15 Comments
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Rob Collins's avatar

Looking forward to seeing the customisations you decide on. Thanks for the post, good to see your two-router-bit solution for the depth of cut for the seat.

Walter Egon's avatar

Glad you liked it!

GenX Anecdotes's avatar

I really want to see the finished article.

Or progress. To see how the chair comes to life!

I admire anyone who can build real things with their hands.

Walter Egon's avatar

To be honest, this chairmaking business is a bit daunting. There are a lot of different angles to figure out and I need to teach myself some new (to me) techniques. And I'm 'designing' the chair off the top of my head to boot ... I doubt it will look like a well worked-through design at first try, but I've got to start somewhere.

I really enjoy this sort of process, but it is also ... fraught (?) with friction; decisions are difficult, I want to postpone them; it takes a mental effort to wade through the uncertainty; at some point I have to force myself to move on and not spend any more time weighing my options or finding new possibilities. It's hell, I tell you. Hell! But I can't help myself [suffers silently and manly].

GenX Anecdotes's avatar

I think most ambitious creative endeavours are fraught with a certain amount of angst and pulling hair out!

Also self doubt.

I think for many this is part and parcel of making something good!

I can only equate this to writing and making music.

There's always a phase where I hate everything I'm doing and get frustrated and want to throw in the towel!

But I have to push through.

Then eventually I end up with something. Maybe not exactly what I had in mind in the first place!

But I think that the process needs to be a bit of a head wreck to push through to the other side.

Anything worth doing is difficult.

In my opinion.

Vladimir Pokutniy's avatar

You don't know it yet, but you already have a chairmaking disease.

Walter Egon's avatar

It would seem so ... :-)

Alec's avatar

Wondering if it would be easier to do all of your drilling for legs and spindles and even the saddling while it is still a square blank?

Walter Egon's avatar

Is that how you do it?

Alec's avatar

It is, but you may have a different process where it makes sense to cut it out first. I’m always curious about different methods of work.

Craig's avatar

I've played that piece myself, and had the honor of seeing Murray Perahia live several times.

You have excellent taste in music.

Walter Egon's avatar

Thank you!

Bach is great.

Craig's avatar

Murray Perahia famously turned to Bach when he was recovering from a almost career-ending bone spur problem on his thumb.

Turned out to be the greatest Bach pianist of all time.

Walter Egon's avatar

I've been listening to these French Suites on YouTube lately, with different pianists, but only come across Perahia's performance today. I knew at once. Perfect! Isn't that strange?

Craig's avatar

I don't know what music service you use, or if you still play the occasional CD. Either way, this should be very easy to find:

Murray Perahia Plays Bach; The Complete Recordings (Sony Classical, 8 CDs)

https://www.walmart.com/ip/148568362?sid=3178b92a-c441-4abc-b8d0-371703a66cb9