Final Assembly of the Hobbit Chair

Part 8 (the final post) of the chair-building series.

We are almost done with this chair. We just have to finish assembling the top part then apply a finish. So let’s get it done.

The photo above shows how I prepare to assemble these chairs. The backsplat is glued into the seat. The sticks are dry-fit into the arm. And the arm is grasped by my carver’s vise. Here are the tools on my bench:

• Lump hammer and scrap of wood (for knocking the arm in place)

• 12 ash wedges (always have twice as many wedges as there are tenons)

• Torrington glue brush

• 5/8" chisel to open up a tenon’s kerf if need be

• 16 oz. nail hammer (to drive wedges)

• Clean rags

• Hot water

• Toothbrush (for cleaning up glue)

• Cup for the glue

• Tape measure (to gauge if the arm is in the right place)

Begin by gluing the backsplat in the seat. Paint glue on the mortise and drive the backsplat in place.

Paint glue into all the mortises in the seat. Now pull the sticks out of the arm, one by one. Paint glue in the mortise in the arm, paint a thin coat on the tenon. Put the stick in the arm and rotate it…