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| Completed Prototype |
A little while ago I came across a photograph of a Scandinavian rocking chair that I very much took an interest in. I decided to have a go at reproducing the chair, first as a plywood prototype, and then, made from solid wood, which would end up being used for a final school project in my cabinetmaking program.
I've been wanting to post more about furniture history since that's an area I'm very interested in. This article really dives into that aspect, before I post about how I made the final product.
A Note on Danish-Modern Design History
Danish-Modernism really draws its roots from the Royal Academy in Copenhagen, where the department of Furniture Design was founded in the mid 1920s. Most of the 'popular' furniture designers of the following decades had studied there, particularly under Kaare Klint (who is considered by many to be the progenitor of Danish-Modern Furniture Design).
Kaare was known for designing furniture with its function as the foremost element, focusing on the proportions and natural movement of the body when making a piece.
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| Iconic Danish Modern Chairs from Left to Right: Finn Juhl - Chieftan Chair, Hans Wegner - Wishbone Chair, Børge Mogensen - Spanish Chair, Arne Jacobsen - Grand Prix Chair, Grete Jalk - Skalstol / Shell Chair |
After searching for more information about the chair whose image I came across, I learned that it was created by the designer Ole Wanscher in the 1950s. He was a student of Kaare's (and would later replace him as professor after Kaare's death). Most of his work was known for slimmer dimensions, lighter, elegant forms, and designing with more of an eye towards tradition as opposed to some of the more innovative forms pictured above.
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| Ole Wanscher Chairs: (Left) - Ladderback Chair, (Middle) - Colonial Chair, (Right) - Senator Rocker |
Danish Chair Production in the Mid-Century
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| Logging Operations in Indonesia (1905) |
In terms of materials, the vast majority of Danish furniture from the 50s and 60s was made of either Teak or Rosewood. Beyond their visual appeal and durability, these materials were readily abundant at very low costs, since the Dutch owned many Teak plantations in its former colony of Indonesia. Most imports led from the mass felling of Teak trees and Brazilian Rosewood in the 1950s, which led to both species being dangerously over-harvested.
While Teak was in high supply, one significant issue during that period was that the wood's high gum content made it notorious for dulling machinery very quickly. It wasn't until Charles France developed a tungsten-carbide alloy saw in the early 1950s that it became economically viable to produce teak furniture at an industrial scale.
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| Machining Danish Modern Furniture during the 1950s |
Charles' company France & Sons then worked with many of the leading Danish designers of the time to become one of the earliest mass producers of high quality Danish furniture. The company used high quality metal joinery that allowed for easy disassembly to save costs on shipping, helping them to become a significant exporter to the United States.
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| (Left) Stacks of Grete Jalk Chairs (Right) Advertisement from 1961 |
Recreating the Senator Rocking Chair
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| Antique Listing with Overall Dimensions |
From there, I found some side-profile images that I imported into Sketchup, scaled to the proper size, and was able to trace over to start on the 3D model. Because this chair is essentially two side assemblies that are joined by back rails and a seat assembly, the sides were really the only part I needed a reference image for. I used the overall dimensions and industry standards for chair-making to figure out the rest of the components.
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| (Left) Importing the Image into Sketchup for Tracing (Right) Completed 3D Model |
Once my model was completed I made a CNC file of the components, which I assembled using screws & brad nails. My CNC file did fail to run some of the back rail components at the bottom of the sheet, on account of them being too close together for the machine to maintain sufficient suction to the bed. I ended up making those components manually in the shop, which wasn't too much of a hassle.
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| CNC File for Prototype Chair |
Once the chair was assembled, I had a few people sit in it to test for ergonomics, and decided to make it slightly more narrow, and less deep. One of the benefits of having a working model is that it made it easier to order foam for the cushions, as well as to get an idea of what would be a good amount of overhang, thickness, and other dimensions for them.
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| Assembled Prototype with a Piece of MDF for a Makeshift Seat (To be Replaced by Webbing + a Cushion on the Final Version) |
It must be said that my plans were nearly ground to a halt when I struggled to fit the prototype into the car when taking it home. I had to put the front seat all the way back and partially open the window for it to fit, but after about 10 minutes we were on our way home.
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| (Left) The Prototype Struggling to fit in the Car (Right) Sarah Test Sitting in the Chair at Home |
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