Santa Fe Opera - 2018

This chair needed to be a replica of an antique piece already purchased. One of the larger challenges was creating ways in which to accurately measure the original in order to make a scale drawing, since there were no square edges. I ended up dropping weighted lines from center sections of the chair to the ground and measuring and marking those to start off a plan view. This allowed me to draw out the side and front view which meant I could pattern the seat and legs. Each of these was done in a cabriole style on the bandsaw to get as close to the original compound shape as possible, then rough carved once assembled. The compound curve of the back needed a 3-section glue up to create the amount of lumber I needed to cut out the pieces which then I cut and then sanded to fit together with dowels. We explored a bent-wood or steaming solution but due to time constraints those options weren’t available. The top detail was laid up and the entire back and detail was drafted to scale by hand and carved with a variety of hand tools, grinders, and dremels.