# Morris Chair



## White Delight (May 11, 2008)

Hi, i am new to this site, i just graduated high school and this is the chair i made this year. This is my third major project. Please give me a grade.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Welcome. Nice looking work. I know you asked for a grade, I am not going to do that ,not my style. (not meaning my style of work, I just don't believe in ranking what a guy has made) I will give you one of these though. :thumbsup:


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

WD: I'll have to give you a solid A...without being able to inspect it more closely. The finish looks outstanding, the scale and design are perfect. I've always liked the mission-style narrow slats. 

Great job, lets see some pics of your other work...
smitty


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## White Delight (May 11, 2008)

Thanks guys for the complements, i am hoping to do some kind of profession involving woodworking. I can't sell this piece because it was made for my mom but if you were to make a chair like this, how much would you try to sell it for?


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

White Delight said:


> Thanks guys for the complements, i am hoping to do some kind of profession involving woodworking. I can't sell this piece because it was made for my mom but if you were to make a chair like this, *how much would you try to sell it for?*


Nice work WD. With the _right_ client, and if the piece looks as nice in real life as in the pic. I'd say 1300-1700. Of course there's a big box manufacturer out there that will sell that set for half the cost. That's why it's important to target clients who only appreciate custom one-off work.

When pricing a piece like that, you have to remember from the time you pull out of your driveway the first day to go get the material, your clock has already started. It's tough to earn a good profit from those type jobs unless you're cranking them out consistently with the least amount of set backs, but when they do come out nice, the sense of pride overshadows the dollar thing...
Momentarily :laughing:


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

joesdad said:


> I'd say 1300-1700. Of course there's a big box manufacturer out there that will sell that set for half the cost. That's why it's important to target clients who only appreciate custom one-off work.


WD: I have to agree with Dad completely on this....solid hardwood, handbuilt pieces would easily suprise you on their price. Furniture chains, as well as local family-owned places, just can't touch the quality. Go browse around, take a note pad and write down some prices. The price they charge for the stapled, particle-board crap is shocking. For a good quality piece like this, I would agree---easily $1500.00.

Did you make the upholstery, also? Real leather? Do you have someone do the stictching? More details appreciated, and some detail pictures of the cushions would be great....a piece like this is on my list of things to do.

good luck
smitty


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## White Delight (May 11, 2008)

i had my mom help me with the upolstrey, we used vinyl, we got the more expensive kind so it feels pretty good lol, for the seat cushion i cut a piece of plywood that fit in the space and cut high density foam to size and stapled the fabric to the back of the board. we did this on the ottoman as well (because you never see the bottoms). Now the back cushion probably takes more skill to make because you actually have to sew it and my mom sews so she did that.(thank god for moms)

btw i forgot to add that the wood for this project costed around $120 and the fabric and cushions around $60, then add on the stain and poly and its about $200 for the whole project in materials. Makes me wish i made cut multiples of each piece and just made 2 or 3 chairs at once lol

This chair is all made out of oak and i just used simple golden oak stain.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Well done. The best part about furniture like this is that it lasts forever. No matter how good a price someone gets at a big box store selling decent looking, cheaply made, furniture, it simply doesn't last as well. Your grandkids will be able to use this chair without any problems. That's the biggest selling point to hand made solid wood furniture, in my opinion. 

As I've said to other people who've asked why I won't do this stuff for a living (and I've thought about it); "If I can make what I want and people will buy it, then I'll do this for a living. If I have to 'earn' it by catering to someone's whims, or their cheap budget I won't do it." I'm not trying to say people who buy inexpensive furniture are stingy or don't know value (I buy inexpensive furniture, usually) but people have their own ideas of what they want and need, and it rarely meshes well with the craftsman's ideas. I envy those people who make it work, but I'm certainly not one of them. Maybe in 20 years after I retire, I'll sell furniture to make money, but until then, it's just for fun and gifts.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Looks like a flawless execution from what I can see, and being in the middle of a mission style bench right now, I can appreciate the amount of work all those mortise and tenon joints are. Nicely done! :thumbsup:


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## Domer (Mar 23, 2008)

Your chair looks great in the photo. 

I have checked prices on the internet for Morris Chairs from individual craftsmen and I see lots of them in the $6,000 range. I have no ideal how many they sell but they must sell some or they would not advertise.

I walked by the Thomas Moser store in Georgetown last summer and saw a little book case that he was selling for $4,000. I didn't believe it but later went to his web site and that really was the price. 

I went to a seminar by a factory guy from Stickley and looked at their Morris Chair. As I remember it, their Morris Chair was going for about $1,300. 

I just built a different Stickley designed Morris Chair and I think mine is every bit the quality as the Stickley and I would guess that yours is as well. I built mine out of white oak as it is traditional but it is a more expensive wood. The wood cost me closer to $350 plus $200 for the upholstery plus finishing supplies and I am sure at least one new tool. 

The advantage of buying a chair from you is that because it is a hand build chair, you can customize the size to fit the user. You can use different woods and finishes and different materials plus it is a one of, not one of thousands which means that the life expectancy of one of your chairs is measured in at least decades and not a few years. 

I would guess that marketing your work will be the hardest part. Sam Malof sold his first set for exactly the price of the wood. But obviously, has done OK since. Since you are young and without a lot of built in expenses, go for it. You will likely regret it later if you don't at least try.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Domer said:


> I would guess that marketing your work will be the hardest part.
> 
> Since you are young and without a lot of built in expenses, go for it. You will likely regret it later if you don't at least try.


We have a winner, the quote of the day:clap:.


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## White Delight (May 11, 2008)

Thanks alot for all of the feedback i had no idea i would get so much. I figure that if i sold just one chair, then i will make enough for a new table saw lol. If i were to start making furniture such as this chair i would have to invest in some tools. Man is it nice to have a woodshop at school that has every tool and is always available for my use.

Like you guys mentioned, it is hard to find someone to buy this kind of stuff. Maybe i could take it to a woodworking show and see if people are interested. I do not know the first way of going about getting people to buy it, any suggestions would be greatly appriciated.


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## leejb (Feb 16, 2008)

WD to sell your chair, I would sit down and figure out how many hours it took to build the chair including your moms time. Then figure how much an hour you want, you already know how much the materials are. Add all that together and thats what you charge for the chair. Also add in the cost of business cards. 

Places to sell your chairs are at craft fairs or craft shows (add in the cost for the rent for the space). Ask your chamber of commerce if there are any craft shows or fairs coming to your town.

Take the chair to the craft fair or woodworking show and let people sit in it and look at the craftsmanship in it, it is a outstanding chair.
Good luck!


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## Domer (Mar 23, 2008)

Art and Craft Festivals can be a way to sell your work. However, make sure you submit to high end juried festivals. If you go to low end festivals, you get low end buyers. There are also some festivals that do not accept furniture. 

There is a jury fee for virtually all festivals and booth fees. Most festivals now require at least 4 photos of your work plus a photo of your booth.

Many of the better festivals attract artists from all over the country. The good news for you is that not many furniture makers can afford to haul their work a long distance so you most likely will be competing against local people.

You might want to contact interior decorators in your area. I know of at least one in the Kansas City area that commissions high end furniture. 

Just some thoughts.


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## BigHUGE201 (May 14, 2008)

I really like the design i dont know if i could give you a "grade" without looking at it closer but i love the through mortise and tennons. Also, the finish looks amazing, and all of the proportions look excellent, which is always important in furniture design.


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