making an office chair

[mimoose]

hello, i have recently joined in because i am studying the basics of welding. i am doing this so i can build a bike that be my main transportation vehicle. also some garden sculpture, but after that i would like to build a decent office chair by the fall. i am so sick of the these imported chairs with plastic parts for the arms, however, confession, i am also obese(thats why i am also making the bike). if there is way i could still use the 5-leg bottom with rolling casters from my old chair i would love that but a strong steel frame for the seat part, that would be really nice. also, they has to be a more secure way to bolt the uphostery/cushion in instead of the flimsy schools part to the frame. they are forever there are office chair for heavyweight people, but they cost 500-600 dollars. does anyone have a link for building office chairs? thanks

[Big65mopar]

It's going to take you more than a summer to learn how to weld properly enough to build a bike frame that is safe and reliable. Office chairs are made out of plastics and minimal light metals because of weight issues and to make one out of all metal would be potentially just as costly as what you quoted in time and resources. Your better bet is to get on to a diet and exercise program and stick with it to get your weight under control like I have been doing for the last 5 weeks with weight watchers and jogging and cardio, so far I have lost 16lbs and my health has improved dramatically for the better.

[Matt_Maguire]

Hmmmmm! Headline = Big65mopar swaps out for a small block, Still Fast!

I just couldn't resist!

Good advice to the OP as most of the chairs are only rated to 300lbs total load if they have the little gas shock adjusment under them.

If I were to make a chair for more weight I would consider a traditional 4 leg design with correctly sized casters under them. I would imagine the build would be easier than trying to salvage parts from a donor chair.

Matt

[DSW]

Originally Posted by Matt_Maguire

Hmmmmm! Headline = Big65mopar swaps out for a small block, Still Fast!

I just couldn't resist!

Hmmmm.... 440 driver shifts to 360-318 and is looking for 273

[Broccoli1]

Originally Posted by Big65mopar

It's going to take you more than a summer to learn how to weld properly enough to build a bike frame that is safe and reliable. Office chairs are made out of plastics and minimal light metals because of weight issues and to make one out of all metal would be potentially just as costly as what you quoted in time and resources. Your better bet is to get on to a diet and exercise program and stick with it to get your weight under control like I have been doing for the last 5 weeks with weight watchers and jogging and cardio, so far I have lost 16lbs and my health has improved dramatically for the better.

A Bike sounds like a pretty good exercise program

[Broccoli1]

Mimoose,

don't know of any sites that have plans for a chair.

Gonna just have to wing it and look at as much metal stuff out there to get an idea on the build for your chair.

Good Luck.

[Blueduck600]

If you can find a heavy duty office chair that's comfortable and will last for 500-600 dollars...just buy it.

Just the heavy duty tilt/swivel mechanism (without lift) will cost you $180+

You will need:
To know how to make quality welds, not just stick 2 pieces of steel together.
To understand how weight+leverage effects the design.
To know how to make, and have the equipment to fabricate parts.
To understand the ergonomics involved in designing a chair, or you'll end up with a chair that hurts to sit in.
Simple upholstery skills

You can learn all this without going to school, but by the fall?

If you love learning and building things, than rock and roll! And please post pics of your progress. There's plenty of people here to help, but you've got to go one step at a time.

I'd like to make my own, if I had the time.

btw how much do you weigh? so I have an idea of just how heavy duty we're talking here?

[Big65mopar]

Originally Posted by Broccoli1

A Bike sounds like a pretty good exercise program

Depending on what type yes but a visit to the ER and rehab afterward would not and as much as I have become a decent tig welder through school I still have a ways to go before I would be able to build a bike frame whether a person powered or motor powered.

[Bob]

A big insurance company in town used to bring me chairs quite often that they wanted me to modify for the big folks. The company that built the chairs had a mod kit that had braces that welded to the legs and under the seat at the top of the pedestal. The original chairs were rated for 250# and with the braces they were rated for 350#. So you might just look for the kit for the chair you have. Just a thought.

[llamafur]

I took the right middle passenger seat out of my aerostar, mounted it to a piece of mdf then used drywall screws to attach the spinney caster thing from another to the bottom. It is probably the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. Here's my old man testing it out.

[mimoose]

thanks for the replies, when i had not gotten any responses the first day, i thought i had no replies.
my weight is 280lbs.
yes, a bike is good exercise, part of why i am building it. but that takes time. in the meantime i wanted a good chair to work in.
ok, since there appears to be no diy design for such a chair, i will go ahead and buy a chair by the fall, but maybe i can get braces in the meantime.

[chairsx]

Originally Posted by llamafur

I took the right middle passenger seat out of my aerostar, mounted it to a piece of mdf then used drywall screws to attach the spinney caster thing from another to the bottom. It is probably the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. Here's my old man testing it out.

Woow cool........great job dude, keep being creatif