Walnut tables and chairs

[mredburn]

We built our house last year and one of the things I wanted to do was build the dining room table and chairs. I had planned to build one table with extensions and chairs to fit my needs. However the loml decided she would rather have 3 tables built to be pushed together or slid apart as we needed, depending on the amount of people that were there. Each table is 48inx42inx 30in tall. This is the first time IVe built either a chair or table. 16 chairs in all. This is a link to a great set of videos on building a kitchen chair. http://freewoodworkingplan.com/index.php?action=goto&link_id=43772 the project took over my shop for about 3 months, the mortising on the chairs took 2 days alone, I think I sanded for a week. I was going to bew a little more elaborate on the tables, routered edges, inlay contrasting wood, etc, but my wife wanted them just the way they are. Enjoy comments welcome. MIke

 

[Rollerbob]

Really nice tables and chairs. Yep, feel your pain on the sanding. 4 bar chairs have consumed about 4 weeks of my spare(ha) time. Really taking away from pen turning!!

 

[Chief Hill]

Mike. Great job. It's beautiful and wow a long time to make too. The best part I like is the bragging rights to say. Yep I made that...
One question, I agree with building your own furniture as you will know the quality but the cost. Do you find that simply buying is cheaper than making your own?

I built a outside chair out of cedar. It cost me about 110 in lumber alone. To buy one would of been half the cost. I wish it was opposite here. Cheaper to make than buy.

 

[tim self]

Beautiful work. Kinda envious.

 

[jimofsanston]

It's the pride of doing it I would think. My wife want's me to buld a side board and dinning room with chairs also. But i am think of a natural edge.

 

[mredburn]

I find that buying some pieces are cheaper but they usually are not the woods I prefer and I wouldnt trade the satisfaction of "I made that myself' for the difference. The tables and chairs at the Amish store were $3200 for the table and extensions and about $300e for the chairs. I bought the walnut off ebay years ago knowing I would be doing this and paid about $3500 for 1100bd ft shipped. I have more than half left.
So in this case it was definetly cheaper if I have no labor cost attached for myself. I had to buy 1 router bit,1 gal. of glue. I had all the tools, and sandpaper on hand although I used up all my midrange grits and had to replace them. It was challanging to make up all the jigs for the mortising sometimes one jig for one hole, sometimes it had to do both a left cut and a right cut. If I had thought about it I would have made the glue ups for the chair seats and the curved back pieces out of one set, the chair seats dont match the backs. A little bit more forthought and AI could have the pattern of the glue ups continous from the seat up through the back pieces. Oh well next time. mike

 

[Rojo22]

Mike

Beautiful stuff!

I guess you are hosting Thanksgiving this year?

Do we need to reserve ahead of time?

Very cool to see folks still "go through" with the handmade thing, the results of your efforts reinforce that notion!

Robert

 

[glycerine]

Wow, very cool!!! I love Walnut!

 

[mredburn]

Yes Im definetly hosting Thanksgiving. The family is up to 20 but it depends on which of my adult children decide to be with us this year or their spouses family. If your in the neighborhood drop on by. Mike

 

[artme]

Great work, they really stand out. Love the clean simple, design.

 

[mickr]

Grand furniture & great job...chairs are hardest because of all the angles (I make windsors and Shakeer) If you can make chairs, you can make anything...thanks for sharing

 

[Jim15]

Awesome job.

 

[Mrs Rojo22]

Beautiful!

Robin

 

[thewishman]

Sweet set! Very nice work for firsts. That is a project to be proud of. 200 years from now, your decendants will be hauling those in to Antiques Roadshow...

 

[Hosspen]

Very Very Nice, I see a LOT of work went into this but it was worth it! Seeing this Work , how could anyone not love Walnut. Don't you like the smell of it? Is the walnut stain from the wood off your hands yet? Keep up the good work, that is somethng you can't just go out & buy!