Plank Chair
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http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/ Home Sign Up! Browse Community Submit All Art Craft Food Games Green Home Kids Life Music Offbeat Outdoors Pets Photo Ride Science Tech Plank Chair by jesse.hensel on August 16, 2006 Table of Contents Plank Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Intro: Plank Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Step 1: Get a large plank of wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Step 2: Cut the plank in two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Step 3: Make the back leg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Step 4: Cut a hole in the second plank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Step 5: Try it out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Step 6: Fine tune the angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Step 7: Fine tune part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Step 8: Finish & Relax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
description
A surprisingly comfortable chair from 2 planks.
Transcript of Plank Chair
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
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Plank Chairby jesse.hensel on August 16, 2006
Table of Contents
Plank Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intro: Plank Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 1: Get a large plank of wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Step 2: Cut the plank in two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 3: Make the back leg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 4: Cut a hole in the second plank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Step 5: Try it out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Step 6: Fine tune the angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 7: Fine tune part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Step 8: Finish & Relax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Author:jesse.hensel author's websitePerhaps I am the heretical harbinger of the New Archaic, perhaps I just like wood.
Intro: Plank ChairA simple and satisfying chair made from one plank of wood.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 1: Get a large plank of woodThe piece of wood that I used for this chair was 7 feet long, 11 inches wide and 1 3/4 inches thick. I originally used driftwood planks to make these chairs because theylook nice and are free. If you choose to use found wood be careful that it has not been pressure treated.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 2: Cut the plank in twoCut the plank into two pieces. For this chair I made one piece 40 inches long and the other 51. The dimensions can be varied to fit your preferences.
Step 3: Make the back legCut two inches of wood off of the sides of the board starting 15 inches from one end of the plank.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 4: Cut a hole in the second plankPlace the tapered end of the first board 15 1/2 inches from the bottom of the second board and trace around the edge. Remove enough wood to slide the first boardthrough the hole in the second at an angle.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 5: Try it outFit the two pieces together and try it out. If you are not satisfied with something here is your chance to fix it.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 6: Fine tune the anglesThe planks will not intersect at right angles, so some wood will need to be trimmed. This picture shows the marking process for this step.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 7: Fine tune part 2Use a saw to redefine the angles.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
Step 8: Finish & RelaxI wanted to remove the glitter on the boards so I resurfaced the plank with a chisel. However the only necessary step here is to relax in your new chair.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 84 comments
malsonc says: Mar 3, 2011. 2:14 PM REPLYWhen I first joined Instructables I saw this chair. I had to make one for myself. Of course being in Texas I had to do something to make it different. Here ismy first attempt at your chair.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
wobbler says: Sep 3, 2010. 1:42 AM REPLYGreat design and instructible. Any good angle to use? What's the most comfortable?
Sgt.Waffles says: Nov 4, 2006. 6:57 PM REPLYI believe the vikings also made this kind of chair. I saw it on a norse wood working site. Because you have a seemingly large workshop, it would be cool ifyou routed the edges, and carved an intricate desigh into it. you also might think about staining it as well. Nice Instructable!! +
EmmettO says: Jul 9, 2010. 4:31 AM REPLYI know this is an old comment but I thought I'd throw in some pictures of stargazers I've done.
rmullins says: Jul 5, 2007. 2:40 PM REPLYAWESOME! A Norse Woodworking site???? Post the link?
peytonjr says: Oct 2, 2008. 5:11 PM REPLYThis is a great place for plans, etc., and has some improvements for the chair in the Mark II and III versions
rmullins says: Oct 2, 2008. 7:35 PM REPLYummmmm the link?
peytonjr says: Oct 2, 2008. 8:46 PM REPLYlol sorryhttp://tech.cls.utk.edu/wood/projects/bogchair/bogchairplans.htm
Very Keri says: Jun 8, 2007. 10:51 PM REPLYI agree! I like the sleek, modern design, but it could appeal to a wider variety of people if you add carvings and stain and seal it to keep off the splinters.I'll bet you can sell a ton of those if you don't already.
jesse.hensel says: Jul 6, 2007. 2:37 AM REPLYI may add carvings to my next chair (expect plank chair 2.0 shortly) but I no longer believe in staining wood. If the chair is kept reasonably dry it willlast a very long time, I dislike the toxins in varnishes and stains (cabinetmakers have a high incidence of nasal cancer), and I like the look of wornwood. Additionally, staining will not guarantee that you wont get splinters.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
a918bmxr says: Apr 15, 2010. 3:26 PM REPLYanother way of staining the wood without using actual wood stain or varnish is using motor oil...i did this to my chair (after sanding it) and it looks amazing!and no splinters so fard[-_-]b
Loveofchaos says: Jul 11, 2007. 12:45 PM REPLYadditionally to your additionally i agree with the stain-splinter thingy. I believe a nice sanding would help with the splinter problem immensely.
