Slipper Chair Project

In 2023, a friend found this chair by the side of the road and snagged it for me. After two years of stops and starts, I finally finished taking the chair apart, putting it back together, and adding new foam and fabric. Here are photos of the journey.

These are photos of the chair before the project began. I've learned that it's a version of a "slipper chair" because it has short legs, designed to keep the seat low to the ground. Unlike the original, high-backed, low profile version first built in 17th Century Europe, this one has claw front feet and arm rests. But the purpose is the same: make it easier to put on shoes. 

I thought about saving the springs because they weren't in bad shape, but I decided to gut the chair and go a different route.

Once down to the "skeleton" I found the chair had many loose joints, so I took it apart.

Glue up involved drilling out and replacing broken dowels as well as some challenging clamping because of all the curves.

Reversing the clamp and applying pressure to the sides helped separate the top section of the chair--then the glue up with the clamp back to normal.

Once I glued the pieces back together, I realized that some of the edges where I needed to staple fabric were in pretty bad shape. I used a trick I learned in an upholstery class:  I mixed some sawdust with glue and filled in the unsound areas. Sawdust keeps the glue from cracking when stapled.

Next, I spent a couple of days sanding the frame with three different grits of sandpaper. 

Then two coats of boiled linseed oil. Notice how it brings the wood back to life.

In October 2025, I began to rebuild the seat.

I used 4 inch foam for the the seat, 2 inch thick for the back rest, and 3 layers of dacron batting for the back of the chair. Then I covered it all with muslin.

I like the pattern and weight of the fabric my wife chose.

Time to glue on black trim to cover the staples.

Finally finished on February 16, 2026!

There is a profound satisfaction in taking something down to its skeleton, healing its joints, and building it back up layer by layer. You aren't just fixing a chair; you're preserving a story. — Gemini Collaboration

Upholstery is the ultimate plastic surgery for furniture. It’s not just about a new outfit; it’s about restoring the soul of a piece that someone else had given up on. — Common Maker Proverb

Restore a Cutting Board

How to restore a neglected cutting board...

1. Sand. I used an orbital sander and started with 80 grit -- then 100 and finished with 220.

2. Apply a liberal amount of mineral oil and let it sit for a while to absorb into the wood. Then wipe off the excess.

 

Box Joint Project

In June 2024 I took the "Fixins Tray" course offered by the  Philadelphia Furniture Workshop and had a great time learning from Craig and Greg.

• They gave us four pre-cut cherry pieces, and we used the table saw to cut box joints.

• We used a drill press to cut out the handle openings and a sander to smooth out the bumps.

• We used a router to cut the dado that holds the bottom panel in place.

• Lots of hand sanding.

• I chose to finish my tray with boiled linseed oil.

• Finally, I applied a coat of carnauba wax.

 

Building Shelves

The process of building shelves for a new bathroom closet

Lumber from Lowes

Created a jig on my miter saw stand so that I could cut all the boards and rails to the exact same size without having to measure for each cut

Used a biscuit cutter, glue, and clamps to join boards to the desired depth

Sanding and painting...

Final construction -- putting it all together