It's a chair, Jim, but not as we know it....

Making some sawdust now! The legs all have their joints cut and are fitted. I've roughly shaped the front legs and today the rear legs get some work. It actually looks like a chair, now. Well, a really rough looking, primitive excuse for a chair!
The router bit made quick work of finishing off the joints. Funny how the right tool for the job makes for quick progress?
I've also been trying some different finishes out on samples of walnut. BLO certainly looks nice on walnut-maybe a Maloof style 1/3 oil, 1/3 poly, 1/3 tung oil mixture will be worth a try?
As it's Friday I'm looking forward to a long weekend-hoorah!

Excuses, excuses.....

Where has the week gone???
Progress has been a little slower than expected with the chair-front legs have their joints cut and fitted and I'm carving them into shape. Popped into Axminster Tuesday and picked up the router bit I needed to complete the legs. Great shop-well worth a visit if your wallet can stand it!
Been a bit hectic at work this week and also having stress with the "Band"! We are playing at the Dorset Steam Rally nest Friday and we need to get ourselves ready for that.
But good news-yes, it's a bank holiday weekend!!! Yeah!

Boot-iful

Well I’m finally making good progress on the chair. The seat blank has been glued up, squared up and the joint cut for the legs. That’s the “boring” stuff out of the way, time to get shaping next! The rear legs have had their joints cut and I’m starting on the front legs today (hopefully!!) I really love working with this black walnut- a great smell and so workable.
Had a lovely email from Nick at Good Woodworking-a chap had sent him an email saying how he bought the magazine because he saw my cabinet and Krenov on the cover-made me feel all warm inside.....
Went car booting yesterday (prompted by Martins’ annoyingly good finds). Came away with two Stanley braces (one an American made one) and some bits. They work surprisingly well, cutting clean holes with little effort (and even less noise!). Not sure if I’m ready to give up my 18v cordless yet, though.

No Stopping Me-probably.....

The walnut seat blank is now glued up-just needs to be squared up and then work can begin in earnest. Had most of yesterday free to get stuck in but unfortunately all sorts of stuff appeared to put an end to any thoughts of progress. I was not happy........
But today is a new day. I'm off to the workshop-see ya!

Actual Progress and Digital Distress

Finally started breaking down the walnut for the chair yesterday. Never worked black walnut before, a very nice timber. Lovely smoky smell! A real pleasure to hand plane, too.
Had a bit of a move around in the workshop-turned my workbench 90 degrees away from the wall. Don't know if it will work out any more efficient but time will tell.
Took plenty of photo's of me breaking down the walnut. Got into work this morning, put the memory card in the reader and.......nothing. Nada. Not a sausage.
All the photo's had gone. To say I was a bit peeved.......So popped home and took a few more. Bit late once you've cut it all up and glued stuff together, though! Computers, eh?

I say, I say, I spray......

I knew I should of left it well alone.........
One of the members on the Uk Workshop forum asked about spraying emulsion on the walls of his workshop to brighten it up. I had a quick clean about in the 'shop last night and got to thinking-maybe I'll give the walls a quick lick of paint. Before you could say "what about masking off the tools" I was off! Result? Whiter walls but no actual progress on the "maloof chair"........... And isn't cleaning a spray gun a lot of fun..........
So I was kicking myself for not getting anything done yesterday. The Workshop is a little brighter now, though.

Pocket Hole and Hole-In-Pocket

Spent the weekend at my parents house in Wales, so a woodwork-free weekend. Well, apart from the 4 doors I built to finish off the built-ins for the spare room. Can't beat a bit of down-and-dirty woodwork-mdf rails and stiles, ply panels, pocket hole joinery and a coat of paint. Took about a hour start to finish and voila! four doors! I'll post some pictures soon.
Obviously haven't made a start on the walnut. Maybe later-better change the bag on the dust extractor!
Have had my eye on a Stanley 71 for a little while. The money people are willing to spend on them on Ebay is scary, though! Saw one go for £68 the other day-crazy! A couple of antique tool dealers are selling them mint for around £40-whats wrong with people?? So Philly's money making tip-buy a #71 cheap and triple your money on the 'Bay.......
Cheers
Philly

The Chairman

The mock-up of my Sam Maloof chair is finished (well at least enough that I am confident to try the real thing!) It has been an eye opener making these mock-ups. I usually make flat surfaces in my woodworking, in fact most of the tools and techniques I use are expressly for that purpose. But this chair-there are no flat surfaces! All curves, blended into other curves. Of course, you start out with flat bits of timber whic allow you to work out the joinery. But from there its all curves.
Rasps and spokeshave do most of this work (although my Arbortech disc cutter removes a lot of the wood first) I was surprised what a good combo they worked out to be, the rasps removing the waste quickly and the shaves cleaning it up and leaving a smooth surface. It has been a pleasant change and I look forward to setting upon the lovely, knot-free Walnut that is destined for the chair.

Blogging-Philly Style!

Well!
A Blog-is it "cool" or "sad"??
Matters not 'cause here it is! The Philsville Blog, complete with useful, useless and everything in-between stuff fresh from the Philly Workshop.
I promise to try and keep this up to date-honest!
Cheers
Philly