In addition to making chairs, I also give intensive chairmaking classes on how to do so. You’ll learn traditional techniques and work through the whole process of making your own Windsor chair, which you’ll be able to take home with you. The six different models I teach can be viewed below.
Level required: Beginner to advanced, depending on the model. And lots of motivation!
Age required: 16 and up
Duration: 7-8 days
Languages: French, English, or both depending on class make-up
Number of participants: 4
Class outline
Day 1: We begin by splitting pieces of oak or ash, which will be used to make spindles. We’ll spend the rest of the day on the shaving horse, getting familiar with using a drawknife on greenwood, working along the grain. The goal is to finish all of your spindles by the end of the day.
Day 2: Combining the theory and techniques seen on Day 1, we’ll split wood and use the shaving horse to make the back. This piece is then steam bent on a wooden form.
Day 3: Day 3 is entirely devoted to the lathe. Starting from cylindrical pieces of hardwood that I’ve split and prepared beforehand, we’ll turn the legs and the stretchers on the electric lathe. I teach a classic Windsor style called “bamboo turnings” during classes.
Day 4 and 5: We’ll spend two days carving the seat, the centerpiece of Windsor chairs, out of linden or tulip poplar. This entails laying out, drilling with a brace and carving with traditional carving tools: the adze, inshave, travisher, drawknife and spokeshaves.
Day 6: Undercarriage assembly. This entails reaming the legs into the seat, drilling the legs, cutting the stretcher tenons, making wedges and gluing up with hide glue. The legs are then leveled off and the seat tenons are cut flush to the seat.
Day 7: Final assembly. We’ll position and drill the back/armrests along with the seat, then cut tenons and finish the final shaping of the spindles with the spokeshave. After your chair passes the dry assembly test, we’ll glue up using hide glue. And finally, WE SIT!
Day 8: Due to the increase in both the number of pieces and complexity of assembly, an eighth day is needed for the Continuous Arm, Rod Back Rocking Chair, and Comb Back Rocking Chair classes.
Note: In order to keep the class duration to eight days, turning is not included in the Rod Back Rocking Chair or Comb Back Rocking Chair classes. All pieces will be provided pre-turned by me.
If you have any questions or would like to sign up for a class, send an email to Caroline at caroline@felixbouchet.com
