Home Sign Up!

Browse Community Submit

All Art Craft Food Games Green Home Kids Life Music Offbeat Outdoors Pets Photo Ride Science Tech

Rubber Hose Chair

by wholman on July 30, 2009 Table of Contents Rubber Hose Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: Rubber Hose Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Framin' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Holes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Finishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Hosin' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 4 6 7 7 8 9

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

Author:wholman author's website

I am an artist and writer who graduated with a degree in architecture in 2007. I currently live and work in Greensboro, AL.

Intro: Rubber Hose Chair

Nearly every job site or good-sized shop has rubber air hose for running nail guns or a multitude of other tubes. The hose in this project is 3/4" in diameter, about 45 feet long, and is made from tough, flexible rubber. In a former life it was used to run a spray gun for lacquering cabinets. After developing leaks at both ends, it was retired. The rubber is in decent shape, but it shows its age with hairline cracks and thick coating of grime. It was easy to clean with some denatured alcohol and rags. Once clean, cut off the brass or steel fittings at each end. The resulting chair is really comfortable. It feels like sitting on rubber bands. The trick is to have narrow enough spacing and a tight-enough weave so that your weight is evenly distributing across as many lengths of hose as possible, which will in turn evenly distribute the stress on the hose, preventing sagging and long-term decay. The overall form is quite reclined, with an interior width of about 22". Assuming the hose is recycled (garden hose would work as well, though it typically is made from thinner rubber), the only other materials are one 2'x 2' piece of 3/4" plywood and four 2' x 1/2" dia. threaded rods with nuts and washers. There is almost no waste from the process, making it quite efficient for both the environment and your wallet. Out-of-pocket costs are about fifteen-twenty bucks, depending.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

Step 1: Framin'
The two L-shaped pieces that comprise the sides of the chair are made out of single pieces of 3/4" plywood, cut form a 2' x 2' sheet. That material shouldn't cost more than five bucks or so at the hardware store. Those "Ls" come out of the four sides, creating a rhomboid center leftover pieces, which was cut up to use as the legs. The specific dimensions are not important, as they can be changed to fit your tastes. The angle is obtuse, maybe roughly 100 degrees, and each leg of the "L" is about eighteen inches long. Make sure the pieces are at least four inches at their narrowest point, to provide for strength. Lay out your pieces, and cut with a circular saw, jigsaw, or bandsaw. Cut the leftover center piece into four roughly equal pieces, or two pairs of matching pieces. I made the back legs a little wider than the front. Lay the legs on top of the "Ls" and play around with them until you have both an angle of recline that you feel comfortable with as well as a decent height off the ground. My version is only about a foot from the ground to the seating surface at its lowest point. Run a straightedge over the feet to derive the angle at which they will meet the ground and cut off. Glue and screw the legs to the inside of the "Ls."

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

Step 2: Holes
Measure the diameter of the hose and its length. Calculate the spacing of the holes for the hose based on how long the hose is, i.e. how many back-and-forths the hose can make before you run out. Lay out the centers so that the edge of each hole is at least 3/8" below the edge of the plywood. Make the diameter of each hole 1/16" to 1/8" bigger than the hose to allow for movement. When drilling, go partway through the wood from one side, then flip it over and get the rest drilled out from the backside. This prevents the wood from chipping out and make ragged holes. Lay out four holes for the threaded rods as well; one at each end of the "L", one at the crook of the "L", and one connecting the back legs near the bottom. Countersink the washers and nuts for a finished appearance. Try to keep the rods as far from the seating surface as possible so they do not interfere with the hose as it sags.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

Step 3: Finishing
Since I used construction-grade plywood, the material was quite rough, with sharp edges. Also, the cuts, done freehand with a circular saw, were not as straight as they could be. To clean up the edges, even out the appearance of straightness, and make the chair smoother to the touch, run a roundover bit in a router all the way around each piece, then sand thoroughly, first with 100 grit, then 120. You could also use a chamfer; I would just recommend that any edge treatment be on the heavier side, say 1/4"-1/2", to make the chair inviting to the touch. Assemble with the threaded rods. use a ratchet and wrench to tighten the threaded rods and rigidify the chair. Apply 2-3 coats of polyurethane or similar with a soft rag. Sand with 220 or 320 grit between coats. Do not worry about getting in all the hose holes, as they will be hidden from view. Once the finish is dry and hard, buff in a coat of furniture wax for maximum smoothness. The last picture shows the total waste from the project; eight small scraps of wood and a small pile of sawdust.

