Easy-to-do torsion-box construction takes away the weight, adds impressive strength, and puts the curve in comfy seats. Ponoine “eee + ateD ATW lal 2 é 2 a 2 30" tieaicoy CeeNote: Other good ‘applica for torsion ‘axes inch shaves. ‘assembly tables and even workbencles (equies an upper plywoad skint east et hick) Tip! Cotte ntchess0 the Yames came apart wth te for aye too tight je could ae assembly problems wooamagnin com ‘Cut srug-fting notches i es: pieces before notching the torsian-Dox ames. Fo! glee resus bask ee wih analy ene sachs yer me age. ny time you want to make a project esr to build and more subl, just use plywood. When incor porated into a torsion-box tesign—a grid ofcrossmembers sandwiched between two ply- ‘wood skins—even 1" phyvood Yildsasuperstrongand dead- 5 fa surface. Thats great fora table, but how do you build a comfortable chair using t? The Soliton: gently curve torsion boxes forthe seat and backrest Here's howto pul ff this su Prsingly simple engineering trick in your shop. First uy the table Start with the ‘torsion-box top Youcan lengthen ornarow this table by a foot or two without changing its basic construction “To ensure a succesful build we used void-ftee Baltic birch ply- wood that has more plies than 'ypleal plywood, Cut the torsion-box frames (A) to size [Matenas Ut, Eloed View) Using a dado set that matches the thickness of the plywood [PhteA, notch the torsion box frames. aroma beotey Cut the torsion-box. skins fat wocberc or (B) 2 wider and longer than listed. On assenby tab. you the insdeface ofthebottom skin, mark "in gor hav ov, work from all edges and glue on two torsion-box on be poe lage frames [Photo tableson EXPLODED VIEW Tip! Fora fat terson bax ‘abetop, ‘un an camp two adacet Names us sce he rang res Ths proves acu and ae stato te anes ges‘Upwltotces roa he acre of re rteap Tones. tg them roxatey pale tea er ar mire othe use tsk box ares Tip! To ako ung wo thetosionorramesas manageable as posse, sea sbw-sttng tu, suchas Teband Extend, anda al aur to and heavy objec the ready ahaa often. Glue on the remaining. frames (A) begin Ining with the notch-up pieces [Exploded iw, hat C). Add the frames with notches facing down [Puoto 0). “Clamp” the glued frames tight to the skin by stacking large heavy objects on top ofthe assembly. [After the glue dries, check the A/B assembly for flat using a straightedge. Remove any high spots witha hand plane. ‘Down with rtehes Vong suc, eve cov te ening fares You nay ned to tapitem srg rattan wel Ue wees, Pe sfx 95361213675 peocer MOF psn tetsen te 4/8 82M} em 6 ruTDET fe ‘iets si os ol aso cone aks to tite weEN Apply a narrow glue bead tall op edges ofthe frames (A) and center the other skin on top of them. Adda platen and heavy “objects [Photo E With the glue dry, saw off most of the skin overhang. ‘Trim the excess using a ‘handheld router and flush-trim bit. Tip! Yo mininze eat when ming ne ean esting donee sil overt. W000 magna 0 206/207Do te taper twostep Marte etaper one 135" sa Tip! ou lan to make tan one tbe, a chars that go mth it ul tabesaw aly fence We the onein PratoDon page 54 to mate quec wort of ining ees tn ‘material ne pe ak Now tackle the legs Eis consists of he pees fa ued together to make a 2¥-square blank. Begin by eutting four Wot boards. Rip each board to yield a 2! piece anda 1-wide piece. Glue the edge of each narrow piece tothe face ofa wide pi {ash atthe ends and one edge. Strive for a good grain match (Photos F and ot We naeme ove was RAGES LAD fr eer le ME, ee RUUD. Mak he Seen oer n Me surane ade ye taper © DSi ur vices of ah o Venton slueand clamp one of these to the inside comer of each leg, flush at he bottom. Mark a taper on one inside face of each -g [Photo H]. Bandsaw along the mark. Then mark another taper on the justsawn face [Pmt I]. Bandsav to the line, sand or hand:-plane flat the bandsawn faces, and rout a ¥" round-over on the inside corner of each leg‘Serban en th pons. Mark each pan(O) or ag it ben as Put it all together EXantetop trim Dey-camp the torsion box within the corer pockets at the top of each leg, Cut the — #10becute aprons (D) 1" longer than 1 listed [Materals List, ploed Wen). Scribe << and cut each apron to. — length (Pot. Mark the position ofeach leg onthe