How to make a chair

[Scuba Pete]

Anyone know a quick and easy way to make a seat to sit by the fire?

When there are no logs etc laying about whats the best method of making a chair. I was thinking about it the other day, I find it alot more comfortable than sitting on the floor.

I was thinking I could sew some kind of seat, and build a frame from wood when I arrive at camp.

 

[Toddy]

There are little fold out triangular stools available for £2.99 but they are heavy since they have metal legs. However, if you remove the seat cover and cut a length of bike inner tube about 15cms / 6" long, that's all pretty lightweight to carry and all you need to cut when you get to site are the three legs. The inner tube kind of scrunches up and creates a surprisingly secure *joint* to hold the three legs together.
There must be dozens of ideas out there............

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[gregorach]

You could have a look at this Camp Stool tutorial... But it takes quite a lot of rope.

 

[pierre girard]

Anyone know a quick and easy way to make a seat to sit by the fire?

When there are no logs etc laying about whats the best method of making a chair. I was thinking about it the other day, I find it alot more comfortable than sitting on the floor.

I was thinking I could sew some kind of seat, and build a frame from wood when I arrive at camp.

I used to make and sell a camp stool something like this:

http://www.gggodwin.com/89.htm

Except I would use saplings for the legs and cross pieces and inlet them with a mortise and tennon, wedging them together using no nails or screws. Some of the seats I made of canvas - as shown on the site - some I would make of "wiigob," or inner bark of basswood. I'd get a bit more for those.

I never used them, but people said they were nice. I used to have a couple around, but I think they finally got tossed. Personally, I just sit on the ground.

 

[philaw]

I know it's not a chair, but I take one of those big, thin, flexible plastic placemats (like babies use). It weighs nothing and fits in my bag against my back. You can wipe it dry with a tissue, or just shake the water off it, it'll protect you and your beloved gore-tex from thorns and things, and doubels as a food preparation surface and chopping board, placemat, or any one of a number of other things.

 

[falling rain]

Cut 4 sturdy sticks for the legs and tie them together with paracord just above centre and pull apart to make a cross. Then lay a log (size of your choice) across the 2 cruxes of the legs. Bingo. It'll look like the saw horse in Mors K's book.

To tie the legs start with timber hitch and wind the cord in a figure of 8 whipping fashion between the 2 legs and tie off. There's probably a name for this but I can't think of it right now. All you have to carry with you is the cord. (or you can even make that too if you really want to got to the trouble.) The rest you can find in the forest, and you can leave it there after use. PS make the legs very sturdy and the cross log fairly thin about 4 inches diameter. You can flatten one face of the log with your axe for comfort on the bum. Whole thing should take about 20 minutes and better than lunking a chair all over the show if you're back packing

 

[Shewie]

If my memory serves me right Thermarest make a lightweight chair converter which you can use on any of their mats. I think it`s just a couple of sleeves to slide over the ends of your mat with webbing providing the support.

Personally I just take a sit-mat (small bum-sized mat) with me and rest my back against a tree.

 

[Zodiak]

I am very nervous about things like this I just KNOW that evetually one would break and the sharp end would ....

 

[spamel]

Take two stout straight branches and tie them at the top end, spread the lower ends to form an "A". Also at the top end, lash a large hessian sack so that it hangs down to the desired length. Cut a small hole at the two sides at the bottom of the sack and push a third stick through it so that it will rest attop the A frame, this forms the straight bar of the "A". Prop the whole affair against a tree with the legs further away from the base of the tree, and you have a very comfortable chair. All you need to carry is the sack and the string, and if you have the sack prepared before you go, with the hole cut in place, you won't even need a knife!

 

[spamel]

If you have access to wood, point two stakes and drive them into the ground at about 45 degrees, so that they are next to a tree trunk each. Then lash them securely to the trees and place a log across the gap between the two trees sat into the v shape that is made by the stake and trunk, lash in place, sit down with brew and laugh at everyone else squatting in the mud!!

 

[Scuba Pete]

Thanks, there have been some really great replies.

It rains alot in scotland, I dont like the sitting about getting covered in mud etc. I will have to try some of them out. The mats sound ideal when kneeling to light a fire etc. The wood chairs would be great for the campfire. I will be out walking with just a rucksac, so I like the ideas where I dont need to take much with me.

 

[Tony]

A couple of logs with your rucksack on top?

 

[gregorach]

Or even just the internal "frame" pad if you've got the right sort of pack.

I used to use my oiled leather Snowy Mountain bush hat to provide waterproofing, insulation and a very small degree of cushioning - before I lost it.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I think for some of these chairs I will need to invest in an axe. It might be a bit much for a folding saw and knife.

 

[spamel]

Well, with the A frame chair, I suppose you could use the loop on top of the bergen over the top of the "A" and then put the crosspiece through the tightened straps, that may work! I do't think a hessian bag would weigh all that much though, and I suppose you could use other fabric instead, double it over and lash it to the top, put the stick through the gap between the sheets and it will rest on the fold. You could even make a strap at the top of the fabric so that you don't need a seperate piece of string. Hmm, not a bad idea that actually!!

 

[Nathan Sturgess]

Hammer four stakes into the ground in a square so that they all reach the same height. Now lash sticks together that just overlap the edges of the square. tie rope on to the sides of the lashed stick seat and stake them into the ground nice and taut to make it stable. I will try and draw a diagram.

 

[Goose]

I sometimes use my cheapo net hammock, hang it on two trees closer together than you would for sleeping in or from a handy branch. You can hang it on a fairly high branch so it hangs down to the correct height. It works well and is really adaptable, I have even considered making a hammock chair to put in my pocket.

 

[crazydave]

get the thermarest kit or have a look then make one - they do two styles - I've got the 3/4 length version - you dont need a thermarest any mat will do. someone makes a cheap roll up seat version which could be used as an emergency half kit mat.

there's always one of those fishing daysacks with a built in stool

 

[dommyracer]

I was thinking that it would be quite cool to have a rectangle of material (para nylon perhaps) with either eyelets or loops on each corner.

You could then cut a suitable branch into four lengths, lash them together in pairs in two X shapes, and put the end of the branch up through the eyelet / loop on each corner.

You would need to sharpen off the ends of the sticks so that the holes / loops wedged down on the sticks.

Not sure if I explained it very well....?

 

[crazydave]

how about a hammock chair?