How did you build your seat frames? I'm leaning towards butting the frame pieces and joining them with dowels and epoxy. My concern is that all the dowel holes will have to be drilled very carefully, I bet it doesn't take much error to twist the frame. I'd like to hear how you did yours, and if you have any tips.
thanks
how did you build your seat frames?
lap joints
I have used lap joints with a 1/4 inch deep lap. The spread/side pieces really don't bear weight, so 1/4 inch laps works fine. I have never had a seat break, even with my 300 lb friend. I built a jig to use a router, but could just as well be done with table saw or radial arm saw with dado set up. The first ones I did(still in use 25 years later) were cut with a big old hand mitre saw that had a depth stop on it and the waste cleared with a good chisel. I had very little machinery back then.
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Hi Sluggo,
I also went with a mortise and tenon joint. I used my table saw to cut the tenon and used a drill press for the mortise. I thought of using a plate joiner (bisquits) but wanted to try my hand at the m & t joint. I would recommend it. You will need a sharp chisel and a drill press (or a steady hand with a hand drill). I have since used the m & t joint in other projects, so I'm glad I took the time to learn how to do it.
Dave
I also went with a mortise and tenon joint. I used my table saw to cut the tenon and used a drill press for the mortise. I thought of using a plate joiner (bisquits) but wanted to try my hand at the m & t joint. I would recommend it. You will need a sharp chisel and a drill press (or a steady hand with a hand drill). I have since used the m & t joint in other projects, so I'm glad I took the time to learn how to do it.
Dave
"If given six hours to chop down a tree, spend the first four sharpening your ax." - Abraham Lincoln
I glued and clamped my trapazoid seats and then drilled through the seat rail and styles and inserted dowels with epoxy. The dowel ends accent the cherry seat rails and it looks quite nice.. I have recently purchased a long awaited bisquit router that i will be using on some other seats for my next build.
Did you use a drill press or hand drill?BradRob wrote:I glued and clamped my trapazoid seats and then drilled through the seat rail and styles and inserted dowels with epoxy. The dowel ends accent the cherry seat rails and it looks quite nice.. I have recently purchased a long awaited bisquit router that i will be using on some other seats for my next build.
thx
- Juneaudave
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For dowel joints, these self centering jigs take out all the error. Here's a link to one from Woodcraft that's very good, but you can find chealper I think...Self-Centering Jig
Sluggo,
I have a clamp on drill guide that i use with my cordless drill. It worked great with 3/8 dowel rod. You could drill through some scrap stock and clamp that on to your seat frame to keep the drill bit straight up and down. My guide centers itself on 3/4 stock nicely and it has 4 different hole diamaters.
I have a clamp on drill guide that i use with my cordless drill. It worked great with 3/8 dowel rod. You could drill through some scrap stock and clamp that on to your seat frame to keep the drill bit straight up and down. My guide centers itself on 3/4 stock nicely and it has 4 different hole diamaters.
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