Loveofchaos says: Jul 11, 2007. 12:43 PM REPLYcabinet makers have high nasal cancer incidence. im sorry my friend, my dad is a cabinet maker and as long as you wear a respirator whilestaining or while your in the stain booth my dad (or me for that matter) have never had any nasal problems. if your going in the booth just for ashort while i usually hold my breath. Good instructable +
Master Plastik says: Mar 20, 2009. 8:15 AM REPLYI think the point he meant to make wasn't that stainers get nose cancer, but that wood stain is a dangerous, toxic chemical and that by notbuying it he is not contributing to the creation of something that will eventually be a deadly waste product.
Foaly7 says: Jun 28, 2010. 1:36 PM REPLYI used to have one of these that I made at boyscout camp. Then, three or four years later I tried sitting in it again and it broke and has been in my garageever since.
ERCCRE123 says: Apr 10, 2009. 6:53 PM REPLYwhat's bad about being pressure treated?
mrthumbtack says: Apr 10, 2009. 7:48 PM REPLYpressure treated wood is made by infusing wood with an arsenic compound...they recommend not even touching it with your bare hands:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/remodeling/question278.htm
Charlie Horse says: Sep 10, 2009. 6:08 AM REPLYThat is myth thats been around for years . if it was that dangerous it wouldn't be sold to the public .
slaitch says: Mar 19, 2010. 4:47 PM REPLY Please, please, please tell me this was sarcastic.
RCS82 says: May 4, 2010. 5:32 AM REPLY These days, at least in Canada, PT wood is made with a copper compound rather than the old arsenic compound. This has been around fora while as this was the case when I started working for a building supply store back in 2004.
shnixter says: Feb 1, 2010. 10:35 AM REPLYhow do you cut the hole so neatly?
Tgauchsin says: Jan 6, 2010. 1:48 PM REPLYWe used to make these for scout outings! I love them, comfortable!!! Definately heavy enough to only be for campsite camping not backpacking! I am anEMT and after seeing this instructable, made one while on a 24 hour shift! Only really took about 40 minutes...
Hawkeye Lyles says: Nov 5, 2009. 5:42 PM REPLYThats an awesome chair! My friends and I made one in shop class today.
gtech says: Sep 13, 2009. 7:33 AM REPLYI found your instructable while searching for dimensions for this kind of plank chair,
So, that made me notice something... how do you get 40" and 51" board from a 7' length of piece of wood? ;-)
7' = 84" and 40"+51"=91"
Good job though.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
gtech says: Sep 13, 2009. 11:39 AM REPLYOops, I just noticed that it has been mentioned in another post... sorry... I also noticed the link for the Bogchairs ... cool... more measurements ;-) I justlove these chairs.
maharg20 says: Oct 15, 2008. 12:54 PM REPLYIS IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS W/ A BASIC HANDSAW? PLEASE REPLY.
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jesse.hensel says: Apr 9, 2009. 9:44 AM REPLYIt is possible to make the exterior cuts with a basic handsaw. The hole would be difficult (but not entirely impossible) to make without drilling starter holes.
4daHALIBUT says: Jul 17, 2008. 9:00 AM REPLYi made it, i varnished it, i love it. Its so simple and so comfy, good job
inca says: Jun 8, 2008. 4:27 AM REPLYSo, if don't use treadted wood but if you paint it using outoor wood paint..will this work? also what kind of wood do you guys recommend for this?
andes says: Jun 1, 2008. 8:35 PM REPLYThis is a great chair. But can someone tell me what the cut are on the ends? Thanks
Lil Bastard says: Aug 22, 2006. 2:07 PM REPLYOk you granola-eating hippies. Chill out. Pressure treated wood is still available. When it went on the EPA's blacklist, wood producers wisely ramped upproduction and, though the supply is almost gone, it is still occasionally available at the less tree-hugging lumber yards, though getting harder to find.Although arsenic is a Very Bad Thing(tm), the health hazard is primarily to infants and small children and it's an issue as to how much contact they have withthe material. For a child's playset, pressure-treated wood would be stupid. For a picnic table with small children around, it probably wouldn't be the best idea.But for adult-used furniture, made by an occasional builder, *especially for items that only see occasional use*, it seems to make a lot of sense. Granted, Iwouldn't make dinner plates out of the stuff, but if you're only going to be using it for 10-80 hours a year and you aren't licking it, sitting naked on it, orsticking the lumber into your more intimate orifices, then I really don't think it's a big deal.
karisfa says: May 30, 2008. 12:54 PM REPLYwow, thanks for the lecture. actually, lumber companies are still making "pressure treated" wood, just not with the arsenic. The new chemicals they'retreating it with will cause most nails to corrode quicker, so now we get to pay extra for the right fasteners.
