Today I swept the shop, got out the step-ladder and wreaked havoc by setting up to shoot “proper” photos of the new brettstuhl. Walnut with heartwood hickory legs. I’ve built about 8 of them now. The shape of this chair’s back is directly from Drew Langsner’s 1981 article about making one with his mentor Reudi Kohler in Switzerland. I changed the seat shape from Drew’s chair - and probably the leg angles a bit too.
I’ve had this chair underway for a few weeks now (shooting video of the process slows things way down…) and it wasn’t until I just loaded these photos here that I saw the back’s tenons can be trimmed. They don’t have to be that long under the seat. I’ll trim 1/4” or more off them - but I’m not re-shooting the photos! Too much work…
This is the 2nd chair that I’ve done with the leg tenons through both the battens and the seat. We’re taught in woodworking 101 that this is poor construction. The notion being that the seat is supposed to crack because the battens restrict its ability to expand and contract. We have a chair in our kitchen that has now gone through a winter/summer/winter cycle and it seat is as it was the day I assembled it.
This one’s for sale - the house is full. Height overall is 32 3/4” and seat height is 17 1/4”. The width across the front of the seat is 17 3/4”, overall seat depth is 15 1/2” and the part you actually sit on is 13 1/4”. Price is $1,800 including shipping in US. I’ll box it up with the back removed - so some simple assembly required. Put the back in its mortises, and tap in two wedges. Photo/video instructions included. You must be able to count to two. If you’re interested in purchasing the chair email me at Peterfollansbee7@gmail.com
Nicholas - we use one as a desk chair in our kitchen, where it doubles as an extra seat at the table when need be. Works fine for those applications. I use one in the shop from time to time when doing something like spoon carving - no arms is helpful there.
That’s quite lovely! Do you have a link or reference to Drew’s original article? Thanks Peter!