Sidney’s Portable Bailey Chair Instructions
SUPPLIES: QTY 1 – 1/2” Sheet of 4’ x 8’ Hardwood QTY 1 – 1 ½” PVC Pipe QTY 2 – 1 ½” PVC Pipe End Caps QTY 2 – Small Dowel Rods QTY 1 – Small Box of 1 ½” Coarse Drywall Screws QTY 1 – Small Box of 1” Coarse Drywall Screws TOOLS: Electric or Cordless Drill w/ Phillips Screw Head Bit Drill Bits – 1/16” and 3/8” Hole Saw (See Below) 2”
Circular Saw Tape Measure and Wood Glue
STEP 1 -‐ Bottom Base with Spacer Block
NOTE: These sizes are based on my 55-‐pound Chocolate Lab – you can easily adjust these sizes to match your dog’s size. Bottom Base Size – 14.5” wide x 22” long Lower Base Spacer – 4” wide x 10” long Upper Base Spacer – 5” wide x 10” long Spacer Block – 4.25” wide x 11” long (Just cut and leave aside for now) Start by cutting the Bottom Base panel to size. Then, cut the Lower Base Spacer and Upper Base Spacer to size. You will see in later steps that the Upper and Lower Base Spacers will end up creating a slot for securing the Right and Left Side Panels securely to the Base Panel. Install the Lower Base Spacer flush with each side of the Bottom Base and flush to the back. Just screw it down right now using 1” screws – once the chair is complete and fits properly, you can go back and glue the piece down and re-‐screw it for extra support. Install the Upper Base Spacer on top of the Lower Base Spacer by using 1 ½” screws. Flush with the sides and the front edge. This will leave the Upper Base Spacer one inch shorter than the Lower Base Spacer in the back.
STEP 2 -‐ Base with Grooves For Side Panels
Here you can see a different angle of the Bottom Base Panel with the Lower and Upper Base Spacers installed. This is a view from the front. Notice the grooves it has created. This will be where the side panels will lock into place. Take a peek at STEP 5 and STEP 6 – get the idea? Sidney has inspected it and he approves. The idea behind this Portable Bailey Chair is that it goes together by sliding parts into place and can be held together on its own without needing any screws, latches or tools. It is easily put together and taken apart in about 20 seconds and easily stored and weighs only about 15 pounds.
STEP 3 -‐ Side Panel Front View with Base Groove
Side Panel – 12” wide x 26” high Lower Side Slot – 1 ½” wide x 10 ½” long Cut the Side Panel and the Lower Slide Slot. NOTE – There are two sides and you will need to do this step twice (once for each side) You will now install the Lower Slide Slot to the Side Panel using 1 ½” screws. It will be installed flush with the front of the Side Panel and will not go all the way to the back. You will need the open area at the back later. So don’t be concerned that the Lower Slide Slot is 1 ½” shorter than the Side Panel. Make sure it is installed on the side of the Side Panel and not to the bottom of the Side Panel. NOTE: When installing this, I pre-‐drill small holes using the 1/16” drill bit before screwing it together to avoid cracking the wood. I also use wood glue for extra support.
STEP 4 – Adjustable Paw Bar Option (IF NECESSARY)
In this photo you will see an extra piece of wood near the top – When Sidney was still growing, I used this for the Paw Bar Holder so I could raise it as he grew. I will show the way I installed the Permanent Paw Bar Holder later on. If you have a puppy that is still growing, this option worked for me. I just cut a block of wood (2 actually, 1 for each side) and used the HOLE BORE attachment for the Electric/Cordless Drill and cut the circular hole out near the middle of the wood piece. Then used the Circular Saw or Table Saw to extend the hole to the top of the wood piece to allow the PVC Paw Bar slide in and out easily. Then I screwed them to the Inside of the Side Panels at the appropriate height to hold the Paw Bar in place. Take a peek at STEP 17 for a finished example.
STEP 5 -‐ Side Panels Slide Into Base Grooves
This step is an example of how the Side Panels will slide into the Bottom Base Panel using the Bottom Base Spacers we installed that created the grooves. You do not need to do anything in this step. It is an example of how the finished product starts to get assembled. In fact – many of these steps are just that, visual examples of how to assemble the finished chair. NOTE: See the back of the Bottom Base. The Bottom Base Spacer is Longer than the Upper Base Spacer that is on top of it. This is to leave space for the back Panel to be installed and slide into place properly. We will build that piece in later steps.
