Cherry Couch

[keefer]

Hello Everyone,

I've been lurking here for several months now reading all your posts, but never getting around to actually posting myself. So I just finished a project last weekend, and figured what better time to introduce myself and offer you a few pics of my project....

So first, a quick introduction:

My name is Keith and I've been a Festoolaholic now for about 4-5 years. It all started with a little taste of an ETS125 and then BAM, I was hooked. Got quite an addiction, er I mean a collection now....

I've been woodworking as a serious hobby for about 15 years--mostly just furniture for my home and the occasional piece for friends and family. The stuff for me is *mostly* craftsman-style pieces in QSWO and Cherry although some of my more functional items can probably best be described as style-less....  ;D

I live about 30 miles west of Chicago in a town called Naperville with my wife Heather and our two dogs (Pugs) and spend my non-woodworking time (read Job) as an IT manager for Navistar (parent company of International Truck and Engine, which is what became of International Harvester after they left the agriculture business back in the '80's).

And now the project: For the last couple of months I've been working on what I pretentiously (and probably incorrectly) call a Prairie Settee--an idea I got from a photo of a Stickley piece in one of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes. The original was in QSWO, but I chose cherry since that would work better in the room where I was planning to put the piece. All of the panels I veneered with either figured or qtr sawn cherry and the arm and back rests were some boards i found with some pronounced curl. The rest is mostly a mix of 4/4 and 6/4 flat sawn cherry. For the finish I started with several coats of golden and then garnet shellac and then shot a couple of coats of lacquer. Finished off with 0000, wax and a good power buffing (RO150 at its best) on all the parts where one might touch. I also did all the upholstery, which was the first time I'd done anything of that scale before. Right now I'm just basking in the glow of a finished project and an ecstatic wife....

So its not the most amazing piece out there, but it sure felt good to finish.  Let me know what you think, and please be kind to the newbie. 

 

[sw1211]

Welcome and Great looking couch, now for the complaint, where are the progress/build pictures.    Very nice work, how many hours did it take you to complete?

 

[Frank Pellow]

Welcome Keith and thanks for the description and pictures of your project.  You certainly have the right to basking in the glow of this particular  finished project and I know that, if I had built something similar, I too would have an an ecstatic wife

 

[RogerF]

Hi Kieth,
Welcome. I'm new around here myself. You have made something as beautiful as it is timeless.
I live in a 1910 California craftsman bungalow and have built most of the  new cabinetry in Cherry. I much prefer it to oak and think your choice suits the Stickley design well.
Any primers on upholstery in the future would be appreciated.
Roger

 

[Dan Clermont]

Wow Keith!!!

Nice Work and welcome to the forum

Dan Clermont

 

[Neill]

Keith -

Do not sell yourself short.  This a beautiful piece of furniture that I am sure anyone would be proud to have in their homes and even more so if they built it from the design on up as you did.

I just finished a coffee table in solid cherry.  I finshed it with a clear Danish Oil, rubbed out garnet shellac, and a dark brown wax.  My first experience with cherry and I am pretty happy with it.  Until now, my woodworking did not deserve more than poplar.

Good luck with your future projects and I hope we get to see them.

Neill

 

[nickao]

The back looks better than 90% of the store bought couches I have seen.

Nickao

 

[keefer]

Thanks everyone for the comments!!  ;D

Steve-CO, I'm not sure exactly how many hours, but I'd guess maybe 80-120?  I'm not always the speediest guy in the world.  As far as progress pictures--I do have a few, but it didn't actually occur to me to document the process until I was about 75% done.

Roger, as far as the upholstery, I did fabric stretched around a frame as opposed to separate cushions which is *much* easier than sewing.  I actually can sew and have done a few cushions (Morris chair and some for my patio furniture) but didn't relish doing it on this scale.  So for the seat, I started with a single frame the size of the cushion made out of 3/4" thick by 2" wide white oak.  I then stretched strips of 2" rubberized elastic webbing in a basket weave across both directions of the frame with 3" between each strip to make a spring bed for the cushion.  The webbing comes in a 100' roll, so you just cut off strips the length you want, then you press mounting clips onto each end.  To attach them to the frame I cut a dado 1/8" wide (blade kerf) and 1/4" deep along all four side of the frame which will receive the mounting clip.  Ok, I'm not explaining this very well, so I will try to take some pictures and post again later. 

Once the frame was done, I added a piece of 6" thick high density foam and then three layers of 1" batting.  This makes for a fairly firm seat.  I then took my upholstery fabric, cut it to size and lined up the pattern so it was even and running parallel to the frame and then carefully turned the whole thing over so the bottom of the frame was facing up.  I then started attaching the fabric to the bottom of the frame by first stapling along the front rail, stopping about 8" from each end.  With the fabric now secure on the front, I started stretching the fabric at the back of the cushion until it is taught (basically pull as hard as you can) and then staple it to the underside of the back rail.  I started stapling in the center and worked toward either end, putting in a few staples then looking to see everything is straight and consistent, then repeating until done.  If something doesn't look right you pull out the staples and start over.  All that pulling on the fabric is a real forearm workout--believe me!  If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten a helper to either pull or operate the gun--doing both by myself was an essay in frustration.  Once the front and back are done you repeat with the side, once again leaving 8" or so on each end.  When that's done you have to do the corners.  This requires trimming away most of the excess fabric and then tucking the remaining back towards the center until you get a crease which looks good.  To be honest its almost impossible to explain, but actually pretty simple to do--you just play around with it until you get something you like, then you cut off the excess material and start stapling.  The back and end cushions are basically the same process, except even simpler because you just use a piece of 1/2 ply for the backing instead of the frame and webbing.  The one difference with the back cushions is since you want them to be triangular shaped you have to start with 3" foam and build the cushion in four layers.  To cut the foam, I just used my bandsaw--cuts like butter.  The first layer is eight inches wide, the second 6, third 4 and the top 2.  I then tilted the table on my bandsaw to the angle I needed and cut the bevel on the edge of each piece so that when they are stacked the edges all line up.  So if you look at the stack on end it forms a right triangle with the hypotenuse being the bevels (this will be the surface your back rests against when sitting on the couch).

Looking back over my explanation, I'm not sure it makes sense.  If anyone would like further details just let me know.

 

[RogerF]

Thanks for taking the time to explain the upholstery process. I read and comprehend most of it. If you do it again, take some pictures.

 

[robtonya]

Great job, I love the cherry, and the color of fabric you used. I'd be proud to set my butt in that couch!!!! ;D

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Keefer,

Thanks for sharing your excellent project.  Cherry is my favorite wood, too, but most of my house is has flooring and trim in red oak, and some trim and doors in ?Phillipine? mahogany.  I, too, am much interested in how to do some basic upholstery.  How did you fasten those back and side panels in place once you have made them?

Dave R.