Red Oak Loveseat

[NYC Tiny Shop]

This is a toxin-free natural finish on a 104cm couch/ loveseat with no arms - designed around what the customer wanted. She was to add her own cushions which she had brought back from her stint in Afghanistan.  When she saw the final product, she didn't want to cover the wood up with those cushions, so for now, just places them under the seat.
It was made from rough 8/4 red oak which I milled in my tiny shop. I used a track saw, Dewalt 735x planer, HL850, CMS-GE set -OF 1400, CT 26, RS2E, ETS/125, Stickfix, jigsaw, Stanley Sweetheart chisels, Lie Nielsel low angle Jack plane, Stanley #4, Domino XL 700, Domino 500, all Festool sandpapers except 320 grit which I cut for the RS2E, and a Japanese Gyochuko #72 for the miter cuts on the decorative hand-made mouldings.
There are no metal fasteners or supports. It's an all wood construction. I used Titebond III, 100% Pure Tung Oil cut with Citrus Solvent (orange peel), and a beeswax- carnuba- lemon oil solution.  Notice that the boards used for the backrest have grain that imply a desert/ horizon/ mountain/ sunset scene. It is very comfortable to sit on...an enjoyable build.

 

[nclemmons]

Very nice proportions and execution.

The only thing I'm wondering about are the small mitered moldings on the back support.  To my eye, I don't know if they fit the 'heft' of the rest of the piece, and I wonder if you could have left them off and let the uprights flow?

Small nit - overall really nice work.

Thanks for sharing -

neil

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Thanks, Neil. Yes, the mouldings were an after- thought. Interestingly, the piece had looked like an ancient Japapese piece- especially from the back...which unfortunately, I don't have a photo of.  When she came to my place, to see the piece, I had shown her the mouldings unattached. She liked them, so I attached them...I originally thought that they gave it an ancient Egyptian feel...going with the desert scene. They were also a good study on hand making miniature mouldings...a nice challenge.

 

[tiralie]

Really nice, I like the proportions and the finish looks great!
Is the Tung Oil cut with Citrus Solvent (orange peel), and a beeswax- carnuba- lemon oil solution your own invention?
I agree with Neil on the moldings.
Tim

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Thanks, Tim! Yes, these are basically my own solutions through experimentation with different combinations.
...regarding the mouldings...  Yes, it's too late now for this one, but maybe a future piece without the mouldings is calling out. 

 

[Tinker]

This is a toxin-free natural finish on a 104cm couch/ loveseat with no arms - designed around what the customer wanted. She was to add her own cushions which she had brought back from her stint in Afghanistan.  When she saw the final product, she didn't want to cover the wood up with those cushions, so for now, just places them under the seat.
It was made from rough 8/4 red oak which I milled in my tiny shop. I used a track saw, Dewalt 735x planer, HL850, CMS-GE set -OF 1400, CT 26, RS2E, ETS/125, Stickfix, jigsaw, Stanley Sweetheart chisels, Lie Nielsel low angle Jack plane, Stanley #4, Domino XL 700, Domino 500, all Festool sandpapers except 320 grit which I cut for the RS2E, and a Japanese Gyochuko #72 for the miter cuts on the decorative hand-made mouldings.
There are no metal fasteners or supports. It's an all wood construction. I used Titebond III, 100% Pure Tung Oil cut with Citrus Solvent (orange peel), and a beeswax- carnuba- lemon oil solution.  Notice that the boards used for the backrest have grain that imply a desert/ horizon/ mountain/ sunset scene. It is very comfortable to sit on...an enjoyable build.

A great use of wood grain and the explanation to go with it.  They match perfectly. You have a great eye.
I once went to a student art show with my brother. He was studying art @ a uni in Cleveland.  There were dozens of "modern" paintings on the walls, none of which i understood. He and his buddies were ohhing and ahhing all over the place.  Wood grain, I can understand.
Tinker

 

[RKA]

Looks great!  Love the finish!  How has that planer been working out for you?  Is the byrd head installed?

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Looks great!  Love the finish!  How has that planer been working out for you?  Is the byrd head installed?

Thanks, Tinker and RKA!

RKA,
No, the back-ordered Byrd Shelix took so long to come in that I cancelled the order. (I figured that there's no rush because of how well the stock blades performed and the 735x comes with an extra set. I'll use those up first.) I decided to put the funds towards a new Jet benchtop disc sander, which is a great sander.  In the end, I think a better strategy.

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

The Tung Oil solution is basically 2 parts Citrus Solvent to 1 part Tung Oil stirred and strained. The wax was made sort of the same method as how I cook...nothing measured, just feel...next time, I'll try to measure out proportions...note, the wax solution did nothing to enhance the luster that was already created by the hardened 9 coats of tung oil. I probably didn't even need it. It's a lot more work trying to get a toxin-free finish to look like something a General Finishes can do in 3 coats.

 

[RKA]

9 coats...yikes!  [eek]  Came out great!

Good to see that 735 is working out for you.  I've been holding out hope that you would find a decent solution that didn't require large stationary equipment.  Sounds like it will do just fine and for anything it can't do, pony up at the local lumber yard and let them handle it.  Thanks!

 

[SMJoinery]

Nice looking project, great looking finish.
Any chance you have another picture end on profile?
If love to see the shape of those back legs and frame as I have some old hardwood desk tops crying out to be used up and this looks perfect.
Thanks
Scott

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Scott,
 Thanks for the compliment. I was so intense about getting this delivered, that morning, that I didn't get any other photos...I didn't even sit in it until days after the delivery!   [embarassed]

I need to get some profile and rear pics for my portfolio, anyway. It will have to wait until she is back in town. Your query got me to look at the Sketchup drawings...but, the end product had wandered so far from the Sketchup design that they are useless.

The back legs are each one solid piece with all sides being parallel. The bottom of each leg goes out at 6 degrees and the top goes out 12 degrees. (You can see where the turn happens in the photo.) Even though the loveseat didn't need it, I added a support piece connecting the two back legs to the back under-side on the seat. At the point where the seat meets the legs, I notched out the back legs to accept the seat, which is also 8/4 or 44mm thick.  Hope this helps to answer your request.

When I sat on this the other day, I was impressed with how really solid this was...like a rock!