A Chair That Builds Itself

Photography & Video Woodworking Workshop
A Chair That Builds Itself
YouTube player

Frank Howarth is a maker who possesses the dual talents of woodworking and filmmaking. In this video, he uses stop-motion to show the construction of a spiffy lawn chair, from rough hewing the wood, to final assembly and staining.

He took 12,000 frames to assemble this, and did all the sound design in post-production. There’s something about it that’s whimsical — like the chair’s components are trying hard to put themselves together. There’s also a sort of haunting feeling as if the chair is being built by a mysterious invisible man.

It’s a novel take on a woodworking tutorial. There are no human bodies to get in the way of the action, and as a result, safety concerns the viewer may have are stripped away. The result is just unadulterated construction.

12 thoughts on “A Chair That Builds Itself

  1. Ross Radford says:

    The way you use the jointer looks a little different than what I’m used to (according to this video, anyway). Is there a reason for that? You are using the wood efficiently, leaving minimal waste and I love the furniture cart. Where did you get that, btw?

  2. Denbo says:

    If a chair is going to build itself it should wear eye protection.

  3. Donald says:

    Sweet! I love that monster bandsaw and the shots from the wood’s point of view. I also love the sound elements. Like when the box joint hinges on itself… it wouldn’t have made that sound as he filmed it in stop motion, but he did it a second time, recorded it, and put the sound over the top. Very cool. I wouldn’t have minded if a human showed up periodically in this either. DiResta’s stop motion stuff resembles this and I enjoy watching the stop-motion depiction of the tedium that the maker goes through.

  4. asciimation says:

    Very nice. In places it has a very 80s feel to it. Like something we would have watched on Sesame Street.

    Simon

    1. Michael Colombo says:

      That’s true! Old Sesame St had so much cool stop-motion stuff using everyday objects. Teeny Little Super Guy, that operatic orange, etc…

      1. asciimation says:

        I had to go look that up again, the Operatic Orange. I remember that!

        Simon

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

In addition to being an online editor for MAKE Magazine, Michael Colombo works in fabrication, electronics, sound design, music production and performance (Yes. All that.) In the past he has also been a childrens' educator and entertainer, and holds a Masters degree from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program.

View more articles by Michael Colombo

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK