More Windsor Chair Plans From Curtis Buchanan - Plus Videos!

Curtis Buchanan has been pretty busy in the last year. If you are a windsor chairmaker then you may already know much of this. Curtis started making a series of Youtube videos back in 2011 on making a comb back windsor arm chair. I happened to get connected with him to draw up the technical plans for that chair so that he could make them available. It was a long process as I am not a professional illustrator. It was done in my spare time - so you can image the improvements that could be made to the process. I got quite busy after the first two plans were finished and it was at that point that we decided to find someone who could focus on the drawings full-time and bring professional illustrator skills to the table, as well. After filtering through a couple of illustrators we landed on Jeff Lefkowitz. He is a chairmaker and a former graphic designer. He's a real gentleman to work with, too.

There are now four plans available - the comb back arm chair, continuous arm chair and rocker, fan back side chair and the hoop back side chair. You can check those out here. Most recently, the comb back arm chair has been updated to have 1:2 scale front and side views in addition to the patterns. It has been a pleasure to be a part of this project that brings such high quality plans to the general public.

You might also enjoy a few recent documentaries that have been made regarding Curtis' work and life. This first one is from the PBS show "A Craftsman's Legacy" entitled "The Chairmaker". You'll need to register to view this episode. It's free and so far I haven't received a single piece of spam. The other episodes are quite enjoyable as well.

Fine Woodworking also made a nice video here.

Enjoy!!!

Modern Vs. Traditional Spoke Shaves

As many of you already know, I began my woodworking career as a furniture maker and quickly went to making chairs almost exclusively. As you can imagine, that let to a lot of time using a spoke shave. I have formed a few opinions on what makes a great shave and have been interested in exploring what makes a really great traditional spoke shave.

Back in May of this year, while hosting a windsor chairmaking class by Peter Galbert, I got poking around his shave collection and quickly settled on one that I have had a deep interest in making for quite some time. It was a traditional shave in boxwood with a blade that is fitted with bent tapered tangs. You probably know the style. They were made by the thousands in the 19th century but any you find today are usually quite worn out from use.

I wanted to take a moment and describe the difference between these spoke shaves and modern ones. I think great examples of a modern spoke shave are the Brain Boggs designed ones that Lie-Nielsen sell. They are so well known that I need not say much. They function much like a plane and are intuitive in how they are used and set up to anyone that has used a hand plane. They're great on long grain wood fibers and for making final finish cuts.

Now there are the traditional spoke shaves that are not intuitive to use for the novice. Explaining their function is not simple to do in words. I have a video demonstration below.  Essentially the blade has one setting. However, the depth of cut is determined by where you apply pressure on the toe of the sole in front of the blade. The toe is slightly rounded so if you rock further forward you will be taking a lighter cut while if you rock further back toward the blade you will take a deeper cut. Much like a travisher. This functionality makes these shaves incredibly versatile. You can go from a cut that is hogging off material straight into a finish cut, all done by feel. These may feel a bit awkward to use initially because of this versatility but you will quickly realize how great these shaves are. They really excel on end grain shaping such as on the front of a windsor chair seat.

One of the drawbacks I wanted to address in this design was how quickly all wood spoke shaves tend to wear unevenly on the sole. Some try to address this with a brass sole but I wanted to keep that all wood feel and avoid adding the clunky appearance and feel that brass on wood seems to do. I added an end grain boxing insert to the sole like you would see on a wooden plane. This takes more work than slapping a piece of brass on but I am really happy with the results. This is a prototype shave, by the way, so I promise the production ones will have a centered blade and boxing. :)

Boxing insert to minimize wear

After several months of exploration I developed what I think captures the feel and function of a traditional shave while also capturing the look of one, as well. Here is a short video describing the function of my traditional style spoke shave versus a modern one.

Stay tuned for more on the production of this spoke shave. In the meantime you can email me at calebjames(at)me(dot)com if you would like to get on the wait list. I am aiming for December 2015 to start on these and possibly completion in January. The price will be $185 + shipping.

Enjoy!

Peter Galbert Demonstrates How to Refine a Windsor Chair Seat Using a Claire Minihan Travisher

This is probably my favorite video of the the series I have posted on carving a windsor chair seat. It is just great to see the process and learn so much so quickly. Here Peter refines the shape of the seat. He has already adzed the bulk of the material away and followed it with an inshave/scorp as was shown in the previous video posts.

Warning! This video sounds like a paid advertisement for Claire Minihan's travisher. Sorry about that but they are really that good. If you happen to want one you can contact her at cminihanwoodworking@gmail.com or visit her site here. I of course don't make a dime off any sales she makes. 

Enjoy!

How to Carve a Windsor Chair Seat with an Inshave or Scorp

Here is the next step to the process of shaping and carving a windsor chair seat. This follows up the adze work in the last video I posted. This was taken while Peter Galbert was teaching how to make the chairs from his book at my shop a few months back. Peter here makes the process look easy as always. This is a watch and learn kinda video. Not too long but you get the gist. I hope you enjoy it!

Windsor Chair Seat Carving Video with Peter Galbert - How to Use an Adze - Part 1

I promised to post video of Peter giving instruction on carving a seat during the class we had back in May. As you'll see, it all starts with the adze. Peter and Tim Manney collaborated to develop an adze specifically for carving seats (although it would also work just fine for bowls, etc.). I highly recommend it. I already owned an old school adze, but after giving Tim's a go I had to have one. It is so light and effective. I don't think his wait list is super long right now so if you need one it might be a good time to contact him.

Anyway, Peter does a nice job of explaining the function and use of an adze in this video. Enjoy!

Riving and Steam Bending Videos With Peter Galbert + Book Review

Peter and I had a great time with the class that was in the shop recently. I took the time to shoot a few videos and will be posting them up here in time. These aren't exactly instructional videos but you can sure learn a lot from these short clips. Pair this with his new book and you are not far off from making a chair.

Oh, by the way, here is an excerpt from my review of his new book from Lost Art Press.

"If green woodworking knowledge were money then Peter Galbert would be a millionaire and if you said to him "show me d'a money" he would show you this book"

I think that was one of the excerpts found on the inside first few pages of the book. So honored to be included in that list along with other well know reviewers. So humbled.

I really liked what Disney said, "An instant classic"

Along with A. J. Roubo who said, "Un homme après mon propre cœur"

Enough out of me just watch the videos and enjoy!

If you like this and want to see more then stay tuned. I'll get a few more up, hopefully, sooner rather than later. Then again I could just quote Peter after six days of instruction and say "Its all in the book" :)

Watch Peter Galbert Make A Windsor Chair In 30 Minutes!

Some of you are aware that Peter Galbert made a windsor chair with Tommy Mac on his show Rough Cut. I, like many of you, asked Peter where you can see this online. He didn't know. Funny how these thing go, right.

Well as it sometimes (always) goes around my house. I can't find something and I ask my wife where it is then two seconds later she has found it! Really?!?! Same thing happened here. I swear she catalogs the internet in her sleep. Google should hire her. She can find anything online that I can't. Enough about that. The point is, if you wanted to see this episode and couldn't find it... here it is.

Don't forget, I am hosting Peter in my shop to teach chairmaking classes this spring. The class is 6 days. The first class starts April 20th for the fan back and May 4th for the ballon back. These are the two chairs that are featured in his new book from Lost Art Press. They are the foundation in your future in chairmaking. 

There is only one space left in the ballon back and a couple still left in the fan back. Don't miss the boat. It is going to be a great time! See the full details on the classes and how to register in this previous post.

Enjoy the video!

RC504 Windsor Chair from Tommy Mac on Vimeo.

Fan Back Windsor Chair Plans by Curtis Buchanan - Now Available!

New windsor chair plans are now available from Curtis Buchanan for his fan back side chair. This is a beautiful side chair that is well suited to learning the craft of chairmaking as it is within the grasp of novice chairmakers.

Curtis has included double bobbin or bamboo style turnings in the plans and a simplified crest to compliment these turnings. There are also the baluster turnings and carved chest patterns for the more traditional look.

The double bobbin turnings make the construction of the chair fit a more modern home interior as well as minimize the high level of skill needed to turn the baluster legs. They are also more easily turned in stock that is not green, which is easier for most of us to find.

Below is a video of Curtis explaining what is included in the plans.

To buy the plans visit his website here. They are $55.

Curtis and I have been producing plans for his windsor chair designs over the past few years. However, I have been so busy with my work that we decided to get the help of an illustrator that worked for Fine Homebuilding for many years and is well qualified. The plans just keep getting better and Chuck had some nice things to add to the drawings from his years of experience illustrating plans for magazine readers.

In the future I won't be at the helm producing the drawings but I will be offering assistance to the illustrator along the way. I hope to see Curtis continue putting his life's work down on paper. It would be a shame to see all his great work not be shared with everyone. So I encourage you to support him so that they can continue to be produced.