torsion box and which legs each apron goes with. (Cut the top teim (E)2"longe than listed [Draving 1 Scribe the trim to fit [Pot] and miter-cut to finished length, {Cat mating biscuit siots inthe trim and torsion box. Remove the legs and glue Tipt To eep te fra) camp up managesbe, ‘tary gg onan ‘aaron and wees. hen two more aprons, ard aly he ast apron ard tne gs optim Pasi oe Materials key: re ‘Supplies: 0:2, Blade and bits: sat murat ore il fara Table Cutting ANC pons Last ‘Up year acoacy wth marin ele er eon bah eds sche oF on tuvastay sec down he if tm asa ee athe san. the trim to the torsion box, being careful © pull tightly together the mitered corners uring the clamp-up. After the glue dries, round over the trim (2) Diagram Ts project requles BoomrafesvoF attach, ered ends (Cutbscuitslots in theapron ends andleg edges [Exploded View. Set the torsion box upside-down on a bench and give the lps and aprons to the edges ofthe torsion box and the bottom of the trim. ‘Sand all surfacesto 150 gritifyou plan to clear finish the project, and to 220 grit if you will bestaining it. Apply clear top coat. We chose lacquer for its arity: polyure= thane provides tougher wear, but adds amber coloration. 1. board feotof 64 ach, and 215 board tet oF 4 ash 2 "ex AB AB" Balle bch phwood Toxin 00" hah— EXPLODED VIEW 2 pg ng 6h dep witha ohankl, coneednlse Let’s build a chair (or four) Begin with the seat See te fist step of These instructions explain how to build one the table built, andthe chair IF you'te making a set, build them ‘accomperyingtip, for simultaneously to save on setup time. advice on cutting Cean 4 Cut to size the supports (A, B) Matera and wei-sitec Tut, raving 2], and notch them [Oraning 3). roteies Mark the curve on the arched supports using a faring stick, then bandsaw to shape Tip! Save the cating and sand smooth. theta sins} opDry assemble the supports (AB). Mak ty stackeutingtnem athe intersection of the arched supports (A) onto the straight supports (B). Tilt your > Build a simpearing tablesaw blade to. match the angle, and. stickand useitto mark bevel-rip the top of the straight supports as smooth cures. close as possible to the marked curve. Glue woosinagazne.cony andelamp the supports assembly, then trim ‘ving the top edges [Phot A Soot he way Gung own te prod sis nahn Go igh ares wt Dost plane ecoase gt sengapet wocdnagaine om =totte 4-Careen, {Get xt the lamp. Yu ee 20 caps tu ca Ye SADE ERSA ‘Star om tele Cag dane upper sn Use ea Ont carers nn Then aed eae a aru the assonbhy a on re ln ski. "Win the exces skin For azure cats, cpa fanlny fece nih a tarda your tables face, {Cut the skins (C, D) 1" Tonger and wider than listed, Glue and clamp the A/B assembly, centered, on the lower skin [Photo 8], Then, glue on the upper skin [Pets ¢) After the glue dries, arm the skins flush with the ends of the assembly het). EXcuan sear ASSEMBLY our over te seat ees Fr best sits se 3 "eg pans eet oie ase ze veal ss possible: ca psig forare,tut ot occur, Gut the seat trim (E) 1" longer and 9° ‘wider than listed, Stand the set assembly fon the seat trim and scribe the curve Bandsaw jut outside the line, then glve the trim to the seat assembly [Drawing 2). After the glue dries, use a flush-trim bit at the EXpanrs views Tin te tn Using sens ape, see 3 nee tone end fh seat sserby beter Ms-uting he sesttrments router table to blend the trim flush with the skin faces. ‘Round over the seat-trim (E) edges [Photo }E. Then cut the trim flush with the ends ofthe seat assembly [Phat F rounders Arcieoewronts Tein for ® mer apport th on ye Te LE =e) 158 STRAGHT SUPPORTS W000 magna 0 206/207‘Stak and otc. Te out a rer nrzenl suppers H stare noth 285 an Iceators. Cano yan tayo preven wares creo. wooamagnin com ‘The fnuanas gt cuves, toa Use he sare poess 0 rand eaves on Pe horace supa, He ene wn ho etl upp Mark the euve cn oe eres! suppor eta caret shine, nus tas ‘eater the cue nthe ae ers spas Te ou set she Next up, the back Cut the supports(F,G, H)tosize[Matrls Ust, raving 4). Cut the notches as done before [Drawing 8). You can stack-cut the G and H suppors [Phot 6]. Dry-assemble the back supports and mark and cut the curves on the vertical supports (F) [Daving 4, Pot]. Reassemble and mark and cut