Kiddies chair and table - birthday present

[dlowry_uk]

I made this for the 2-yr old son of friends. I'd already made something similar for my daughter of the same age, so took the dimensions from that. First project to go out of the family, so I'm a bit nervous.

Friends want to paint it themselves, so I primed with 2 coats of Rustins clear MDF primer, denibbing between coats, and sanding the fluffy edges smooth after the first - reasonably happy with the results.

18mm MDF, all edges rounded over, and everything biscuit-jointed. I didn't have long enough cramps for the table width, so used pocket-holes to cramp the end-piece joints - they're fully biscuited and glued, I don't rely on the pocket-screws to hold it together. Only regret is the visible pocket-holes on the back, but that should be against a wall anyway.

Drew

 

[Paul Chapman]

That's very nice, Drew. I'm sure the little lad will love it.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Philly]

Excellent, Drew!
That has to go down a storm!
Philly

 

[dlowry_uk]

Just realized - this should really have gone in the Projects Forum - sorry Mods! Feel free to move the thread.

Paul and Philly - thanks for the kind words.

D.

 

[Woody Alan]

Dlowry

I think it looks very child friendly all those soft rounded curves and edges to everything, and stability. They can't fail to be pleased. I imagine hours of scribbling to be had on that desk...hopefully with a piece of paper between but...well I had two, and was one once, history repeats itself

Alan

 

[dlowry_uk]

Alan,
My daughter has had her identical chair for over a year now, and it certainly seems bombproof. The slot handle was added as an afterthought on that first version, when I discovered how awkward it was to lift without it. Similarly, the cutouts in the table sides allow easy lifting as well as reducing the weight - learning as I go...

Her table was a cut-down potting-bench from Homebase, so this table is a first for me. The top is braced front and back, even though its 18mm MDF (if my little angel is anything to go by, it'll be climbed and jumped on as well as written on!).

Agreed it'll see heavy use. My wife put a lot of effort into decorating our lasses tabletop with hand-painted motifs - all but obliterated now! Great to see stuff we made being used enthusiastically though.

Drew

 

[DaveL]

Thats a cracking job.
I love making stuff for kids, they use it to it's full potential and some and are not slow in saying what the think able things. :shock:

My granddaughter asked me to make her little brother a chair like hers to stop him sitting on her one. :roll:

 

[Chris Knight]

Drew,
That's a great set for a child, I am sure it will be well used.

I guess you may have seen that you can get shaped pieces of dowel especially to insert in pocket holes? These are available about three different varieties of wood so none will necessarily match MDF of course.

 

[woodbloke]

Drew - nice table and chair for a little 'un - Rob

 

[PaulO]

I made this for the 2-yr old son of friends. I'd already made something similar for my daughter of the same age, so took the dimensions from that.

I'd be interested in the dimensions, as I might build something similar for my 2 year old.

Thanks

 

[Paul.J]

Nice job their Drew.
Someones gonna be happy.
Well done
Paul.J.

 

[dlowry_uk]

Ok, I've had a couple of requests privately for plans/dimensions and one on the open forum, so I'll just post the basic dimensions here. The "plans" are scale pencil drawings on graph paper - I have Google Sketchup but haven't taken time to familiarize myself with it yet (and yes, I am a software engineer by profession!).

!!DISCLAIMER!!
The dimensions were determined empirically using my daughter as a template - she loved the game of sitting on various size boxes while daddy measured things! She was 18mths at the time, but tall for her age (mummy's a 6-footer), so I reckon they'll be ok for the average 2-yr old and should be OK for at least a couple of years.

All dimensions in mm

Chair
====

seat height: 220
seat width: 200
seat depth: 220
backrest height (from seat top): 280
armrest height (from seat top): 80
back rake angle (from vertical): 7.6 deg (well, tan(2/15) from my graph drawing)
back legs raked to hit the ground 80mm behind the bottom of the backrest for stability

Table
====

top: 420H x 750W x 550D

Cheers
Drew