A Folding Lounge Chair

Fit. Red oak,  Cherry Stain

This chair I designed and built in 1981. I call it my Fit Lounge.  Look up the word "fit" for a rounded out description that very well matches the chair's features. 

Dictionary.com: Fit

Fit is a good example of 4th dimension design.  For most of its life it stands still and ready.  Welcoming me in for some time off my feet.  Several times in its life it has folded up flat for easy carry and compact shipping. 

4th Dimension Design.

The cushions are supported by canvas.  Under the seat the canvas is stretched drum tight using two aluminum bar cam levers. Originally the cam levers were made from oak. Not being sure how long the oak levers would last I replaced them with some 1/4" thick aluminum bar stock.  Through the cushion you never "bottom out" and feel a hard surface.  During shipping/moving the cam levers can release the tension to let the canvas relax.  The back canvas wraps around the top rail, runs over two elastic straps, around a 1" dowel to the low base stretcher between the back legs. It runs around that stretcher and with sewn in Velcro strips it sticks to itself. When the chair is folded up the path for the back canvas is a little shorter, easing tension on the back straps.  The back straps add a flexible lumbar contour to the back cushion. Much more comfortable than a flat plane. 

Canvas Support

Pivot points between the seat and the outer frame have a 1/16" thick nylon washer to keep the wood from rubbing against wood.  The black bracket is 1/16" thick aluminum plate sprayed black for contrast.  If I made a new one I would have the plates powder coated. The cushions have been recovered twice, and are due for one more update. Perhaps with leather this time. 

Folded up it is four inches thick with cushions removed.

All outer edges are rounded over.  A friend volunteered to model it for me.

Gretchen

Fit won 1st place in the summer casual furniture category at IWF's Design Emphasis competition in 1982.  I mentioned to the judges that I also had a redwood version that I took out to my deck when the weather was nice.  Because it folded up flat for easy carry it was easy to take in and out.  

Fit has proven its durability and usefulness.  It has been my favorite landing spot after a hard day of work for 41 years. 

Questions and comments are encouraged!

4D