How to Build Garden Furniture

Plans and Complete Instructions for Making Lawn Chairs, Benches, Settees and a Chaise Longue, Tables, Dinettes and Picnic Sets, Portable and Folding Pieces of All Kinds for Outdoor Use

Harry J. Hobbs

• Publisher: Forbes Press
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781445510651, 9781445514499
• eBook ISBN: 9781447492122
• Topic: Ciencias biológicas
• Subtopic: Horticultura

This vintage book is a detailed and informative guide for woodworkers and craftsmen in the practice of designing and constructing garden furniture and is of great practical use today for anyone with an interest in carpentry. Contents: Woodworking - Simplified Modern Garden Set - Garden Table and Benches are Modern - Portable Outdoor Dinette - Lawn Settee - Smartly Styled Modern Lawn Chair - Chaise Longue - Picnic Table & Bench - Take Your Pick of Garden Benches - Canopy Lounging Chair - Two Portable Lawn Chairs - Simple Pine Benches - Iron Pipe Modern Lawn Settee - Summer Porch Chair - Outdoor Table Folds for Storage - Covered Wagon Mail Box - Barrels Make Latest Outdoor Set - Comfortable Folding Lawn Chair. We are republishing this classic work in a modern and affordable edition, featuring high quality reproductions of the original artwork and a specially written new introduction.

Two Portable Lawn Chairs

One Draws Its Design from the Garden Wheelbarrow While the Other Goes in for Pair of Oxcart Wheels

WHEELBARROW IS IMITATED

Its fan-shaped back and long handles give this wheelbarrow chair both its name and class

IN ORDER to be comfortable for lounging, lawn chairs must be fairly large, but this requirement results in a piece which is too heavy and cumbersome for one person to handle. It may be satisfactory for an easy chair in the living room to be large and heavy but not for garden chairs. Either you want to follow the sun or to stay in the shade, and it must be easy to change your position several times in one afternoon. This will be easy to do when you own either of the two wheeled chairs presented here. The first is an imitation wheelbarrow.

Construction is started with the two side members which form the handles and are indicated as (A) on the drawing and in the bill of materials. Since these two pieces are identical they can be fastened together temporarily with 1 1/2″ brads while they are being laid out and cut on the band saw. After these members have been cut to shape the location of the legs, back uprights and the axle hole should be established while the pieces are fastened together. The hole for the axle can be bored at the same time by using an expansive bit. If the bit is not available a hole of the required size can be cut on the jig saw.

The next members to be made up are the two back uprights (B). As with the handles, these identical members may be fastened together temporarily and cut as a single unit. The shape of the uprights may be taken off the drawing. Notches are cut in the front edges of these members to take the back stretchers (E). All of this cutting may be done on the band saw.

The front legs (C) are the next members to be made up. After these pieces are cut to shape the notches to take the front stretcher (D) should be cut.

With the completion of these members the side units consisting of the handles (D), the back uprights (B) and the front legs (C) are ready for assembly as shown in Fig. 1. These members are to be joined together with 1 1/2″ No. 10 flat-head screws, and holes to take these screws must be bored and countersunk in the uprights and legs. Before actual assembly of the handles make certain that both side units match so that when the units are placed side by side the uprights, legs and handles will be parallel.

The back consists of two stretchers (E) which hold the back members (F) in place. Each back piece is tapered and is then fastened to the back stretchers with 1 1/4″ No. 10 flathead wood screws. The arc at the top is scribed as in Fig. 2 by use of a thin strip of wood with two small holes bored 22″ apart. The back members are now removed from the stretchers and the arc is cut on the band saw as in Fig. 3. The seat cleats (G) are cut to size and fastened in place against the inside face of the side member (A) by means of 1 1/2″ No. 10 flathead screws set in countersunk holes bored in the cleats. The seat members (H) are cut to length and fastened to the seat cleats as shown in Fig. 4. It is advisable to have the axle (I), which is nothing more than a piece of 1 3/8″ round stock of the type used for curtain poles, and the front stretcher (D), set in place before fastening the seat members to the cleats.