the curve in the horizon tal supports (GH) [pot Save the ofeuts. Hierok assemur‘Assemble the tack spprs othe ote nas cus om theft spas as Though the ‘ersionbox support frames ofthe table and eat bottom do nat require wintoreement, the stresses created by the compound curves ofthe sat back demand dows at outside jolts. ‘aul en cme gud signs. Glue and clamp the back support assem bly (E-HD [Photo J]. After the glue dries, reinforce the outside joints with dowels [Oring 4). Then, sand the back and front Jingo a continuous curving plane using ‘60-git abrasive and a 2x4 block [Photo Ax. he orate kins 1” longer and vider than listed. Glue on the back skin frst, then the Font (Patt EXpack sueporrs esmooth Hard seg giesyou the nastcria, ut et be aa toknack own tanh spss wth aponor sane yovreeperences tus ce Pret skin damage. Tro or sn equi as af daring rescue co pase eps of "pose topo scp mu fre asec. 17C3 é . Rocking Hough Uw et Gey took ecanos bak assert asyou cate Tee ‘ough ve san treme excess sn ‘Grosset the end ofthe seatback nh ceri: ages wh the cer "mas ape then eof hectares eae, ee A ‘After the glue dries completly, trim Mush the overhanging skin atthe top and bottom (but not the sides) atthe tablesav. Youcan' use arunnerasdone withthe seat, so sand down the high spots on the skin edges to get those parallel tothe top or bot- ‘tom then rip away the exces [Phot "To make the back trim (J) trace the top and bottom edge of the back assembly conto a 1¥"-thick board that’s as long as the skins, Bandsave the trim, staying just outside the marked lines Glue and clamp the trim to the top and bottom edges. At the router table, rout the front and back faces of the Tipt The besing onthe trim flush with the skins. The bit won't trim. round over btmey eave perfectly flush because of the compound anindertaten inthe tin shape of the seatback, but that’sokay—you'll because of hein’ fix that in Step 8. camound shape. Pase “J Build a trimming fig [Photon] and use to thenood fers backep J flush-cutthe ends ofthe seat bac [Pte 0) tyutergntsverag QRound ver the font ees ofthe Pa, raving. Finish flashtrimming wooamagnin com Cel ae eee) ements 6" tek ada igor rng te set tock ends Navathe cur one wo pece supers using farng stk ogused eae tote canectneerervrealsuppos (F- oun aver we g. Sound ves Une back im Defre oe e rt he sn A Starg ph lads conel tots psy stun. Toke ie cnetoef stock emoral srg = potosteveto big he back Vash wth ‘tafe sr Werk ote ene oar eer the trim with a spokeshave and sandpaper [Photo Q]. Then round over the front edges again,Give it some legs to stand on ‘Cut the legs (K, L) from oversized blanks, then bandsaw and sand them to shape [Leg Gridded Pattems|, ‘Transfer the hole locations to the ouskes ofthe les. Cat the sside rails (M) [Materia List) Attach the side rails (M othe legs with gine and pocket-hole screws to. make tmrrored assemblies [ldo Wo (Clamp. the seat between the leg assemblies, then dill counterbored holes ‘vee marked on the outsides ofthe legs Serew on the seat and check the fit ofthe ‘back [Photo R]. Til he counterbores with matching plugs and trim them flush aftr the glue dries. Onthe top comer ofthe front and back gs feand sand round-oves that Blend wih the curves ofthe seat and back, Ease any sharp ‘gen wth 180 grit sandpaper. Set the chait ‘ona flat surface such asa tablesw top. the chair teeters, saw or sand material from the fend of theleg thats oolong Sand the entire chair to 220 grit, Be careful not to sand through the plywood Veneer, When choosing a finish, be aware thar oil-based varnishes and polyurethanes will yellow the light-colored wood. We applied lacquer forts cai. # ‘eck bck ef Tet ne, timto sae reatan vin ene Tse tron on asa see eck esa i a Chair Cutting Diagram Materials List-Chair Part a a Seat A wehedsippons 11TH 1B stapisippns we 18H OF keratin We 15H ATH >|8/8|8|8 eee cecememmemnnmncin Se ae ime on nt all, Laas HH eeortal ye aut Te oe 1 fomtegs aw 1A 2 <= ‘reciente rato SS) xxcrmaessstnmtonot tates uti = rr A . Se caumnanne = 000 magna oo 201/207Download the patterns Tor this project. woodmagazine.com/244patterns oe ay + ye Onesquae=1 Onesie nage 00% orfullse patton nang dO forte pater FRONTLEG GRIDDED PATTERN BACK LEG GRIDDED PATTERN wooamagnin com =