Kids Chair Doucette Wolfe Furniture Makers Handmade furniture Handcrafted furniture NH furniture maker

The finished children’s chairs are now on our portfolio page

Childrens chair by Doucette and Wolfe Furniture makers

March 2010:

Two Inlaid Children’s Chairs

The inspiration for these chairs came when one of our good friends had a baby. In our family, a gift of a child’s chair to welcome a newborn is often given. One is out of cherry, to match the one given to the first child in that family, and the second is of mahogany (will be for sale).

mortising leg Doucette and Wolfe furniture

First, the stock was milled and cut to size. Next the joinery was laid out and cut. All of the joints on these chairs are mortise and tenon. At left Moriah is cutting the mortises into the legs.

Tenons are cut on the rails and stretchers. Sharp chisels are used to clean up the joint after being cut on the table saw.

Below, the chairs are “dry fit”.....many times. This is to make sure that all the joints fit together tightly, before all the parts are scraped and sanded before glue up.

childrens chairs Doucette and Wolfe handcrafted furniture

Lots of scraping, and then sanding on every part.

Below, all the parts ready for assembly. Same parts as a full size chair, just smaller.

childs chair parts Doucette and Wolfe handmade furniture

inlay Doucette and Wolfe custom furniture

Before the chairs are glued up inlay is done. Design of the inlay on the chair was drawn up, and the images were sketched. Swallows and gingko leaves are the patterns chosen for these two chairs. The possibilities are endless, which is the fun part of making these, and what makes them a special personalized gift.

The patterns are photocopied multiple times. Duplicates being glued to the surface of the chair part where the inlay is going, and on to the thin piece of wood that is being inlaid. Curly maple was chosen as the inlaid wood.

kid's chair inlay Doucette and Wolfe furniture makers

using dremel tool Doucette and Wolfe NH Furniture

The shape on the thin inlay piece is cut out using a sharp surgical knife and carving tool, while the shape on the chair is outlined using the sharp knife and excavated using a very small spiral bit on a dremel tool.

Below, scraping the new ginkgo inlay flush with the mahogany.

childrens chair inay Doucette and Wolfe furniture

The swallow inlay complete.

childs chair parts handcrafted furniture

kids chair Doucette and Wolfe furniture NH

Gluing up the different parts, and finally gluing them all together into the chair.

shaping chair seat Doucette and Wolfe custom furniture

Shaping the contour of the seat using a scorp to rough it out. Then using curved scrapers and sandpaper to finish it.

sanding child's chair seat Doucette and Wolfe New England furniture

inlaid child's chair Doucette and Wolfe furniture

Corner blocks are shown being glued in place. These help to keep the chair square, and give something to attach the seat to. Below, the seat is attached. Ready for finish.

A few coats of an oil varnish is applied. No stain or coloring was used on these chairs, so what you see is the natural beauty of the wood. After the last coat has cured the surface is rubbed down to achieve the desired sheen.