In Fig. 1 handle, leg and upright are being assembled as a unit. Figs. 2 and 3 show the chair back in process

Plan drawing here shows how handles are the main structural units which tie all other parts together. Drawings below indicate layouts of chair back and other parts

The wheels (K) are made up and cut to circular shape on the band saw. The axle hole is bored with an expansive bit as in Fig. 5 or it can be done on the jig saw. The washers, or spacers (L), are square blocks with 1 3/8″ holes bored in the center. These pieces keep the wheels from binding against the side members. The hubs (M) are turned to shape on the lathe and the center hole is made on the jig saw. Fig. 6 shows the spacers and wheel being locked on the axle by means of hub and pin. The 3/8″ dowel (N) is driven in a hole in the axle. ″The seat back is now placed in position as a complete unit and is fastened to the uprights by means of 1 1/2″ No. 10 flathead screws driven through the back stretchers and into the uprights.

Green and white are the most popular paints for garden furniture.

THIS IS THE OXCART

Large battened wheels and pinned axle make this garden chair resemble an oxcart in appearance only. It’s the most comfortable outdoor seat you’ve ever reclined in

THIS second portable lawn chair is patterned after the design of an oxcart. Like its companion, it can be moved around the lawn without the slightest difficulty. The arms make convenient resting places for a cool drink, ash tray or book. Its low sharp-slanting seat allows for the utmost comfort in lounging.

Construction of the chair is started as shown in Fig. 8. The stock for the wheels and wheel battens is assembled temporarily while the circles are drawn. A thin strip of wood with a brad driven through it and into the center of the stock acts as a compass beam for drawing the necessary circles. After the circles have been scribed the stock is cut to shape on the band saw as shown in Fig. 9. Battens are used to join the two wheel sections together. After the hubs (M) have been shaped on the lathe a 1 1/2″ hole is bored through the center with an expansive bit. The wheels and hubs later will be placed on the axle and held in place by means of 1/2″ pins (N).

Next come the shafts (A). The sizes of these members are shown on the drawing and in the bill of materials. It should be noted that the finished size is 1 3/4 ″ × 2 3/4″. This is what is considered stock size of a 2″ × 3″ fir stud. If white pine is to be used instead of fir the size given in the bill of materials should be ordered. The ends of these members should be shaped as shown in the drawing. Handholes at the lower end of the shafts should be cut by boring a series of 1″ holes and cleaning out the stock in between with a chisel. After both shafts have been completed the location of the back upright (C), the arm upright (D) and the axle (B) should be established on each member.

The axle (B) can now be made up. The stock is set up in the lathe and the ends are turned down to a diameter of 1 1/2″ to take the wheels. These turned ends should be 3 3/4″ long. The axle is to be attached to the shafts by means of 5/16″ × 4 1/2″ carriage bolts. Holes for these should be located and bored in the axle and shaft. Countersinking is necessary to bury the head of the bolt. See Fig. 10.

The back uprights (C) are the next members to be made up. These two pieces of stock should be fastened together temporarily and cut to shape on the band saw. The notch near the upper end which is to take the back stretcher (H) should be cut at the same time. The uprights are fastened to the shafts with 1 1/2″ No. 10 flathead screws set in countersunk holes. The axle may now be joined to the shafts with the carriage bolts.

The back stretcher (H) and the back members (G) can be made up from sizes given in the bill of materials. As shown in Fig. 11, the back pieces (G) are fastened to the back stretcher (H) with 1 1/4″ No. 10 flathead wood screws, and a temporary crossbrace is fastened across the back members near the bottom. The curve at the upper end of the back members can be marked off with the aid of a piece of thin stock bent to the required sweep as shown in Fig. 11. The back pieces (G) can now be removed from the stretcher and cut to shape on the band saw or jig saw. After these members have been shaped, the back can be reassembled and fastened in place to the back uprights (C) using 1 1/2″ No. 10 flathead wood screws driven through the stretcher and into the uprights. The temporary lower crosspiece which holds the lower end of the back members in position should remain in place until after the seat is applied and the back members are fastened to the rear seat member.

Wheel boards are scribed, then bandsawed.

Slats for the back are fastened to back stretcher and temporary brace before rounded top can be marked and cut. See Fig. 11. The assembled back is then added to ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Contents
• Simplified Modern Garden Set
• Garden Table and Benches
• Portable Outdoor Dinette
• Lawn Settee
• Smartly Styled Modern Lawn Chair
• Chaise Longue
• Picnic Table and Bench
• Take your Pick of Garden Benches
• Canopy Lounging Chair
• Simple Lawn Furniture
• Two Portable Lawn Chairs
• Complete your Garden with a Simple Bench
• Lawn Settee With Iron-Pipe Frame
• Summer Porch Chair
• Outdoor Table Folds for Storage
• Covered-Wagon Mail Box
• Barrels Make an Outdoor Set
• Captain’s Folding Lawn Chair
• Reclining Lawn Chair