Wooden Camp Chair

[chas brookes]

I have seen people sitting around campfires on seats that appear to be made out of two planks.
Having recently acquired a Froe to help me split timber, can anyone point me in the right direction on how to make one of these seats thanks Chas

 

[led]

Try here and don't forget to post the finished seat for us all to admire!

 

[chas brookes]

thanks led top marks just the thing. I will post pics when complete :You_Rock_

 

[Biddlesby]

Any other chair designs? Unless you have a hammock or a stump/log lying around it's something I greatly appreciate in the woods

 

[Silverback]

I clicked on this thread expecting to see Paul O' Grady sitting on something Ray had knocked up

 

[Stew]

Any other chair designs? Unless you have a hammock or a stump/log lying around it's something I greatly appreciate in the woods

Wasn't there something about a chair design demonstrated at one of the Scottish meets - I'll leave it for you to search it out for us.

 

[xairbourne]

I have just printed the instructions out. I will be popping up the Adult learning Centre tomorrow and ask the work shop chaps to knock a couple up.

 

[Stew]

Wasn't there something about a chair design demonstrated at one of the Scottish meets - I'll leave it for you to search it out for us.

I'm too nice to you Harry. (Ok, wanted to know myself!)

2nd pic down

and

http://www.ropeworks.biz/archive/campstool.html

 

[Mungo]

Hello,
I think this is an interesting concept for a 2-plank chair... wondering what the best way would be to construct this, without benefit of power tools out in the bush. I suppose I could just hew out a couple of planks using my Small Forest Axe...

2-Plank Chair

Mungo

 

[Calypso]

Another option for the same basic design is here http://www.scouts.ca/cj07/images/NOV05CampChair.pdf

Don't forget to personalise it!

 

[Ogri the trog]

There's always the trusty tripod. About 3 feet high with a rope woven back-rest between two of the poles - you sit on the floor and lean against the rope or whatever skin there is to hand.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Biddlesby]

I'm too nice to you Harry. (Ok, wanted to know myself!)

2nd pic down

and

http://www.ropeworks.biz/archive/campstool.html

hehe cheers.

Will try out all of those other chair designs!

 

[Squidders]

go nuts with something like this: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16165

 

[gregorach]

That's pretty cool - but I'm sticking with my 3 stick camp stool (the one refered to up thread, which I demo'd at one of the Achray meets). It's quick and easy to make, provided you've got some decent strong cordage and a sharp knife.

 

[Squidders]

Well, I stick to matches or a lighter but I still practice with flint and steel... nothing wrong with adding string to ones bow

 

[chas brookes]

thanks for all the excellent input, I intend to make the plank chair first, and then while I am relaxing in that I can make some cordage for a tripod chair. Then enjoy making one of the tripod designs
Chas

 

[gregorach]

Hmm... you'll need very good cordage for the three-legged stool - the top cord is actually supporting your weight. You might get away with homemade cordage for the binding and tensioning ropes, but for the top you'll need rope if you're making it yourself. I generally use paracord for the binding and the tensioner, and climbers accessory cord for the seat.

 

[swyn]

There were several large scale seats like this made at the Moot in Braziers Park a couple of years ago. They were about 5' tall, good looking and made from some pieces of slabwood that were left for the fire. Talented chap doing the jointing work but with the roughest chainsaw that I had seen for many years!
Swyn.

 

[Mungo]

I guess to my original question - while the Scout design and the beautiful detailed designs look nice, I am interested in how I could make a 2-plank chair with a knife (Mora) and a Small Forest Axe and some time... the Scout design (the downloadable PDF referenced in a post below) shows a couple of blocks that are nailed to keep the flexing of the 2 pieces at a minimum, but I won't have nails. And to carve out the slot... hmmm... of course, getting the planks will be tricky too.

Just wonderin' out loud here.

Mungo

 

[gregorach]

Yeah, that's a pretty good summary of the problems I have with that design. Great if you've got sawn planks, a brace and bit, and a decent set of chisels (and maybe a fretsaw) - or a chainsaw - but a bit tricky with raw logs, an axe, and a knife...

All I can think is that you could split / hew the planks with the axe (and maybe some wedges), provided your timber is straight-grained and splits well (Sweet Chestnut or Cedar would be ideal). I guess you would have to cut the slot out like you were cutting a mortice. Do-able with a knife, but a lot of work in any timber strong enough to be useful.

Of course, you often see driftwood planks on the coast... That would help for starters. But they tend to be a bit narrow and bendy for this sort of thing.

Come to think of it, timber big enough to make a comfortable chair with this method is likely to be pretty hard to come by in Britain. You're going to need planks at least a foot wide, which means carving up a decent-sized tree. Finding a dead but sound tree of the right sort of wood and the right size might be tricky, and even if you do it's a valuable habitat. And surely none of us would consider felling a live tree for such a purpose...

Maybe a nice thing to make in the shed from bought timber, but I don't see it being field-expedient.