted router to
profile the edges of all slats, then sand each piece smooth.
Attach the screw cleats to the
side seat rails with glue and screws. Be sure to set the cleats
below the top edge of the rails, the same thickness as the seat
slats you’ll add later.
Glue Up the Chairs
Start by gluing up each chair’s side frame, one at a time,
using outdoor glue. Make sure each frame is square (equalize
diagonal measurements to within 1/16") and flat, then set
them aside to dry. Continue by gluing one side of the four face
rails, assemble the entire chair and set it on a flat surface.
Clamp, make sure the whole assembly is flat and square, then
allow the glue to set.
The back is made of a pair of
back uprights, with back slats. The uprights are shaped to lean
backward to provide lumbar support. While the uprights are cut
from 1 1/4" thick material, the slats are from 3/4"
stock, joined to the uprights with biscuits. You’ll also
join the uprights to the rear legs in the same manner.
Create a router template for making
the chair back uprights using 1/4"-thick MDF or plywood.
Carefully saw and smooth them as you did earlier with the side
rail templates. Use the templates to make one pair of chair
back uprights for each chair you’re building.
Temporarily install the rear notched
seat slat and clamp the uprights to the rear chair legs. Make
matching marks on the legs and the uprights to locate a pair
of #0 biscuits in each joint.
Measure the distance between the
chair back uprights and cut five back slats to length. The plans
show where the back slats should go. Cut matching #0 biscuit
slots in the slats and uprights, then rout the edges of the
slats with a 3/4" bullnose bit and sand them smooth. Assemble
the back with glue, clamp and remove squeeze-out when the glue
is half-cured. Reassemble the back into the chair and tweak
all parts for fit.
When the chair parts fit and feel
good, take everything apart, add glue and reassemble permanently.
This operation also includes the second side frame on each chair,
the one you left unglued so you could install the back. While
you’re at it, put in the seat slats with a dab of glue
in the centre, then secure them with screws.
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PART 1 | PART 2 | PART
3 | PART 4 |
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