BETWEEN THE MODERN Ver. 2
Furniture | Rocking Chair
In a review of my previous work, I reassessed a project of a rock chair and got some new ideas in form and styling. Refined process was conducted in early 2020.
The armrest is simplified, outline curves are further combined with each other, making the chair slimmer and neater. The revised design is expected to reduce wood consumption and improve the efficiency of mass production process.
In this revision, black walnut wood and warm leather were applied to present contrasting tones, looking forward to distinguish it from the interior furnishings and see some interesting mix in light-colored spaces.
REVIEW: HANS. J WEGNER
The aim of the original design is tried to reveal and shape of my own style through paying tribute to design master. The process of intentions identification and concepts generation could be discover comprehensively through understanding a great designers’ philosophies and design spirits.
Hans. J. Wegner, who’s style is often described as organic functionality works, is the great design being paid tribute to in the project. By analyzing his motivation, structural techniques of his design and the creative spirit of each work, the design conditions then be inducted step by step.
CRAFTING PROCESS
Utilizing concise structure to express beauty without unnecessary decoration is set as the main design direction through out the project.
1: 1 scale drawings and woodworking equipment was prepared for cutting out the plate, which is used for ensuring the symmetry of the chair.
The model was mostly joined together with planted mortise (Milter). Like its name, the attaching process was similar to planting seedlings, with a dowel and two hole. The advantages of using planted mortise joints are its easy construction and effective connection. In some specific situation, it could also be used in the positions where normal mortise joints will be powerless.
The dowels shaped as oval ridges could be cut with circular saw and band saw effectively. The depths of the grooves on the chair are generally 2 cm. Boards for sitting, which connected right and left two sides were joint by stronger stub mortise and stub tenon. They cost relatively more time to make, with chisels carved the timbers slowly, but provided stringer carrying capacity.
The gluing process lasted half an hour. In order to allow the mortise joints to be glued at the correct position, they were grouped and completed at the same time to avoid dislocation. No. 60 to No. 180 sandpaper were used for surface treatment. After polishing, the chair gradually revealed its beauty texture. A layer of protective wood oil was used for the coating in advance, followed by another polishing process with ultra-fine sandpaper, No. 240. The final stage was a layer of beeswax as the uppermost coat.
While picking timbers, a piece of central-close timber was found, which possessed quite beautiful ink-like layered pattern, dyed with purple color. It was ideally suited as the material for armrest while expecting users could further experience the feeling of the tactile impression of wood through the sense of touch.
