Introduction: Chaise Longue
Step 1: Computer Aided Design
Since I wanted to order all the profile sections pre cut, I thought it would a good idea to draw the chair with a CAD program. I used a fairly simple 2D CAD program named QCAD for two reasons. It was freely downloadable and my computer lacks the processing power to handle 3D CAD effectively.
If you have access to AutoCAD, you could benefit from the plug-in from Bosch-Rexroth. If I have understood the information about the plugin correctly, it provides you with a catalogue of parts that you can copy and paste into your design. Later on, you can "punch a button" and print an order with a list of all your parts.
Even though I had to draw all the parts myself, cadding the design was very helpful.
Step 2: Double-Checking the Design
Before ordering all the parts from Bosch-Rexroth, I built myself a styrofoam scale model.
I wanted to see how the chair looked in 3D, but also double check that no parts were competing for the same piece of space-time real estate. 2D CAD may have its merits, but it doesn't help you discover such problems.
This model also provided me with a feel for the weak spots in the construction. I could push it here and there with my fingers, observing were it bent the most.
Step 3: Unpacking and Labelling
The whole "kit", weighing over 80kg!, came in two compact boxes.
When spread out on the living room floor, the components piled up quite impressively. In order to avoid silly mistakes, all parts were measured and marked.
Step 4: Bolting Everything Together
Eh, well, I am sorry. This "step" should be replaced with proper instructions, but I can offer two hints:
Always buy/use high quality tools.
Proof-read your Instructable title twice if you work late in the evening and use foreign words!
Update:
Over time, it has turned out that the belts are not held in place by the elegant scheme I use in the last picture of this instructable. They creep slowly, slowly out of the T-groove. Sadly enough, I've had to secure them with seams.
2 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
out of curiousity, how much did this project cost?
thanks,
Mickaël
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
At least 2 kEUR. Yeah, that's a lot. The story is that I started out looking for a decent chaise longue in a large number of furniture shops. Most turned out to be hideous and not very comfortable. Finally, as I thought I had found a nice model, it turned out to be a design classic. It was expensive, > 3 kEUR, and not very well built on top of that. In a flash of insight or recklessness, I figured that I could have quite a lot of fun for half that money. That's how I decided to roll my own.
Well, this does not fully justify the price, but the end result is quite robust. Since the system is modular, every part can be replaced. I'll never have to buy/build another one, that is, unless a cohabitant throws in a veto.
It should be possible to simplify the construction and/or shave down the dimensions. The joints are the weak points, the extrusion dimensions per se are overkill. Since I knew it would cost a fair amount of money anyway, I decided to play it safe.