The Cockatoo Chair

[danmosheim]

I know, I know ... this is a METAL chair and this is a woodworking site. It's actually our latest project, a collaboration between a potential client, my son, and I. The client has had a picture of a similar chair, clipped from a magazine in the (believe it or not) 60's, she informed me last night. My son is the metalworker, and I, by default am the assistant chair designer. The point here is to consider the chair and chair design in general. I have designed a lot of different chairs over the last 30 years, maybe 20 or so, (few profitably), but they're always interesting because of the nature of the process and the thrill you get when they go out the door finished. Our current project is sort of a metal Windsor chair with front legs borrowed from my transitional chairs. Mix and match ... I post below some of the rules I have devised over the years regarding chair design :
#1. It's a sculpture.... it has to look good from all five sides (including the top view)
#2. It should look like a chair that maybe you'd want to sit in... some folks try to ignore this one at their peril ...
#3. You have to be able to build it not once, but probably a bunch of times. KISS (keep it simple stupid) at every opportunity.
#4. Every body is different ... if you can, it's always good to have someone about 6'4 and 250 pounds or so try out your prototype. Even if you can't have that happen, think about it while you're working ...
#5. Take on a project like this for the design and process challenge .... you might not go broke, but you'll likely not be vacationing in Fiji after your next custom chair commission ... There are two posts on my blog with more photos of the process, including the client's original photo
#6. Enjoy the process .... Add your rules to my list ... Thanks ... dan
Sketching in Metal ... http://dorsetcustomfurniture.blogspot.com/search?q=sketching+in+metal
Update on the Cockatoo Chairs ... http://dorsetcustomfurniture.blogspot.com/2009/06/update-on-cockatoo-chairs.html

 

[MikeG.]

I nearly really like this!

Everything from the seat up looks great, taking the elements of a classic design, adding a quirk and a twist.....it looks classy and fun!

If you were to sit on this where is stands, though, it would probably sink 6 inches into the ground! I think the legs need just a little more..........

............more thought, and more steel!

That apart, well done! I love to see variations on a theme, and this looks a thoroughly attractive and professional job.

Mike

 

[danmosheim]

Thanks for your comment Mike ... we do have slices of 1" solid round stock about 3/16ths' thick welded to the bottoms of the legs to keep them from sinking in and I agree that the base could be more interesting. The client apparently has some ideas for the back legs and she will be receiving the prototype chair in Boston on Monday. We spent quite a lot of time getting the seat and back angles and construction details worked out and wanted to get her input after she saw the chair in person before making further modifications .... We're sort of stumped for options too ... The jig for bending the back assembly can be modified but we're also faced with keeping the chairs light enough to move around on the garden patio where they are going .... we'll see what she says ... Thanks again ...dan

 

[maltrout512]

Just a thought with the legs area. Where you have a flat going across the two front legs could you not replace with a round bar curved (arched). Fix on both legs and in the centre of the seat. That would bring the curved theme down onto the legs. This could also be done to the two sides. Looks good though.