Step 4: Hosin'
Pin the hose at one end with a screw and a washer. Then "sew" up the sides. At each hole, brace your feet against the frame and pull the hose through with both arms as hard as you can, to stretch the hose tight. Being rubber, it will inevitably sag over time, so it's best to get it as tight as possible now. These hoses can handle a tremendous amount of force. Not shown here is my first attempt at this chair, using reclaimed pallet wood. I stretched the hose so tight it snapped part of the frame off, which flew up and almost busted me in the jaw. The plywood in this version is a much stronger material. That said, you can see in the first photographs in the introduction that sides of the frame curve inward and the legs belly out from the tension of the hose. The threaded rods are also bent into slight "smiles" from the same force; this isn't such a bad thing, as it bends away from the surface of the seat, accommodating the sag of the hose when someone is sitting there. Sit down and enjoy!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

Related Instructables

Sign Chair by wholman

Instant Furniture by TimAnderson

Cardboard Cantilever Chair by wholman

Cardboard Cantilever Chair 2.0 by wholman

Wheel Stool by wholman

Crutch Chair by wholman

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 70 comments

topkun says:

Oct 12, 2010. 9:46 AM REPLY Thank you Mr. Wholman. You are my inspiration. I had made chair similar you but i chang from rubber to rope. It's very strong but not complete .I will modify somthing, add arm , change kind of rope and so on. I will appreciat if you comment. Thank you again.

dombeef says:
You should make it so that you run water through it to make it water cooled

Aug 8, 2009. 11:05 AM REPLY

felipriscilla says:
Wasteful, but awesome.

Aug 17, 2009. 8:56 PM REPLY

M4industries says:
Could be a closed loop.

Jun 13, 2010. 9:00 AM REPLY

dombeef says:
Yeah with a solar panel to power the pump

Jun 13, 2010. 10:51 AM REPLY

M4industries says:
0.o Two hours for a response! That is lightning on this site! Good job.

Jun 13, 2010. 6:04 PM REPLY

dombeef says:
Once someone replied to me in a half minute

Jun 14, 2010. 6:51 AM REPLY

Yerboogieman says:
Not if you water the....Good Point!

Aug 17, 2009. 9:34 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

M4industries says:

Jun 13, 2010. 8:59 AM REPLY That looks very comfy to sit in for an afternoon. It would be even better with latex surgical tubing pulled taught. Home Depot sells it for around $3 per foot.

djswan says:

May 23, 2010. 7:01 PM REPLY Hey I know that you said that the dimensions were not important but I was hoping that you would share the dimensions that you used on the chair because I don't want to screw up. Thanks, DJ

wholman says:

May 23, 2010. 7:17 PM REPLY can't say i remember off the top of my head, as i don't have the chair anymore, but it's something around two feet wide (the wider, the more the sag in the hose, so be careful there), the front edge of the seat (where your knee hits) is about fourteen inches off the ground, the seat is probably eighteen inches deep, and the back eighteen inches tall.

djswan says:
Thanks for the help.

May 24, 2010. 7:00 PM REPLY

KoolAidDisaster says:

Dec 28, 2009. 7:27 AM REPLY You know what would be great, if you put another hose through vertically! It would sort of be like a hardcore lawn chair. Great work man!

yusufamir says:
this is a very nice idea indeed, much satisfies my hunger for curry. :)

Dec 14, 2009. 2:42 AM REPLY

moo of the cow says:

cool this must be expensive to buy those hoses

Sep 4, 2009. 6:50 PM REPLY

tbird45039 says:
na you can find air compressor hose pretty cheap at most hardware stores

Oct 14, 2009. 4:59 AM REPLY

hassi says:
Lowe's has 3/4" x 50' rubber air hose for $45.00 (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=75153-177-LOTAP34075&lpage=none)... A tad bit 'spensive for my taste, but that's just me... Might want to maybe hang out at your local Habitat Re-Store for a few weeks to see if one comes in...

Nov 18, 2009. 3:11 PM REPLY

Lance Mt. says:

Really?

Sep 5, 2009. 9:17 PM REPLY

realgenius65 says:
Wow, am I ever impressed!!! As a wood worker and recycler I find this to be an awesome project and the cost is "Perfect"!!!!!

