Seesaw Chairs Bring Playful Motion to Long Office Meetings

Designer Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions runs a studio in Vermont where he makes contraptions to tackle problems that no one has ever asked about. His most recent project mixes two known elements to create something new, which has the potential to change how teams handle lengthy discussions around a table. He transformed conventional office chairs into a full seesaw that rocks up and down while spinning in a complete circle.

Benedetto started simple by collecting a couple of worn-out office chairs from storage. He wanted seats that everyone was familiar with, so no one felt out of place when they sat down. A simple test compared the wheels on each base to determine which pair rolled and slid the best across a floor. These results allowed him to choose the right parts without guesswork. He then gently separated the chairs, keeping the seats and center supports intact. A small 3D printed model allowed him to see how the elements would connect and move together. The initial chair bases already spun freely in all directions, so he retained that motion for the finished form. He then designed a bespoke bracket to connect everything at the midway point.

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Ball bearings in the new bracket provided smooth, effortless seesaw movement as needed. He assessed the distances and opted on chairs spaced ten feet apart along a robust metal tube that cost him $100. That tube served as the main beam, measuring a solid 5 feet square to maintain equilibrium. A simple hex bolt held the tube in place and prevented it from slipping around during operation. The early brackets he created on his 3D printer were ideal for brief test runs, but they were too flimsy for real-world use. So he bought some CNC machined aluminum replacements and gave them a lovely bead blast finish with a layer of black anodizing to clean up the lines and make them more durable. These new pieces were high-quality, solidly constructed, and arrived with an aura of precision, so assembly seemed substantial right away.

Drilling guide holes in those printed copies ensured that everything fit together seamlessly. He inserted the machined brackets directly into the chair bases after a test run revealed that individual seat rotations were producing much too much wobbling. By removing the extra spin and lowering the overall height, he created a more stable configuration that let people to securely climb on and off. The new design secured the chairs in place, but the middle pivot allowed the entire seesaw to glide smoothly up and down and spin freely. When two people of nearly equal size sat down, equilibrium just happened. Benedetto persuaded his friend to accompany him on his first official test run.

They climbed to the opposite ends and adjusted their weight to see how it worked. The beam went up and down smoothly, while the base turned the entire seesaw in wonderful huge circles. In one humorous run, they pretended to be an office staff disputing deadlines over a stack of paperwork, but the soft, steady motion kept the mood light and enjoyable. The finished design measured ten feet long and was low enough to fit between two normal desks in a shared workspace. The chairs are linked beneath the worktable, allowing users to lean forward and type or write without having to climb off. After many test sessions, the bearings have demonstrated their ability to tolerate frequent rocking without making a noise or sticking, while remaining lovely and smooth.