The Skyliner X-1

It's a supersonic jet! It's a speed boat! No - it's a lawn chair. But no ordinary lawn chair - this is a lawn chair with a history and a future.

The Skyliner X-1 has been in the works for many years - 24 to be exact; 23 years in the planning stage and 1 year in production. I bought the plans back in 1986 when I was in a fever of woodworking excitement - making tray tables, towel racks and crib boards among other things. Then the woodworking fever subsided for a couple of decades while I pursued other hobbies - like working and buying houses, camps and campers to fix up and resell. So I never really stopped working with wood - I just took on bigger projects. But the chair was always on my mind....

I would take the plans out every few years and glance over them, thinking that "when I had the time" I would build the chair of my dreams. Well, last summer I decided that I was never going to have the time so I just bought the materials and started. And now here it is a year later and the chair is done - all except for the varnishing. Now I am just waiting for drier weather....

I sat in the Skyliner the other day, just for a minute, and it has been well worth the wait. She is a beauty - just the right size and width for my ass to settle into, with a nice deep slanted seat and a curved reclining back, perfect for an afternoon nap in the back yard.

You may wonder why I called it the Skyliner X-1 and that is simply because I am already in the planning stage for the new improved Skyliner X-2. Since I already have the plans and with the experience gained in making the X-1, I figure this one should be ready right around summer 2024. Guess I better get started.