ponderings on things
Okay I know it's been a bit. Been busy building things. Chairs to be specific. These are chairs for our camp at Lillies War this year. The trick has been to make the strong, easy to take apart, and well nice too look at.
Now my engineering efforts in the past have been referred to as "ogre engineering" That is overly heavy, extremely rugged, and brutally functional in appearance.
Past examples:
Big Green Monster: a table that folded into a box that contained the legs and could also hold other stuff. Six foot long and Two foot wide when folded. I built the thing entirely out of 3/4" B/C grade plywood, 2x2 and 2x4s. It was so heavy that it broke handles and I had to cut handholds into it. I sanded it and then painted a lovely green outdoor latex that I had a bunch of. In short I had a table that could support a small car on it, weighed as much as an average adult, and had enough space in it to conceal a body or two. We used it a couple of times, then gave it away to the people we were camping with at the time. As far as I know they haven't used it since because of it's size and weight.
Clothes boxes: Boxes built to take the place of plastic totes in our tent. 4 of them were 3x3x1.5 feet. Built out of 3/4" plyboard (beginning to see a theme?) They worked and really took the abuse: but--once again very heavy and not that efficient. Gave a couple of these to our current camp mates. We'll see what happens.
Pavillion Center pole: The plans said a 2x2 would work for our 14 foot tall 20 foot diameter round. I said: "Naw." my solution: take 2 2x4 out of poplar. Glue them together with Gorilla Glue (the grains bending into each other) and then shave that down to a true roughly 3x3.
My wife can provide other examples that can be found through out the house. Shelves that can support up to 3x the weight that will ever be put on them. Etc.
Anyway now these chairs. The biggest thing my wife said was: I want them sturdy and at least easy on the eyes to look at.
Sturdy? All together now: 3/4" poplar and oak plywood.
Finish?: Linseed oil--that poplar and oak will look marvelous
Pretty?: Ah now that is a trick. I wonder what I can do with a rotary saw or jig saw......
Now my engineering efforts in the past have been referred to as "ogre engineering" That is overly heavy, extremely rugged, and brutally functional in appearance.
Past examples:
Big Green Monster: a table that folded into a box that contained the legs and could also hold other stuff. Six foot long and Two foot wide when folded. I built the thing entirely out of 3/4" B/C grade plywood, 2x2 and 2x4s. It was so heavy that it broke handles and I had to cut handholds into it. I sanded it and then painted a lovely green outdoor latex that I had a bunch of. In short I had a table that could support a small car on it, weighed as much as an average adult, and had enough space in it to conceal a body or two. We used it a couple of times, then gave it away to the people we were camping with at the time. As far as I know they haven't used it since because of it's size and weight.
Clothes boxes: Boxes built to take the place of plastic totes in our tent. 4 of them were 3x3x1.5 feet. Built out of 3/4" plyboard (beginning to see a theme?) They worked and really took the abuse: but--once again very heavy and not that efficient. Gave a couple of these to our current camp mates. We'll see what happens.
Pavillion Center pole: The plans said a 2x2 would work for our 14 foot tall 20 foot diameter round. I said: "Naw." my solution: take 2 2x4 out of poplar. Glue them together with Gorilla Glue (the grains bending into each other) and then shave that down to a true roughly 3x3.
My wife can provide other examples that can be found through out the house. Shelves that can support up to 3x the weight that will ever be put on them. Etc.
Anyway now these chairs. The biggest thing my wife said was: I want them sturdy and at least easy on the eyes to look at.
Sturdy? All together now: 3/4" poplar and oak plywood.
Finish?: Linseed oil--that poplar and oak will look marvelous
Pretty?: Ah now that is a trick. I wonder what I can do with a rotary saw or jig saw......