ANOTHER STYLE OF MISSION CHAIR
The material necessary to make a mission chair as shown in the accompanying illustration may be secured from a planing mill with all four surfaces squared and sandpapered. The mill can do this work quickly and the expense will be nothing compared with the time it takes to do the work by hand.
The following is the stock list:
- 4 legs, 2-1/2 by 2-1/2 by 32-1/2 in.
- 2 bottom end rails 7/8 by 5-3/4 by 23-1/2 in.
- 2 bottom side rails 7/8 by 5-3/4 by 28-1/2 in.
- 2 top end rails 7/8 by 4-1/2 by 23-1/2 in.
- 1 top back rail 7/8 by 4-1/2 by 28-1/2 in.
- 2 cleats 7/8 by 2-1/2 by 26-1/2 in.
- 7 slats 1/2 by 2 by 24 in.
This design was purposely made simple. If it is considered too severe and the worker has had some experience in woodwork, it can easily be modified by adding vertical slats in back and sides. These should be made of 1/2-in. stock and their ends should be "let into" the rails by means of mortises.
Either plain red oak or quarter-sawed white oak will do. Begin by squaring up one end of each leg, marking and cutting them to length and planing up the second ends so that they shall be square. Both the top and bottom of each leg should be beveled or rounded off about 1/4 in. so that they may not splinter or cause injury to the hand.
When all of the legs have been made of the same length, set them on end in the positions they are to have relative to one another and mark with pencil the approximate locations of the mortises. Next, place them on the bench, side by side, even the ends and square sharp lines across to indicate the ends of the mortises. The drawing shows the dimensions to use. A sharp pencil should be used for this marking and the lines should be carried entirely across the two faces of each piece.
Mission Chair Complete