STEP 6 -‐ Side Panels Installed in Base
Here you can see a front view of both Side Panels slid into the grooves and secured to the Bottom Base Panel. Remember the Spacer Block we made in the beginning and set aside? The next step shows the purpose of that piece.
STEP 7 -‐ Spacer Block on Bottom Secures Sides
Here you see what the Spacer Block does. It essentially secures the two Side Panels to the Bottom Base Panel by “smashing” the Side Panels in place so that they cannot slide out of the grooves. When putting the chair together for use – this is the LAST step of the installation process.
STEP 8 -‐ Back Panel Top View with Grooves
Back Panel – 13” wide x 26” high Back Outside Spacers – 2” wide x 26” high (QTY 2) Back Inside Spacers -‐ 1” wide x 26” high (QTY 2) In this step you will cut the pieces necessary to create the Back Panel. The Inside and Outside Spacers are what will hold the 2 Side Panels to the Back Panel. The Side Panels will slide into the space between the Inside and Outside Spacers. You can see from this photo (a top view of the completed back panel) that there are grooves on each side where the Side Panels will slide into. If you remember in STEP 1 and STEP 5 how I mentioned that the Upper and Lower Bottom Base Spacers were different sizes? That was to allow space for this Back Panel as you can now see. NOTE: Refer back to this photo when doing the next step to ensure you are installing the Outside and Inside Back Spacers correctly.
STEP 9 – Back Panel – Front View
Here the first step is to install the Back Outside Spacers (these are the larger 2” ones) to the outside ends of the Back Panel. I use the 1 ½” screws. I make sure to pre-‐drill the holes using the 1/16” drill bit before I screw them together to avoid wood splitting. I also use wood glue to secure them. As you can see from the photo, you want them installed flush with the top and bottom of the Back Panel. The Inside Back Spacer installation is to accommodate the ½” groove space. To make sure the groove is the right size. What I did was (once the Outside Back Spacers are installed) is use the side panel as a spacer. What I mean is I put the side panel flush against the Back Panel and Outside Back Spacer and drew a line so I knew how big the groove needed to be (since the groove is for the Side Panel to slide in to). But if you go on pure measurements, the groove should be the same width as the wood you are using. In this case it should be ½”.
STEP 10 – Back Panel Installation – Sliding into Side Panels
Here you can see how the Back Panel is secured to the 2 Side Panels. The Side Panels slide into the groves we just created on the Back Panel in the previous step. These will eventually be all held together with 2 Dowel Rods to complete the process of making sure the Side Panels and Back Panel are secured together. Again, this is so that no screwing, nailing, latching or any tools are needed to assemble or disassemble the chair for ease of use.
STEP 11 – Side Panels and Back Panel Installed – TOP VIEW
Her you see the TOP VIEW of the Side Panels and back Panel installed together. It should be clear now that the Side Panels slide into the Back Panel using the grooves we created. Generally, when I am installing the chair for Sidney to use, I start by installing the Side panels into the Bottom Base. Then I slide the Back Panel grooves and slide the Dowel Rods through (next step) and finally install the Spacer Bock at the bottom that secures the Side Panels to the Bottom Base. Of course you need to install the paw bar after that.
STEP 12 – Side Panels and Back Panel Installed in Bottom Base Panel – SIDE VIEW
Here is another view of Sidney’s Portable Bailey Chair with all pieces slid into place. You will note the Adjustable Paw Bar Holder that I referred to in STEP 4. If your dog does not need an adjustable one – I will show how I made the Permanent Paw Bar Holder later.
STEP 13 – Top Dowel Rod Support Installation
QTY 1 – Dowel Rod This is the step where we secure the Side Panels to the Back Panel so that the chair stays together. With the chair slid together snug, you will now drill holes in the side of the Back Panel, which goes through the Side Panels and then through the Inside Back Panel Spacer. NOTE: The next step has an overhead view of the completed process – it should make sense after viewing – look at that before you drill. Drill the first hole using the 3/8” drill bit through all pieces and slide the Dowel Rod through all of the pieces (Back Panel Outside/Inside Spacers and the Side Panel). Slide it all the way until it touches the other side. This should give you the place to drill the final hole. Once both holes are drilled, you will slide the Dowel Rod all the way through so that it holds the Back Panel and the Side Panels together.
