Project by Richard | posted 03-31-2012 01:12 PM | 18657 views | 25 times favorited | 9 comments | ![]() |
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Here’s a couple of examples of some Patio Chairs I built for my wife. So far they have been a big hit with everyone who sees them, including SWMBO.
When I was kid in the 1960’s, my parents had a set of chairs that were very similar. As an adult I have kept an eye out for a set to use in my own yard, but never found any. Getting more serious into woodworking in recent years I decided I should build my own.
The seat stores in the back as seen in the third pic, which IMO is a big selling point. Space in my pre-WWII garage is at a premium and anything that can be stored flat (or in this case semi-flat) is highly desired.
The legs are made of fir, the seat and back slats are plain white pine. I haven’t decided what color to stain or paint them; I may just decide to leave them bare since they are intended to be deployed as needed and stored when not in use.
Minimum tools are required to build these. A TS for sizing and ripping, a drill, a couple of bits and a sander are all you really need. I used a bandsaw for the legs, I’m just not enough of a masochist to cut 36” patterns in “2 by” fir with a jig saw.
All edges were rounded with a 1/4” round over bit on the router table and the seat and back slats sanded smooth with 220 grit sand paper. I used 2” galvanized screws, which were countersunk and the holes pre-drilled to prevent splitting. No glue was used.
Future versions of this project will likely be made from treated pine and Western Red Cedar. Material cost for the pine and fir version pictured was well under $20 each.
Since February I have made five chairs working at it in spurts on my days off. The first thing my sister said when she saw them was ”I’ll take two please”.
-- "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain
9 comments so far
Bearpaw
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270 posts in 4775 days
#1 posted 03-31-2012 01:36 PM
A good build and i am sure they bring back great memoirs. I would like to see a pattern or better dimensions. Keep it up.
-- "When we build, let us think we build forever." John Ruskin
doncutlip
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2832 posts in 4610 days
#2 posted 03-31-2012 02:28 PM
The chairs look good and comfortable
-- Don, Royersford, PA
Woodwrecker
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#3 posted 03-31-2012 02:34 PM
Those are really cool.
Nice job !
Kelen
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270 posts in 3446 days
#4 posted 04-01-2012 01:44 AM
Those really are great looking patio chairs, love how they fold up as well!
joebrat
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3 posts in 3359 days
#5 posted 04-01-2012 01:56 PM
Great project I am thinking of makeing some for our campsite.. Is there plans somewhere??
Trevor
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16 posts in 4926 days
#6 posted 04-01-2012 02:05 PM
Hi Richard, I really like your chairs, they fold up small and look very portable, were they from plans or were they your own design
Jason
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660 posts in 4563 days
#7 posted 04-03-2012 05:41 PM
I really like these. Thanks Richard.
I salvaged a pallet that should be enough to make one. I guess I’ll have a mix-matched set.
-- Jason - Colorado Springs
hgocht
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#8 posted 02-16-2018 03:37 AM
Great looking chair. Want to make a bunch for my grandchildren. Are there any plans available please?
Thank you
dutchchairman
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#9 posted 04-27-2019 08:44 AM
I would like to build some of these chairs. They resemble the chairs designed by a famous Danish furniture designer called Hans Wegner. These chairs have been built in the 1960’s by Johan Hansen (JH512) and now sell for many thousands of dollars among collectors. Could you please provide me with same plans or dimensions?
-- Einac, Opende The Netherlands
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