Want plans for a good Roorkhee chair? Look no further than the October 2012 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. My plans for a traditional Roorkhee Chair – leather and all – are there, along with construction notes and hardware details.
I have to give a huge thank you to Greg Miller in Australia, who helped guide me through the construction and design process of this incredible chair. My chair didn’t end up exactly like his, but I couldn’t have done it without him.
Some details:
— You can download the SketchUp drawing of the chair here.
— You can download the issue of the magazine here.
— Read more blog entries about Roorkhee chairs here.
— Christopher Schwarz
Hi Chris, Nice work.. In reading the article, Is there a historical reason for switching the acorn nut to a wing nut where the back braces are bolted to the rear legs?
Well wing nuts are old looking to me – I also used square nuts on the inside of the rear legs. I wasn’t sure how hold acorn nuts are. They look modern to my eye, but my eye might be ignorant. If anyone knows when they were invented, I’d like to know.
I’ve found a 1905 patent (787578) for a cap-nut in the domed “acorn nut” style. The patent is for a nut manufactured in two separate pieces as a cost-reduction. It’s pretty clear from the abstract that one-piece cap nuts were already in existence, but I haven’t been able to determine how far back.
Your article in Popular Wood working is great, but what are the measurements for placing the ends of the buckled straps? I can judge the set at the back of the front legs from the photograph above, but the placement at the back is tricky to see.
David,
The placement of the straps depends on your turnings. You will find that after you assemble your chair there is only one flat spot on the rear legs where the strap can go. Center it on that spot. Then put the strap in the same location on the front legs.
Many thanks Chris, looking forward to building this one, and to getting your campaign furniture book next year.
I’d like to see a version without turned legs.
Gah, clicked wrong place thinking I needed to log in again. Second half of comment is that with the sketch up model available on popwood, I CAN see the version without turned legs.
I surrender!
I have used AutoCad for many years (for woodworking and other stuff), and resisted SketchUp because it was another software app to learn. There are just too many cool furniture designs out there now, and the Roorkhee is the final straw. I love these chairs. Thanks, Chris.
I may be pretty dense or just missed it, but since this is a portable chair can you show me how it breaks down for travel? THanks
You can see the chairs disassembled here:
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2012/06/02/farewell-fair-roorkhees/