Designer Chair WIP

[geoff]

Have used purple heart as treads on an external stair once.

Don't like perforated steel. Looks naff 80's style IMO.

What I haven't mentioned is that I might cut biggish holes in the seat and back and put timber in there. Oh and a bit of timber on the arm-rests too.

Hmm....Zray...

[Mathew Everett]

I think the flat piece without the center supports would have been fine. depending on the metal you use maybe adding a 1/8 to a 1/4 thckness to the radius would give you the support you would need to hold 240lbs

Use a polished steel! or polished with a satin finish!

depending how the metal is formed you can get a good spring to the chair. make it so when is sits it looks flat, but when you sit it relaxes into a semi leaned back motion. the more forward you sit the flatter it gets, the futhur back you sit the more relaxed/ leaned back it gets.

[s0real]

any updates?

[geoff]

I re-rendered without the fillets, but the image is at home. Didn't have much time over the weekend to post it.

Don't think I can get the prototype made at our factory. The rollers we have a much too large in diameter. Designed for rolling stair stringers. So it means getting some other co. involved and will cost me more money (which I am lacking in). I'm sure I'll be able to get something done.

Thought of another name. Zhair! and of course a matching ztool! Makes you sound drunk when said aloud!

Will be sticking it on my updated website in the near future though. See if it generates any interest.

Thanks for the interest s0real. Will try a post the 'final' image tonight.

[Erik N]

The original two sketches look great. I second elektrosports points: Skip the cushions and develop the design within the logic of what is feasible by simply cutting and bending metal plates. Thats the good thing with your initial images, to my opinion, they adhere to some form of clear concept, whereas the cushions don't, not at all. Renders look great!

[geoff]

@Erik N. i see what you are getting at. I think I missed that point in electrosports post.
The only thing is that the chair won't be to comfy just made of steel, but I suppose I am compromising the design by adding other materials
I must admit that I'm easily influenced!
Does formal training help you decide or do you just know?
I want to take off the cushions!

I know. I'll have the plain one as the original concept, and then I could have options for different seating, if people want it.

Geoff

[Erik N]

I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea adding other materials, it's more that the cushions as they're drawn don't really speak the same language as the chair itself. Or something like that

How about spraycoating it in some kind of thermo-rubber-siliconestuff...!?

[s0real]

yeah, that would be pretty cool.

laminating the whole thing with something like a thin layer of neoprene...then you could add embossed padded sections or something?
although it may not need padding at all if the ergonomics are correct.
there are plenty of chairs that have flat seats and backs which don't have padding but are perfectly comfortable.

[geoff]

Erik N and s0real

That sounds cool. What's it look like!? Like is it a glossy plastic type stuff?

I'm looking at sticking holes and shapes in the seating bit but struggling a bit I want to be able to sketch in CAD, import and use the path deform modifier. This way I can just doodle seating ideas quickly and see what the look like on the seat profile. Bloody program keeps screwing up the mesh, holes in wrong place etc. normalise spline don't work either. I'll keep playing!
Trying not to use boolean as it sucks. Suppose I could poly model it

Thanks for your ideas and sticking with me.

Geoff

[geoff]

Here are some updates


tried an hdri (kitchen) prefered it black and white

horizontal slots. too big I think. (slight mesh issues due to viz almost doing what I what but it keeps taking shortcuts)

Vertical slots. again too big and needs a 'break' where it changes direction

Geoff

[Candelero]

No 3 is definately the best on - IMHO...
Just narrow the gaps more...

Do You intend to keep the model like this... i mean just the steel material.
I wouldn't like to stumbble in this chair in a dark room... would be quite a pain...

Best regards,
nikki Candelero

[s0real]

i can see why you'd want to put the slots in and everything, but in a way i prefer the simplicity of the one without any holes.

having said that, i think option 3 probably is the way to go from a practical point of view - the slices as they are will give the seat a nice amount of spring which will make the chair more comfortable, but i agree with Candelero, the gaps should be thinner or perhaps more gaps...

i don't think it would be wise to introduce a break at the seat/back point if that's what you were refering to as this would reduce the spring effect that the slots achieve.

keep at it!

P.S. where are those little feet to stop it high pointing?

[geoff]

I'm just messing around with it really. Others suggested it so I thought I'd give it a go! Although I did think there might be as weight issue. The top one in 6mm thick will weigh 35kg

s0real what is high pointing?

Geoff

[s0real]

basically if you have a flat plane (such as the base of your chair) and you place it on a surface that isn't completely flat, the plane will pivot on the highest point of the uneven surface - hence "high pointing"
that's why most pieces of furniture with flat bases will have some small pads or something similar on the underside as floors are invariably not perfectly flat!

didn't even think of the weight issue! i suppose just because your chair looks 'light' visually!

[paulison]

I think you need to think about the physics of someone leaning back in the chair as at the moment i think the centre of gravity may be slightly too far back? Hope that makes sense!

Nice idea though. I agreed with whoever made the comment that the chair could be made from 1 sheet without detatching the middle (chair bit) from the frame. could be an interesting experiment though

I also like the 3rd version the best but wouldnt give up on a version with just an arse-bone pad of some sort.