{"id":2357,"date":"2012-09-30T14:48:16","date_gmt":"2012-09-30T04:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lakegnotuk.com.au\/?p=2357"},"modified":"2013-06-11T22:52:08","modified_gmt":"2013-06-11T12:52:08","slug":"windsor-chair-day-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakegnotuk.com.au\/?p=2357","title":{"rendered":"Windsor Chair Day 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

More shaping, more finesse, more detail.<\/p>\n

Each stick had to be made to a certain measurement. Not so much a
\nmillimetre sort of thing, but a made to fit sort of thing. One of the difficulties I have with timber is the degree of precision required. Not so much that a certain measurement is impossible, but that wood is a natural and ‘living’ substance which moves, shrinks and expands as it interacts with the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

It is not difficult to cut a panel on the Altendorf F45 to a millimeter measurement, the issue is really making the bits fit.<\/p>\n

And so abandoning abstract absolute numbers and relying on fit and feel, we begin the laborious but somewhat zen process of fitting, adjusting, fitting, adjusting, fitting, adjusting…<\/p>\n

The concept of the tenons interest me especially. Since we’re using green timber, we can expect a certain amount of shrinkage. The tenons for the fitting of the legs, stretchers and arm bearers are placed in a hot sand bath to shrink them as much as possible. The tenon is then made to fit in the still green mortice.<\/p>\n

As the green timber shrinks, the fitting is naturally tight. Brilliant.<\/p>\n