Mahogany dining chairs

A great commission for a set of dining chairs inspired by the famous chair designed by Hector Guimard

01 – I did a quick prototype because I had only a picture of the chair and no dimensions. I wanted to get a feel for the chair.

02 – From there I did a second prototype working out the joinery, carving details and the back splat which wasn’t on the original chair.

03 – My prototype and the material broken out and ready to go. The commission was for a set of four chairs but I broke out for a fifth chair in basswood to keep in case I ever made the chair again.

04 – I glued up the front assembly first.

05 – While the front assembly was drying I broke out and machined the back legs.

06 – Gluing up the back assembly.

07 – The back assembly stacked neatly against one of the lathes.

08 – Gluing up the front assembly to the front end of the side rails. I decided to keep the chair in two parts for carving and clean up and then assemble fully right at the end.

09 – A first look at the chair with the clamps off.

10 – I attached a plywood spacer at the back of the rails to maintain the distance for the final assembly later on.

11 – Gluing up the stretchers.

12 – Starting in on the secondary shaping and carving.

13 –All the carving flowed from one part to the next.

14 – Starting in on the stretchers.

15 – Shaping the front of the legs.

16 – Cleaning up and starting the carving on the front of the crest rail.

17 – Roughing out the design.

18 – All the backs are clean with the splats in place. I glued up the basswood chair first.

19 – Gluing up the chairs.

20 – The first pair glued up.

21 – All four chairs glued up with the glue blocks in place.

22 – A closer look at the completed chair. I think we caught the spirit of the original.