Aug 21, 2009. 11:46 AM REPLY

CatDoc says:

Aug 6, 2009. 11:00 AM REPLY What kid/toddler wouldn't want to crawl through these? They put their head through the top couple of them, then do a forward somersault, winding their trachea into it nice and tight and hanging by their necks.

macrumpton says:

Aug 12, 2009. 8:55 PM REPLY I have seen office chairs using a similar suspension system (like bungees), as well as any number of outdoor beach lounges. I suspect if they were deathtraps the design would not be so popular. Aug 9, 2009. 12:07 PM REPLY Im sorry CatDoc but I just cant agree with your comments. The design for this bench is simplistic, economical, and spot on. If one added vertical bracing to the hose to minimize head insertion by a child, I think it would take away from the elastic feel. The world of 'What If's' encompasses everything and anything that isent in our immediate line of sight. What if a child had a loose sock and slipped down the stairs?, What if I I tripped over a rock in the lawn and landed in the pool? What if someone didn't realize a BBQ was running and burnt there hand on it ? The world of 'What If's' is endless. I believe to answer your question, a parent who has concerns about a child's safety, simply needs to be vigilant. I cant see the world ever becoming 'Child Proof'....and if it did, wow would it be a boring place...lol Great job on that bench, I think I'm going to 'try' and build me one. Thumbs Up. !!!

Silentwolf2004 says:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

KamakaziHero says:

Oct 14, 2009. 3:58 AM REPLY well i built one, and the tubes are tight enough and that closetogether that the hypothetical infant would have to have the neck ofchuck norris to force its head in between them...

son ja says:

Aug 7, 2009. 12:27 AM REPLY looks perfect as it is to me. I would rather sit on a pile of rubber bands than a pile of wood any day. Also excellent job on minimizing waste - though you didn't put those metal connecty things at the end of the hose in the pic :) Really great and inspiring project!

Kilsmer says:
How expensive would it be to purchase the same length of hose you used?

Aug 4, 2009. 6:48 AM REPLY

1337_Penguin says:
I saw a 50 feet of the same air hose at home depot for 18 USD.

Aug 7, 2009. 12:19 AM REPLY

wholman says:
new air hose is not cheap, at least a buck a foot. you need ~45 feet.

Aug 4, 2009. 7:25 AM REPLY

btop says:
10 on ebay?

Aug 4, 2009. 2:15 PM REPLY

lonejack says:

Aug 6, 2009. 5:16 PM REPLY Great Idea!! I am going to,"borrow," it for a cardboard Kayak my grandson and I are building for the Gorilla Glue contest. One suggestion I would make would be to move the front rod down enough to put it inside of a 4 or 6" PVC tube. The tube would afford some lateral support. Just a suggestion to pile on to the many I have read here. You know the story, the last lier doesn't have a chance.

gilsnax says:
Bizarre and cool at the same time! You ARE The Man, man.

Aug 6, 2009. 12:52 PM REPLY

SantaB says:
Would none threaded rods work better, assuming you could had only the ends threaded?

Aug 6, 2009. 12:09 PM REPLY

baker420e says:

Aug 6, 2009. 11:50 AM REPLY Great chair! Don't let people get you down, its a great design and if they think they can do better, well let them try. Ha ha. As a civil engineer your theories seem sound, alas the world is meant to decay and eventually everything does. How long do they expect a chair to last that costs so little. Keep up the good work! Aug 2, 2009. 8:21 PM REPLY very cool design, but one complaint from a mechanical engineer: circular rod is at its weakest under axial compression, like you have it loaded here. that bend is going to increase over time, as the tension of the hose and the weight of people sitting in the chair work together to splay out the legs. the best fix would be to put a piece of wood or square metal tube where the threaded rod is now, (both are strong in compression and less prone to buckling) and move the threaded rod down below it. that way the bar acts as a fulcrum: the tension in the hose and the tension in the rod are on opposite sides and will oppose each other, the legs will stay straight and your chair will stay strong throughout its lifetime. good luck!

cchamlin says:

WhoTookMudshark says:
This is a great idea! Thank you for your input cchamlin! :D

Aug 6, 2009. 9:22 AM REPLY

wholman says:

Aug 3, 2009. 7:28 AM REPLY i am aware of the relative strengths and weaknesses of threaded rods. it has become apparent to me from many of the comments on this particular instructable that people have not actually read the article, only looked at the pictures. i address the rods tendency to "smile"; from a design standpoint, it is actually beneficial, because the curve of the rod is parallel to the curve of the hose when loaded, thus keeping your legs and back from resting on the rods instead of the hose when sitting. many chairs made from two parallel braced frames with woven seating surfaces use u-shaped stretchers to address this very issue. seems like architects and engineers always butt heads . . . .

