24 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Straightest Path to a Great Chair
1 Make a template for the rear legs and reverse it when
marking out each one. I use the same template to lay out
the shaper jig for smoothing the curves.
2 Cut out the legs on the bandsaw. If you’re using a router
or shaper template to remove the waste, cut wider from
the line.
3 Carry the mortise locations onto all sides of the leg. As
you smooth the sides you’ll need to redraw some lines.
4 The simplest option is to smooth the curves by hand,
with a spokeshave in the inside and a bench plane on
the outside.
5 The fastest option is power. A shaper or router jig
speeds things along. Register the legs on the jig using
your layout lines and the location of the mortises.1
2
3 4
5