Roorkhee Chair

[MauleSkinner]

I decided to build a Roorkhee chair as a hand tool only project. I had some nice straight-grained spruce, lightweight and strong, that I’m using. It’ll dent easier than harder woods, but “patina” won’t be bad.


1 3/4” square stock, drilled for stretchers and back supports. The bottom part of the legs are tapered to an octagon at the foot using a drawknife and smoothed with the plane. A couple of swipes down the arrises to break them just a bit.

For the octagonal sections toward the top, I sawed the transitions and then used the Spokeshave and push knife to remove the stock. You can see in the photo I got a little too aggressive on the one corner and crossed my line, but if I don’t tell you, you might not see it.


Of course, accidentally posting the picture twice makes it more likely that you’ll notice…

[Scoony]

Nice. One of my bucket list items. I did make a camp chair, but still need to get the leather for the seat.

[Matt Swiderski]

This is on my list to make as well. Where did you get the leather from? Are you going to cut it, or did you get a already assembled leather package from Texas Heritage?

Matt

[MauleSkinner]

For now I’m going to use canvas, as I’ve got enough of that around. If it really works well, I’ll spring for the leather.

[MauleSkinner]

Got the back braces made and the stretchers planed roughly octagonal. Next is tapering the holes for the stretchers, then tapering the stretcher ends and cutting them to length.

[Mike Brady]

Got the back braces made and the stretchers planed roughly octagonal. Next is tapering the holes for the stretchers, then tapering the stretcher ends and cutting them to length.

Yup, made both of those seating projects back in the day.  Certainly two of the most fun things I've made.  I used leather and the copper rivets for the seats and backs.  My daughter has the chair in a place of prominence in her new house and the camp chair gets used occasionally for spare outdoor seating.  Only regret was not making the Rhorkee a tad higher because it is awkwardly low.  C. Schwarz says that taller versions did not work out well, bit I would go a couple of inches at least on a next one.

[MauleSkinner]

Tapered the stretchers and reamed the holes today…found a rough center on the end of the stretcher and used a 5/8” Forster bit to mark a circle. Then shaved and planed a rough taper.
I made a quick tapering shave that did the job for this, but if I make more of these chairs I’ll make a better shave.