3.1415 says:

Aug 7, 2009. 4:24 AM REPLY I am a former engineer and now a physics teacher and I have to weigh in, though I usually don't... The only thing missing is a babe in a bikini otherwise this project is perfect! Architects ARE buttheads, engineers are too, and Instructables is awesome! I think a new policy of instructables should be for a "project reviewer" to provide a picture of the improvement they suggest....a picture is worth a thousand words as the cliche goes.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

WhoTookMudshark says:

Aug 6, 2009. 9:25 AM REPLY Don't take it personally Wholman! You made a great instructable and the end result is amazing. He's not saying its crappy; he is trying to help!

cyber.engineer says:

Aug 6, 2009. 9:13 AM REPLY We are not all butt heads, however as soon as I looked at your pictures I saw exactly what the other gentleman saw, and I'm an Electrical and Controls Engineer. It never hurts to have assistance. My opinion, good job... but improvements can be made..... as they can be made to any design. Good luck Cyber.engineer

pyroelectro says:

Aug 6, 2009. 9:42 AM REPLY i dont think he was sayin engineers are butt heads; i think he was saying that engineers 'butt heads' with architects (as in dissagree) cool looking chair btw. im suprised that the design takes the tension!

Denger says:

Aug 6, 2009. 7:56 AM REPLY A beautiful design, but I have to agree with cchamlin: if built as designed, this chair will not gracefully withstand years of repeated usage. From both a practical and an aesthetic design perspective, plywood cross braces make much better sense, and are probably more economical, too (depending on the type and grade of plywood used).

wholman says:
gentlemen: please see two pictures i added at the end of the first step.

Aug 6, 2009. 10:31 AM REPLY

these are of the first attempt at making this chair. i used the engineer's approach: i built a very rigid frame out of dimensional lumber braced with plywood. and you're absolutely right; it didn't flex an inch while i was stretching the hose through it. instead of flexing, it failed suddenly and catastrophically. the failure was caused by, amongst other things, splitting along the grain of the dimensional lumber. the first solution that comes to mind is to make a more rigid, more massive frame to contain alll the stored energy in that stretched hose. however, i quickly realized that to do that, i would have use massive pieces of wood or weld the frame from steel or alumnium. the other solution is to work with rather than against the tension. i made the frame out of plywood, which is very strong yet flexible. it also has no grain, so holes made for the hose or by fasteners couldn't be a starting point for a split along the grain. now, essentially the whole chair is in tension: the rubber is stretched; the plywood is bowed; and, as the legs splay out, they actaully attempt to stretch the rod between the back feet, as well as lever on the rods above, evening out some of the compression. as the rubber slackens over time, i can just pop one of the two screws that pin the hose in place, re-tension, and screw back in. this solution responds to all the tensile forces actively, instead of passively. it also allows the whole chair to act as one "web of tension" instead of pitting rigidity against flexibility -- because, sooner or later, one of those forces has to win.

cchamlin says:

Aug 3, 2009. 8:52 AM REPLY I read the text, thank you. I realize that the bending of the threaded rod makes the chair more comfortable now. This does not change the fact that the chair, as you have designed it, is tearing itself apart. It will break. It seemed like you put a fair amount of work into designing/building this chair, so I assumed that you would want to make it last. If you're not interested in constructive criticism, perhaps you should consider disabling comments on your instructables.

awal says:

Aug 6, 2009. 8:48 AM REPLY Definately will try this, great work, fun idea! I will use wook to prevent splaying and maybe try to ammend for an old garden hose I have. Good challenge, thanks!

ohbejoyful says:
Love the chair, adoooore the fact that you used the word "comprise" correctly!

Jul 31, 2009. 3:52 PM REPLY

hickarus says:
Yes, very sexy grammar.

Aug 6, 2009. 6:31 AM REPLY

1337_Penguin says:
So you think that a garden hose would also work fine for this project?

Aug 5, 2009. 9:37 PM REPLY

ANTQNUT says:
Thats really koo!

Aug 1, 2009. 2:09 PM REPLY

! xD ! says:
Cool-beans!

Jul 31, 2009. 6:31 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/

ANTQNUT says:
Awesome user name!

Aug 1, 2009. 2:08 PM REPLY

scoochmaroo says:
Love it!

Aug 1, 2009. 10:12 AM REPLY

view all 70 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rubber-Hose-Chair/