Lot's of pictures to tell a thousand words


As promised i'd show you what the caning was all about; it will become the seat of a regency library chair. It's a chair you can flip open to turn into a little step. So you can reach the books on the highest shelfs.

 
Here's the original i'm reproducing. A pretty early one made by Morgan and Sanders in 1815




Lot's of sketching and calculations at the kitchen table.
And then off to the workshop, where my heater can barely keep away the frost. I'd run into bad luck when the only router bit that suited to do the ornamental lines broke while i was setting up my mill so i turned to these little carvers to make the grooves by hand.




I made dowels using a draw plate so all the joints are reinforced.





All these little pieces fit together like a puzzle to form the top part. That's now halfway done.








It still needs 2 back splash pieces, but because they are bend they require a little more drying through.




In the meantime i plan to continue on the lower part of the chair this weekend. Hope you enjoy your miniatures too this weekend,

34 comments:

  1. Good grief, Debora!!!!
    You are a genius!!!!!! It's such a pleasure to read your updates and study your pictures - you get a real sense of how much you enjoy them. I'm never sure if I'm more impressed by your skill, or construction.
    Have a wonderful weekend
    Simon x

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    1. Thank you Simon! Sometimes it's so hard to explain how things are build, I just put up pictures for those who are interested.
      And you're right! I enjoy this odd chair, I can't wait to play with it when it's ready.
      Mini hug

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  2. Oh vandaar de hinges in je eerdere post en het feit dat het niet veilig was. Ik begreep het al niet, ik zag alleen een stoel. :-)
    Prachtig project!!!
    Véronique

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    1. Dank je Véronique, en sorry dat m'n vorige verslag zo vaag was. Daarom fijn te horen dat de foto's het verduidelijken nu (dikke knipoog ;)

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  3. Splendid ! The 1/1 regency chair is really interesting and very rare, I suppose, and the results in one inch scale are fantastic. I'm always impressed by your work.

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  4. Meravigliosa! Complimenti Debora!

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  5. Amazing, can't wait to see the lower part of the chair! I absolutely love how you made the dowels. I really like your artwork and I am looking forward to your next post.
    Hugs, Vall

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    1. Dank je wel Vall! And thank you for following me. I had a look at your new blog, and it's just as inspiring! Can't wait to see your next post too :)

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  6. Oh wow there it is :) How fascinating to watch this very complicated piece, it is coming along great! You BLOW ME AWAY!!!!! EVERY TIME:) :) Thank you for showing the progress---

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    1. Well Linda, your reaction is compatible with how i felt looking at your self build thickness sander; gobsmacked and wow! So I thank you for appreciating what has gone into it sofa. The wood, for instance is actually a throw-away piece i pulled out of the bin at a wood merchants. Gives me a real kick haha

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  7. It is magnificent! You never fail to amaze me with your skill and talent. I can only imagine how many hours of planing and research you spent to create this before you ever picked up a tool. Thank you so much for sharing it. It's beautiful.

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    1. Thank you Catherine, you were on my mind when i put up the pics ;) You seem fascinated with the how-it's-done, so i'm glad to hear you appreciate them. And you're right; the research and pondering took a lot of time. But it's a stage I really love. Cos doing so i learned some more about the (furniture of the) regency period in England.

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  8. Wow, I am always amazed at your work! Even when tools break, you can do just as good a job by hand, that's real skill, but you make it all seem so effortless! I look forward to seeing the finished chair / steps! Kind regards, Brian.

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    1. Thanks Brian :) I've been missing out on power tools for a long long time, so i got used to getting the most out of my hand tools. Something I'm grateful for, cos now i'm be able to fall back onto that. Although i would be lost if my disk sander would die on me now. If it wasn't on my bench I would never even have taken on this chair; there's hardly a 90º angle in it.

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  9. Fenomenal!! Un estupendo trabajo.

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  10. Este es un trabajo maravilloso.
    Un abrazo.
    Yolanda

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    1. usted y mini abrazo gracias de nuevo Yolanda!

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  11. You are a true artist - the scrolls on the chairs turned out great! I love the tutorial photos too. Thanks for another inspiring post. Troy

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    1. Thank you Troy! Once you realize what you can do with a dowel joint, the shape of the pieces is not limited. Even these scrolls are no more different then the straight forward square joints.

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  12. Es impresionante lo bien que trabajas la madera y lo explicas todo, te felicito sinceramente.

    Un abrazo,

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    1. ¡Muchas gracias Sole! Me alegro de que sea clara

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  13. Beautiful! I really appreciate your photos, it makes the whole process so much clearer! You can tell there is a lot of skill and talent at work, can't wait to see the next steps!

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    1. Dank je wel Idske! Your comment makes it all worth while to put them up. Glad it helped to explain.

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  14. I do not like this style of chair but amazing chair! whoever invented this chair was to be a loving person challenges. I understand why you love this chair ... there are many technical details to work. this is a perfect realization for you. I love watching all your photos, I find that there is never enough, haha! thank you for taking all this time to share with us your work. every time I learn something new. your mind is so different from mine. I am always delighted to find your way to move forward on a project. thousand thank you. it will be fantastic this chair.

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    1. Thank you for your reply Catherine! Of course this chair's distinct style is not to every bodies taste, and thats fine. In all honesty, it's not on top of my favorite either. But the person who came up with the idea of a metamorphic chair (Robert Campbell, 1774) lived in England during time. A time when the English Empire style started to develop. And a new slice in society was emerging; those of the industrial elite. These factory owners were experiencing a new wealth they wanted to display. Libraries were a real feature to do so. And because there was also a fascination for technology and dual purpose furniture all sorts of transformable furniture was designed. A stool would rise to become a step, a table would hold a double ladder, or a chair could become a step. All to be able to reach for the higher shelfs, and at the same time have a nice conversation piece amongst the gentlemen smoking cigars and sipping cognac (i.e. showing of :) ). Unfortunately the design of chair had its practical drawbacks so it soon became dismissed. So because it was made in a relatively short period in time you hardly see any other style in antique ladder chairs. The only other variation is the very bland modern version of it, often referred to as kitchen ladder chair.

      http://www.gadgetreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/franklin-chair.jpg

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  15. Hello Debora,
    What a wonderful project. I cannot wait to see your next post. you always achieve such grace and elegance in your cuts. This will be another masterpiece.
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Thanks Giac! I know it will be a unique miniature when i succeed but the credit should go to the original designers Morgan and Sanders (1811) cos I'm merely duplicating from the antique dealers pictures.

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  16. I will be here for part two, you do great work Debora

    Hugs
    Marisa

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    1. Love too see you back! I'll make sure to be here too :)

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  17. Wow how beautiful!
    groetjes van Marijke

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  18. Simon zegt het al woordelijk, heb er niks aan toe te voegen :D
    Groetjes,
    Gee

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