Design and Prototype - Lesson Seven

This week was the first time that I finally got something that looked like a chair. I started on Monday still without my materials, and worried about time I made a jig which would allow me to make the woven pieces, which could then just be slid on from one side of the chair.

This jig was quite easy to make, I first made a base which was roughly the same shape as the side profile of the chair, and then mounted blocks onto this which would hold the slates in place:

Above: Blocks holding the slates in place

 This jig also allowed me to find the best distance between each slate with very little breakages, as show below:

Above: Plywood bent into shape

Above: Complete jig with woven strip in place.

I left earlier then  normally do on this day as it was my birthday on Monday :)

The rest of the week I spent mainly making all the components, as my material came in on Tuesday. However after clamping up the first couple of pieces I realized I was going to have to adjust my jigs, as each one needed 22 clamps. I started  converting them to block and wedges, and it meant that each jig now only needed between 3 and 5 clamps:

 

Above: Jig only needing five clamps

I also glued up both sides of the frame, first making one side, and then using this to try and make both legs the same size and shape:

Above: First frame gluing

Above: first frame glued up and holding second frame in place.