https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/project-cloud-lift-dining-table/
Woodworkers often hesitate to build chairs, either because the construction is complicated or they’re concerned the final product won’t be comfortable to sit on. But let me assure you, this chair’s straightforward design isn’t hard to build if you have moderate woodworking experience, and its Beadlock floating tenon joinery couldn’t be simpler to master. The tilted backrest, curved back rails and amply padded seat make this chair easy on your backside, too.
If you liked the look of our “Cloud Lift Table” project in the June issue (see facing page), you’re in luck: these chairs are designed to complement it. I built this pair from rift- and quartersawn white oak and used the same finishing process as that table. While I prepared my own MDF templates for making the angled and curved parts, Rockler soon will offer a cardboard template kit that will include all the patterns you’ll need to trace your workpieces or form rigid templates for easier part duplication. So if you’re ready for an involved but fun build, round up some 5/4 and 8/4 white oak, and let’s build some chairs!
Starting with the Legs
Glue up 2"-thick blanks for the front and back legs from 5/4 stock planed to 1". A blank measuring 6" x 46" will yield both a front leg and a back leg. Once the blanks come out of the clamps, flatten their edges on a jointer or with a plane.
Use Rockler’s cardboard templates to trace the front and back leg profiles on the blanks. Or create your own template by enlarging the gridded drawing on page 29. When drawing the back leg shapes, position the template so the front edge of the lower portion of the leg is flush with the blank’s edge. This way, the upper angled portion of the legs runs diagonally across the blank.
At the band saw, cut the four legs to rough shape, sawing about 1/16" outside your layout lines.
Use your back leg template again to form a rigid template from a piece of scrap plywood or MDF that’s at least ¼" thick. We’ll use this rigid template for routing. Carefully cut the template out, following the layout lines. Sand the template’s edges smooth and flat.
Adhere the back leg template to one of the leg blanks with double-sided tape so the rough-cut edges of the blank extend beyond the edges of the template. Install a long pattern bit (bearing on the shank) in your router table — I used Rockler’s Double Bearing Flush Trim Bit (item 27867) with the end bearing removed. Adjust
