[Illustration: Armchair of the Dining-Room Set]
This armchair will look well if made of plain-sawed oak. Quarter-sawed
oak might be used, or black walnut if desired. The stock bill specifies
the various parts mill-planed to size as far as possible. If some
amateur craftsman should prefer to do his own surfacing, thereby saving
somewhat on the expense, he should add 1/4 in. to the width of each
piece, providing the stock is mill-planed to thickness. It is hardly
profitable to get stock entirely in the rough if the work is to be done
by hand. The following is the stock bill:
2 front posts, 1-3/4 by 1-3/4 by 25 in., S-4-S.
1 piece for back posts, 1-3/4 by 6 by 43 in., S-2-S.
2 arm pieces, 7/8 by 4 by 24-1/2 in., S-4-S.
2 seat rails, 1 by 2-1/2 by 22 in., S-4-S.
2 seat rails, 1 by 2-1/2 by 24 in., S-4-S.
4 lower side rails, 5/8 by 1-1/2 by 22 in., S-4-S.
2 front and back lower rails, 5/8 by 2-3/4 by 24 in., S-4-S.
1 back rail, 3/4 by 2-1/4 by 24 in., S-4-S.
1 back rail, 3/4 by 2-1/2 by 24 in., S-4-S.
2 slats, 3/8 by 2 by 16-1/2 in., S-4-S.
1 slat, 3/8 by 4-1/2 by 16-1/2 in., S-4-S.
2 braces, 7/8 by 2-1/2 by 5-1/2 in., S-2-S.
The design shown is for a chair in which the width of front and back is
the same. Also the back leg parallels the front below the seat. In
commercial practice the backs are usually made somewhat narrower than
the fronts and the back leg is slanted somewhat below the seat as well
as above. As this construction necessitates sloping shoulders on all
tenons it complicates the problem when the work is not done by
machinery. The ambitious amateur may readily get the proportion of slant
by measuring common chairs. For mission effects the chair looks well
with front and back the same width.
Prepare the front posts first and then the rear. The rear posts are to
be cut from the single piece of stock specified. By proper planning both
pieces may be gotten out without trouble. Lay off and cut the mortises.
Saw the rails to length and lay out and cut the tenons. The back rails
are to have mortises in their edges to receive the ends of the slats.
Instead of tenoning these slats make mortises large enough to receive
the whole end--in other words, house the ends.
Shape the two arms, then glue up the back and then the front of the
chair. After the glue has set sufficiently, assemble the remainder of
the parts.
[Illustration: Detail of the Armchair]
Thoroughly scrape and sandpaper the parts and then apply the finish.
For a seat, either a leather cushion may be placed upon slats or the
bottom may be upholstered in the usual manner, using webbing on heavy
canvas, and then felt or hair with a top of canvas and leather; the
whole being firmly fastened with tacks and the leather with ornamental
nails.