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FurnitureJoineryReclaimed ply

Second Cut

A structural exploration of plywood joinery, built from Sons of Beasley laminated ply offcuts from bespoke kitchen company Plykea.

Second Cut chair from the front, in pastel laminated ply
Problem
Turn a fixed stock of laminated ply offcuts into a chair, letting the sizes and colours of the material set the rules.
Approach
Tested joints small in MDF, refined them through 1:5 models, then planned every screw and step of assembly in CAD before a 1:1 prototype.
Outcome
A colourful working chair with a 4° forward seat angle and storage beneath the seat.
Role
Designer & maker
Timeline
Studio project
Team
Solo
Tools
CAD, Mitre saw, Drill driver, Clamps

Skills

  • Structural joinery
  • Scale modelling
  • Assembly planning
  • Technical drawing
  • Woodwork

Phases

  1. 01Research
  2. 02Model
  3. 03Plan
  4. 04Prototype
  5. 05Make

01 / Research

Finding structure at a small scale first.

I experimented with structural joinery in MDF at small scale, then developed each idea based on where it was strong and where it failed.

  • MDF joinery test 1
  • MDF joinery test 2
  • MDF joinery test 3
  • MDF joinery test 4
  • MDF joinery test 5
  • MDF joinery test 6
  • MDF joinery test 7
  • MDF joinery test 8
  • MDF joinery test 9
  • MDF joinery test 10

02 / Development

Four chairs at 1:5, one joinery principle.

The strongest test, a crossed brace, became the guiding principle. Scale models explored how it could carry a seat, a backrest and a storage shelf.

Four 1:5 scale chair models in a row
The crossed-brace joint the chair is built around

Guiding principle

1:5 scale model development using the joinery tests.

03 / Planning

Every screw placed before a single cut.

In CAD I planned screw placement and the order of assembly, panel by panel. The chair is held together by 62 screws in five lengths.

  • Assembly step 1: 2 sides × (3 × 20 mm)

    012 sides × (3 × 20 mm)

  • Assembly step 2: 2 sides × (3 × 20 mm)

    022 sides × (3 × 20 mm)

  • Assembly step 3: 2 sides × (3 × 20 mm)

    032 sides × (3 × 20 mm)

  • Assembly step 4: 2 sides × (2 × 30 mm)

    042 sides × (2 × 30 mm)

  • Assembly step 5: 4 × 25 mm

    054 × 25 mm

  • Assembly step 6: 2 sides × (3 × 35 mm)

    062 sides × (3 × 35 mm)

  • Assembly step 7: 4 panels × (2 × 25 mm)

    074 panels × (2 × 25 mm)

  • Assembly step 8: 2 sides × (2 × 40 mm) + 2 sides × (1 × 20 mm)

    082 sides × (2 × 40 mm) + 2 sides × (1 × 20 mm)

  • Assembly step 9: 3 panels × (4 × 25 mm)

    093 panels × (4 × 25 mm)

  • Assembly step 10: 4 × 25 mm

    104 × 25 mm

Total 3.5 mm screws: 20 × 20 mm, 28 × 25 mm, 4 × 30 mm, 6 × 35 mm, 4 × 40 mm.

04 / Technical

Twelve parts, cut from 6 mm and 20 mm ply.

Technical drawing
Cutting list with dimensions for parts A to LChair model with each part labelled A to L

Cutting list for the final chair, keyed to the labelled model.

Unique parts, A to L
12
Unique parts, A to L
Ply thicknesses
6 & 20 mm
Ply thicknesses
3.5 mm screws
62
3.5 mm screws

05 / Making

From a 1:1 prototype to the final chair.

Cutting, spindling, marking, aligning, clamping, drilling, countersinking, screwing. The prototype led to accurate screw placements that prevent crossover, a planned assembly order and a more comfortable backrest angle.

The 1:1 prototype chair in grey laminate
  • Screwing the seat panel onto the frame
  • Cutting ply on the mitre saw
  • Feeding a strip through the table saw
  • Clamping a panel before drilling
  • Checking a joint against a leg
  • Drilling through a clamped brace

06 / Outcome

A chair for working, with room underneath.

  • Second Cut chair from the front, in pastel laminated ply
  • Second Cut chair from behind, showing the storage shelf
  1. 01

    4° forward seat

    The seat tips slightly forward to support an upright working posture.

  2. 02

    Under-chair storage

    A slatted shelf between the legs keeps a bag or books off the floor.

  3. 03

    Colour from the offcuts

    Each panel keeps the laminate colour of the offcut it was cut from.