STEP 14 – Top Dowel Rod Support Slid Through All Panels – TOP VIEW
Here is the TOP VIEW of the Dowel Rod Support slid through the two holes you drilled. See how it now holds the Back Panel and the Side panels together? You can now see that with the grooves we made for the Bottom Base and the Back panel that the Side Panels just slide into place and are secured easily to both the Bottom Base and the Back Panel.
STEP 15 – Bottom Dowel Rod Support Installation
QTY 1 – Dowel Rod NOTE – SAME INSTRUCTIONS AS TOP DOWEL ROD INSTALLATION With the chair slid together snug (and the Top Dowel Rod in place), you will now drill holes in the side of the Back Panel, which goes through the Side Panels and then through the Inside Back Panel Spacer. NOTE: The next step has a front view of the completed process – it should make sense after viewing – look at that before you drill. Drill the first hole using the 3/8” drill bit through all pieces and slide the Dowel Rod through all of the pieces (Back Panel Outside/Inside Spacers and the Side Panel). Slide it all the way until it touches the other side. This should give you the place to drill the final hole. Once both holes are drilled, you will slide the Dowel Rod all the way through so that it holds the Back Panel and the Side Panels together.
STEP 16– Bottom Dowel Rod Support Slid Through All Panels – FRONT VIEW
Here you can see how the Bottom Dowel Rod Support secures the bottom of the Side Panels to the Bottom of the Back Panel.
STEP 17 – Installation of the Bottom Spacer Block
This is the final step I have referred to a few times throughout these instructions. This is when the Side Panels are slid into the Bottom Base Grooves and the Back Panel is also installed to the Side Panels and secured by the Dowel Rod Supports. Take the Spacer Block and put it face down on the Bottom Base Panel between the 2 Side panels. It should be snug. This will force the Side Panels to stay secured in the Bottom Base Grooves. NOTE: I put a folded towel down on the Bottom base to cover the Spacer Block so Sidney is more comfortable sitting in the chair. Also – this has a good view of the Adjustable Paw Bar Holder. As you can see – there are 2 screws holding it in place – to adjust just unscrew and re-‐screw it at the height needed.
STEP 18 – Side View of Completed Chair
Here is a view of Sidney’s Portable Bailey Chair completed. As I mentioned – it only takes me about 20 seconds to put together. Even less time to disassemble it. It holds up well. We have used it hundreds of times over the past year and have had no problems with it. The next step will show how I installed the Permanent Paw Bar Holder.
STEP 19 – Installing Permanent Paw Bar Holder
PVC Pipe – 1.5” thick x 13” long PVC End Caps – 1.5” End Caps (QTY 2) Measure the height that you wish to have the Paw Bar set at equally on both sides. Best to do when chair is assembled. Make a mark where the center of each hole will be on the Side Panels. Using the 2” Hole Saw attachment for the Electric/Cordless Drill, drill the hole on each side where marked. Be sure that you are drilling the holes while the chair is DISASSEMBLED. This will ensure you do not damage any of the grove joints in the drilling process. Once the chair is assembled, slide the PVC Pipe through the holes and apply the End Caps to lock it into place.
STEP 20 – Assembled Chair with Permanent Paw Bar – FRONT VIEW
Here you can see the completed chair. Notice how the End caps also act as a lock to hold the bar in place and the Side Panels secure. In this photo, you will see a gray backing on the chair. I added this so that Sidney did not sit on the bottom Dowel Rod. The next step shows how I installed this.
STEP 21 – Installing Foam Backing – (IF NECESSARY)
For Sidney’s comfort, I installed a Foam backing that could easily slide into the completed chair. It is ¾” Foam Gym Flooring. I’m sure you could use a variety of things. To install it I measured out the inside area on the back of the chair and using a Utility Knife, I cut it to size and it fits snuggly in the back. See photo above. Should be pretty easy to figure out. However if you use this, keep in mind during your chair measurements that you will need to account for the lost space in the back that it covers up.
TRANSPORTATION IDEA
We purchased an Eddie Bauer brand Rolling Duffel bag from Target. In this case, the Portable Bailey Chair fits in the bottom of this bag (disassembled). It is actually in there right now. Then we keep all of the other items we need for feeding in the top portion of the bag including a Magic Bullet, Measuring Cups, Food, etc. This is REALLY handy. We basically have a pre-‐packed travel bag for Sidney. Yes, the entire Portable Bailey Chair is in this bag.
Sidney Using the Chair