A couple of weeks or so ago, I threw a post up about building a bibliochaise or bookshelf chair for my great nephew.  Great nephew.......man that makes me sound old and just when I was looking into Eagles concert tickets.  Anyway, I really did not like the design of the European model that is all over the web.  Itr looks like a DIY project for a first time builder made from 2 x 4's.  Now that I have insulted all of those who build with lumber from the big box stores, I'll move on.   I found a chair that a guy on LJ's built so I modified it using using my own dimensions (since he didn't provide any. 

I'm going to try to keep a running blog on this build and I hope to draw it up in Sketchup when I'm finished so that others on the world wide web won't have to pull their hair out.  I think you're supposed to design and draw first and then build but what fun is that.  I'm going to build this monster in two pieces so that I can get it through the doors and I'll dry fit it, stain and finish and then attach the back when it finds its new home. 

 

The whole chair base measures about 42" x 37" at the base and will be screwed to a piece of 3/4 Baltic birch plywood for stability.  In lieu of casters, I'm going to add 6 - 2 1/2" sliders to facilitate moving.

 

Here's my progress to date:

 

This is the basic design (sans seat).  Single shelf on the front (each side) and a single shelf on each side and a shelf/storage space underneath.  On top of the side shelves will the arms.  They will also be made from baltic birch and trimmed out with oak.  For those inquiring minds, the computer in the background is tuned to Spotify.

 

 

This is the back side of the chair where I added a vertical kick/seat support.  The space on the front under the seat is 14" deep and may be used as a shelf or a storage space.  I toyed with the idea of a making this vertical support slide into the side book space making a hidden stash but it sounded too much like work.  I'm already wishing I had done it.  From the back, there will be a drawer for extra storage.

 

 

Here is the chair with the seat laid in place.  The seat in 18" off the floor and there will be a 3" cushion made for the chair.  The arms are 26" from the floor to the top of the arms. Looks like next up is the creation of the chair back.  The back will hold a book case accessible from the rear and will tilt at a 10 degree angle.  Tomorrow, I'll get more plywood to secure the lower seat section.

 

That is a great start! Waiting for more.

Lookin' Good!

so far so good...

Well it appears you know what you're doing and have things well under control so far.

Keep us updated...

Good start Ron, waiting for the finish.

Too late now Ron, but an adirondak type of seat bottom with the angle sure would make for comfortable reading.

Looks very good so far!  BTW - how old is the Great nephew?  And I hate to say it, but if you are buying Eagles tickets... it does sorta tell your age

Cal

25 minutes ago, clhyer said:

Too late now Ron, but an adirondak type of seat bottom with the angle sure would make for comfortable reading.

Looks very good so far!  BTW - how old is the Great nephew?  And I hate to say it, but if you are buying Eagles tickets... it does sorta tell your age

Cal

Yeah, Eagles concert tickets might show your age, but Eagles game tickets would just make you a loser.... 

I shouldn't talk...the Cardinals are my team.

And, I'd go to a Beach Boys concert.

 

Edited August 16, 20178 yr by Gene Howe

4 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

Yeah, Eagles concert tickets might show your age, but Eagles game tickets would just make you a loser.... 

I shouldn't talk...the Cardinals are my team.

And, I'd go to a Beach Boys concert.

 

Being a Colts fan isn't much to brag about right now either, but we do it

Went to a Beach Boys Concert 20+ years ago...they released Kokomo that night...I was much younger then...

My daughter bought me Rolling Stones tickets at IMS for Father's Day 2 years back...Mick Jagger has gotten really old

Getting home at 4 AM "ain't easy anymore either

4 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Getting home at 4 AM "ain't easy anymore either

You can say that again...

Getting home at 4AM ain't easy anymore either.

Herb

Getting home at 4AM probably ain't easy anymore, however, I don't even try anymore.

11 hours ago, clhyer said:

Too late now Ron, but an adirondak type of seat bottom with the angle sure would make for comfortable reading.

Looks very good so far!  BTW - how old is the Great nephew?  And I hate to say it, but if you are buying Eagles tickets... it does sorta tell your age

Cal

The sloped seat is a stellar idea Cal. Maybe on the next one.  

10 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Being a Colts fan isn't much to brag about right now either, but we do it

Went to a Beach Boys Concert 20+ years ago...they released Kokomo that night...I was much younger then...

My daughter bought me Rolling Stones tickets at IMS for Father's Day 2 years back...Mick Jagger has gotten really old

Getting home at 4 AM "ain't easy anymore either

My kids bought me tickets to go to Klipsch to see Journey and Steve Miller last summer. It was a killer concert but an odd aroma was in the air.  

1 hour ago, Ron Dudelston said:

It was a killer concert but an odd aroma was in the air.

Same thing with the Stones at IMS...my goal was to get out the parking lot before they found their way back to their cars...or even found their cars

@Ron Dudelston _ It was a killer concert but an odd aroma was in the air.

 

If it was all that odd... you are really telling your age!

Cal

42 minutes ago, clhyer said:

@Ron Dudelston _ It was a killer concert but an odd aroma was in the air.

 

If it was all that odd... you are really telling your age!

Cal

I didn't do that stuff in the 60's ......and I'll not do it again.  ;-)

Here we are on Thursday and the bulk of the build is completed.  Next up is trimming the beast out with veneer on all of the exposed edges of the plywood and adding a 1/2" deep oak edge on the arms.  I also have to add a short face about the drawer on the rear to make the thing a bit more pleasing to the eye.  I had to pick this up to move it and it is flat heavy.

 

Will the back/bottom storage be on drawer slides?

3 minutes ago, lew said:

Will the back/bottom storage be on drawer slides?

Yes sir.  I have a pair of heavy 16" slides that it will travel on.  BTW, I'm still regreting not adding a secret compartment somewhere.