A bog chair is a simple portable chair that is made from two pieces of wood (boards) that fit together in an interlocking pattern. A long tenon is cut into one wooden board, and it needs to interlock with a mortise made on another board. Bog chair is also known as a Stargazer Chair, a X-chair, a plank chair and a Viking chair.
The chair may often be associated with the Vikings and the peoples that used to live in the north of Europe, but there is actually no evidence to prove where exactly it first came from. Some artifacts indicate that, most probably, this type of chair originated from Africa. The chair came to Europe in the 19th century, and it was popular in the early 20th century. The construction of the bog chair is both simple and very practical – you can fold it in an instant and it needs minimum space when unfolded.
The dimensions of the finished chair will be: Height 484mm (19.05 in), Width 300mm (11.81 in) and Length 1114mm (43.84 in)
You can use many kinds of wood for making this chair, but we recommend hardwood.
In the drawings you have all the necessary dimensions to help you make the boards adequately.
- Cut two boards with dimensions 1200mm (47.24in) x 300mm (11.81in) and 1300mm (51.19in) x 300mm (11.81in) ;
- Cut the parts (Chair seat i Chair back) according to the drawings in the plan;
- Cut out a mortise in the chair back part. The mortise must be slightly larger than the tenon to make the chair fold easily.
- Fit the two pieces together and try it out.
When folding a bog chair, it will probably require a tiny adjustment that is due to the design rather than the plan. A slight increase in the dimensions of the mortise in relation to the tenon will cause a slight change in the angle between the boards (see image below).
There are several types of the bog chair, and the only difference among them is the type of woodworking joint that is used to interconnect the boards. Two other common types of the bog chair can be seen in the picture below.
Bog chairs are ideal for woodworkers who are into carving, as they have large surfaces allowing beautiful patterns to be carved. Sometimes these chairs turn out to be true artworks.