smokehill says: Nov 13, 2007. 8:42 PM REPLYRight -- the EPA is a perfect example of a government entity that once had a real mission, and an important one. As years went by, however, a naturalprogression would have been for its bureaucracy to get smaller as the longstanding dangers -- especially the worst ones -- were weeded out. TheConsumer Product Safety Commission is another egregious example. However, as any of us who have worked in Big Government know all too well,Mission Number One has nothing to do with the published mission statement. Maintaining and growing the bureaucracy is Job One, and everythingfollows from that. You won't get promoted or get a raise by conquering some Evil Thing -- that only happens if you identify another one and convinceeveryone that danger lurks everywhere. Which is why the Endangered Species list at first included eagles and Kodiak bears, but now has sunk toprotecting microscopic, irrelevant insects, bait fish and local fungus. EPA never managed to show that deck-builders or even people at pressure-treatingfacilities had a higher cancer rate, but they rammed through their silliness anyhow, based largely on the theory that some kids might chew on the deckboards. If your kids are that poorly supervised .... well, perhaps it's Darwin at work and that bloodline should be shortened.
campa44 says: Oct 7, 2006. 11:46 AM REPLYbut I like to sit naked on my chairs...
awkrin says: May 30, 2008. 11:57 AM REPLYwhat weight does that chair stand?
cook$ says: May 30, 2008. 10:36 AM REPLYNice idea! After a bit of thought, I made my own, but I just cut a notch into each piece of wood and slotted them together.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
keefurxxcore says: Mar 4, 2008. 5:13 PM REPLYMe and a friend are making this in Tech class. We are almost done. Friday I should have pics of ours. We used pine though.
GorillazMiko says: Jan 3, 2008. 7:43 PM REPLYOkay, great Instructable, but two things. -Can't you get splinters? (I hate those) -Won't it break? Pieces of wood like this don't look quite strong to me. Well,it's pretty strong, but not as strong to hold something heavy.
dannydutton says: Mar 4, 2008. 4:15 PM REPLYAs long as it is sealed and sanded well, there won't be many splinters. You would be suprised how strong a lot of wood is. If oak is used, the chair will bepretty strong. But if el cheapo stuff is used, you can risk it breaking.
Nathang400 says: Nov 2, 2007. 4:37 PM REPLYI made one of these at cub scout summer camp a few years back, they are great!
Gunk on Floor says: Oct 10, 2007. 4:13 PM REPLYsweet, this is just what I need. I'm in the SCA which translates to, we dress in our homemade medival armor and hit each other with sticks on the weekend.I'd like to have a more period chair out at events, and this is just the thing. Terrific instructable!
Blackharp says: Jun 20, 2007. 8:03 PM REPLYJesse! Awesome directions man. I learned this design when i was working Renn. Faires and am currently using it for Mackinaw State Historic Park inMichigan. I was usuing it as a simple design project to show to guests that they could take home and build themselves. Before the park allows me to do this,they want me to find the history of the design. I saw Sgt.Waffles said he thought it was an old norse design, and i also saw rashfreedom thought it may alsobe of an african origin. If someone knew the history i would love to know anything people could honsetly tell me they know are fact.
jesse.hensel says: Jul 6, 2007. 2:30 AM REPLYI think that it is such a simple design that it has been "invented" in more than one place at one time. My original measurements came from a camp chairthat my father stole the measurements form on a camping trip. However, I thought that I had come up with the idea to use just one plank of wood all bymyself. In the past few years I have seen several examples of traditional wood chairs from Africa that use this design, and I have come to the conclusionthat it is such a simple design that it is likely to have been used anywhere that people cut trees into planks. I would suggest consulting an archaeologist isyou want to find the earliest example of this design, but in general I would say it is a standard case of great minds thinking alike, and good ideas travelingfast.
Ribs says: Aug 8, 2007. 6:43 AM REPLYI am from south africa and have quite often seen these kind of chairs in tourist craft markets and stuff but i dont think they are from south africa, mostprobably from central to east africa.
goawayndstay says: Aug 2, 2007. 9:27 PM REPLYthese were also used in the civil war ...as a cheap alternative.
goawayndstay says: Aug 2, 2007. 9:28 PM REPLYthey were used as picket chair because if the guard on picket duty fell asleep he would fall to the floor,thus waking himself up
Remote Man says: Jul 3, 2007. 6:41 AM REPLYEXACTLY the chair i want for my (to be built) megatreehouse. 10/10!! . Btw everybody, would be great to see lots more tree house instructables..
PikesPeak says: May 11, 2007. 7:14 PM REPLYVery clever, simple design. I am sure picture #9 above might be of my fat body lying on top of two pieces of wood : )
convex says: Aug 16, 2006. 10:31 AM REPLYI have a hard time believing that this chair will hold.
volvoman37 says: May 3, 2007. 9:28 PM REPLYi've made a couple of these in the past, they hold up wonderfully. nice woodshop btw :)
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