help with wrapping joinery on chairs.

[Keganthewhale]

so i have a design for a chair that deals with branch-like-vines and wrapping, i would post pics of the drawings but i can't currently due to very restricted internet at the moment. Regardless of that, the legs runs up into both the armrest and the back support, the support from the middle of the armrest runs down to the middle of  leg, but i want that support to be wrapped around both the arm rest and leg. i'm hoping that is descriptive enough to get the real problem figured out though!

here it is:

using a gas forge (metalsmithing from diamondback ironworks) how can you wrap one side to the arm rest (which is built into the legs mind you) back down to the leg? the back of the chair is running off of the same piece as the leg, so you can't really stick the other end back into the forge to get to wrap it around, and i don't have a torch to heat it up to wrap it around the leg.

i really hope all of this make sense! if not i will post pictures of my sketches once i'm in a place that can allow me to put pictures up.

[SoCal Dave]

You simple need a heating device.  You can use a brush burning torch from harbor freight, or a mapp gas torch, a benzomatic torch.  Or have a friend bring one over.  You have propane.  Good luck.    

[DSW]

You list Camp Lejuene, NC as your location. Are you perhaps stationed there?

 

 

If so I'm betting you can find someone on base that can help you with a torch. Facilities maintenance, motor pool etc. They may even have one available at rec facilities depending on what they have available. The sub base near where we were stationed had a full auto shop as part of the rec facility's available and it had an OA torch available. I mentioned to someone here the other day that often you can get access to other facilities if you know who to ask, and ask nicely.  A few cold ones doesn't hurt either. Even if one place says "no" you might find a torch at another at a different shop.

 

 

Oxy fuel torches aren't super expensive and can be quite useful for a number of projects. I see them with cylinders regularly on CL  for roughly $250-300. Torches with out cylinders often run $100-150. You can use either Acetylene or propane for heating, but you'll have to make some minor changes to run propane from most OA rigs unless they already set it up for propane. Try Searchtempest.com to expand your CL possibilities.

[Keganthewhale]

i am indeed stationed at lejeune, however i'm not in country at the moment (hence not being able to post pictures due to internet rules)

and i suppose once i've got it mostly built and am at the point to do the second wrap i could try the auto hobby shop to see if i could use their torch, but for the time being i can't afford a torch setup, and i'm hoping that once i'm out i will be able to afford one.  but there is no other way to get both wraps without outsourcing to some extent?

[DSW]

Thanks for serving and stay safe.

 

From what I think you are describing, a torch to do localized heating seems to be the best way I can think of. Since you can't post picts ( probably for security reasons I assume), can you post a link to something similar? That might give guys a better idea if need be.

[VaughnT]

Sounds like you need localized heat so you can bend and wrap the metal in situ rather than going back and forth to your forge.  I really don't see a way around that if I'm picturing the build correctly.  I'm sure the hobby auto shop guys would be more than happy to help, though, as it sounds like something fun for them, too.

 

Thank you for serving!

[ThomasPowers]

you may need a ground forge to heat parts of a larger awkward whole

[Keganthewhale]

So i'm finally in a place where i can upload pics! so the first image (if i'm not mistaken) is a side view of the chair and then there are two versions of the back of the chair and then there is one of what i would like the foot of the chair to roll to some extent on that ball. but the on the side view you can see where its similar to a vine but it wraps on both the arm rest and the leg of the chair, but if i wrap one side i dont know how i would heat the other end to wrap without having a torch to localize the heat. i could go to the metal shop on base, but i try to avoid being on base any longer than i need to be. so any other advice would be appreciated, if i do have to wait to get a torch then i guess that it what i will have to do. but i just wanted to share what i said i would and maybe get some feedback on it.

-Kegan

 

 

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37809-chair-side-image/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37810-chair-back-v2/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37811-chair-back-v1/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37812-chair-foot-image/

[nuge]

Man, you really need a torch for wraps. Keep craigslisting, get decent sized tanks. Drawings look cool, you should build it, sell it, buy torch, build another.

[Keganthewhale]

i really want to do that, but i think i want to make a couple versions of it miniature, like 1/3 the size so i have a display that could be modified so that if anyone wants one it could be made to whatever height or minor tweaks that person might desire. but i would have to agree that i need to get a torch!