This document is an instructable that details the process for making a miniature scale model replica of Alvar Aalto's iconic Armchair 400. It is presented as a 10 step process where the creator teaches how they researched dimensions, experimented with different techniques for bending plywood legs, shaped wood for the seating, covered it with leather, and assembled the final scale model chair. While intended as a learning project to practice new skills, the final product is a highly detailed 20cm scale model that captures the essence of Aalto's original design.
This document is an instructable that details the process for making a miniature scale model replica of Alvar Aalto's iconic Armchair 400. It is presented as a 10 step process where the creator teaches how they researched dimensions, experimented with different techniques for bending plywood legs, shaped wood for the seating, covered it with leather, and assembled the final scale model chair. While intended as a learning project to practice new skills, the final product is a highly detailed 20cm scale model that captures the essence of Aalto's original design.
This document is an instructable that details the process for making a miniature scale model replica of Alvar Aalto's iconic Armchair 400. It is presented as a 10 step process where the creator teaches how they researched dimensions, experimented with different techniques for bending plywood legs, shaped wood for the seating, covered it with leather, and assembled the final scale model chair. While intended as a learning project to practice new skills, the final product is a highly detailed 20cm scale model that captures the essence of Aalto's original design.
This document is an instructable that details the process for making a miniature scale model replica of Alvar Aalto's iconic Armchair 400. It is presented as a 10 step process where the creator teaches how they researched dimensions, experimented with different techniques for bending plywood legs, shaped wood for the seating, covered it with leather, and assembled the final scale model chair. While intended as a learning project to practice new skills, the final product is a highly detailed 20cm scale model that captures the essence of Aalto's original design.
A perfect replica of the icon chair by Aalto: Armchair 400. But is it perfect?
Look closely because actually this is a scale model of about 20cm x 13cm x 16cm. To teach myself to deal with new materials and processes I made this scale model of the chair. In the next steps I will take you through my process.
Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 1
Step 1: Research Dimensions
The first step is to figure out the different dimensions the chair will have. I found pictures of the original chair online and the rough dimension. Going from there I drew the front and side face of the chair and proportionally rescaled all the dimensions I would need. This way I had all the rough dimensions of everything and drawings of the views I can use during the process.
(Note all dimensions are in mm)
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Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 3 Step 2: Reserach Techniques
The chair exists of two main pieces, the seating and YT video: Pre Bending Parts for Easy Laminating legs. For the seating I was thinking about shaping Seat My first idea to manufacture the legs was bending Foam to make it a real replica. After testing the seat plywood to the shape I need. But because of the foam I noticed it would be very difficult to make the small scale of the legs the bends it needs to make are exact shape I wanted and still look good after I put so sharp the plywood would crack under the tension covered it with leather (YT video: Cutting Seat Foam). (even it you make it wet and steam it). So I had to Instead of using foam I decided to use a piece of figure out an other way to manufacturing it. After wood that I would shape to desire to make sure the watching a lot of YouTube videos I decided to chair is structural sound and the foam wouldn't mess laminate wood veneer to shape the legs. with the leather seating.
YT video: Bent plywood in 7 easy steps.
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Step 3: Legs Veneer Cut
Lets begin with the legs. - Wood glue
What you will need: - Band saw
- MDF (for the mold) Find some veneer (Maple is the best to bend) at a local wood shop. Make sure you have a large piece to - Maple veneer get enough layers out of it. We will make a mold of about 8cm width to fit the two legs in one go. So I cut - Cutting tools straps out of the veneer of 8cm width. Because I want a thickness of 2.5cm I need 14 layers of veneer. - glue clamps Make sure you check your veneer thickness and adjust. - Plastic foil
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Step 4: Legs the Mold
I glued a couple of scrap pieces of MDF together to other pieces I created negative molds to clamp on the get a thickness of about 8mm. I glued the drawing outside of the veneer. To prevent the veneer sticking from before to cut out the inner mold for the leg with a to the mold I place baking paper on the mold and band saw. In the middle of this mold I drilled a big plastic foil on the outside pieces. hole where the head of the clamps will be. Using the
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Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 7 Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 8 Step 5: Legs Glue Up
I tried different techniques to bend and glue up the NOTE: It would have been ideal if the direction of the legs. By trial and error I found out that going slow in veneer grain would turn 90° with every layer. But the the glue up is key. During my test runs I tried to glue veneer I got in the beginning wat not wide enough to al the layers at once which failed over and over again. cover the whole stretch. To not mess us by gluing different straps next to each other to cover the whole So finally I took another approach. Every day I would distance I decided not to do it. glue up a small piece of the legs (one corner or side every day) with only half the amount of layers. Using NOTE 2: Why my first tests were a disaster? In test a paint brush I applied glue in between the layers for one I pre-bended the veneer by making it wet in hot the section I wanted to glue that day and clamped water, clamping it on the mold and letting it dry. Next I everything together when done. I did this over and glued al 14 layers at once and clamped them. As a over again till done. result it took to long to glue everything and half the glue did not take well. At this point I did not have the I did the same for the other half of the layers on top of negative molds on the outside yet so all the corners the existing layers . After 12 days of gluing and drying had gaps in it. I used the negative molds on the the glue up was complete and ready to process. second test. I glued up 5 layers now which was better to apply the glue and the gaps were gone but after it After drying I got the veneer of the mold but I notice it dried out the whole leg was totally bend and is a bid bend. Luckily the 8cm width is more than unusable. enough to get two 2,5cm out of it eventho it is a bit bend.
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Step 6: Legs Cut and Sand
After drying out I detached the veneer from the mold and applied blue painters tape to minimize blowout while using the band saw. I use the inner mold to stabilize the veneer while sawing. This way the veneer wouldn't wobble up and down while using the band saw. I cut out two legs a bit wider than the width I need. Using a belt sander I bring them down to the size I want and finish the edges.
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Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 11 Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 12 Step 7: Seating Shape
I had some beech blocks laying around which I used When done both pieces together make a perfect to shape the seating. I divided the seating in two, the chair. vertical back block and the horizontal block. This makes it easy to shape everything as I want. NOTE: This shape will define the chair part. Make sure you sand it how you want because the leather First I use the drawing from the beginning to mark the wont mask big mistakes. seating shape and use a band saw to cut it out. Then I use a belt sander to shape the edges and curves.
Next up is covering the seat with leather. Use a piece together. The vertical block has a big flap which will of,paper to get the dimensions right. Cut the leather cover the full underneath of the chair. This makes it and sew together (to be honest I had a lot of help with possible to secure the leather to the horizontal block this so I am not the person to give you solid advice with nails and glue at the underside. Don't glue the about sewing, if you're not comfortable with it find flap yet. someone who can help you). I nailed and glued (superglue) the ends of the leather on the wood The holes and dowels are explained in the next step. where the horizontal and vertical block come
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Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 16 Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 17 Step 9: Assemble
First I assemble the chair. I drill holes in the vertical use metal pins. I chose not to glue them in to not and horizontal chair blocks to fit dowels. Glue in the mess up the leather. I drill holes in the seating dowels and press the two pieces together and let dry. through the leather and into the legs. Place the pins Next you can glue the big flap to the underneath of and assemble the legs. the seating and finish it. And we are done! Next up I bring together the legs and seating. Because there will be no heavy load on the chair I
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Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 19 Step 10: Armchair 400
The result! A miniature replica of the icon chair!
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Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 21 Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 22 Armchair 400 by Aalto?: Page 23