Happy chairmaking. Enjoy!

By the way. Peter Galbert's new book covers building a chair in this style so grab that too if you need the best advice out there on how to produce one of these chairs. Some really exciting things are happening for chairmakers - finally!!!!! :)

How To Accurately Size A Round Tenon And Do It Consistently

Following the discussion from my prior post, you might be wondering how to get those tenons to fit nice and tight - and do that consistently. It's not magic, but there is a method and tools that make it seem like it.

Here are the tools I use. The first is a beading tool that Henry Taylor makes. Its 3/8" across. On this beading tool goes a Sorby sizing tool. With proper use it will give you repeatable turned diameters without using a separate caliper.

The other tool is a dial caliper, and it is a real must in my book. You'll want to measure the tenon as you test it and adjust your beading/sizing tool to tweak the fit until everything is just right. It can be just a few thousandths that make a difference in a perfect fit so this tool will save you lots of time.

Using these tools allows me to adjust my fit for each kind of wood I use. Also, since different styles of drill bits leave a slightly different size hole, despite being the same diameter, this will allow me to adjust my fit for each unique set up and drilling bit I use.

Hope this gives you a little extra help in the shop for that next project!

By the way, these tools can be found at Lee Valley.

What A Well Fitted Post And Rung Chair Joint Looks Like

An important part of chairmaking is knowing how tight to make a joint in order to get a proper fit. How tight I make a joint will depend somewhat on the type of wood used but, essentially, I want it as tight as possible without splitting the joint - and having to use a little force to bring it together is not necessarily a bad thing.

A good rule of thumb for testing a windsor chairmaking mortise and tenon joint is if you can put the joint about half way together with only hand pressure then you are about perfect. Then during assembly you can force it togther with a few hammer blows.

In windsor chairmaking, you are not often putting multiple joints together at once so a tight fit like this is possible without complicating a smooth assembly. On the other hand, with a post and rung assembly, I will back it off just a hair so I can have a bit more control on an assembly. When you add up a lot of joints that have to come together at the same time on one of these chairs then the extra give can be the difference between success and a struggle or failure.

Here is a short (and very out of focus) video of how tight I try to make the joints for a post and rung chair joint.

Enjoy!

Glue Up Of A Post And Rung Chair / Stool Assembly

I wanted to give a little sample of a glue up of a post and rung assembly. This is not the entire process but my hope is to share some little details about applying the glue and how to clean it up as you go along. These things are not often discussed in books but it is helpful to see how it is done so that your process goes cleanly and smoothly.

I use hot hide glue exclusively in chairmaking. Using PVA glues, or just about anything else, is simply madness if you plan to have well fitted joints. PVA glues will bind up in a split second in a really tight joint and will stop it from going together completely. On the other hand, hide glue will actually lubricate a joint making tight fitting ones come together more easily

You'll notice the first tool of the trade here is a good stiff bristle brush for wiping away the excess glue. This is just a cheap natural hair brush from a hardware store with the bristles cut way back near the base. Removing the majority of the glue this way keeps you from smearing it around and then worrying about getting it all wiped off. Also, try to avoid adding any water to the surface as you clean so that you do not dilute the glue and spread it around even more. That said, slightly damp cleaning tools may help lift the glue better.

Your next tool is going to be paper towel for cleaning the joints. This may prick your eco-friendly conscience but a clean surface each time to remove the glue is, in my opinion, the only way to go. Using a wet rag will only spread it around for you to fuss with later before finishing. Plus, a paper towel will pick up the glue off the surface better than a rag.

Lastly, be sure to use something like an old magazine under your work so that you don't damage the side that is on your workbench.

I first learned most of these methods from Peter Galbert. If you have heard about his upcoming book from Lost Arts Press and are wondering what to expect, this is the sort of detail that he covers. It seems nothing is left to guesswork. 

Even though I read and helped edit most of the text early on I can't wait to get my hands on the finished copy. Chris and Megan did a really great job of compiling the book into a super easy to read style that is a hallmark of LAP publications. Plus, Pete went back and reworked a lot of the drawings and I haven't seen all of those yet. Very eager.  Come on Chris, get that thing to the printers!!!!!

Planemaking And Chairmaking Classes In The Works! *PLUS* Surprise Visitors To The Shop!

So, yesterday I had a nice surprise. If you keep up with chairmaker Glen Rundell then you know he has been touring the Eastern half of the United States over the past few weeks. Mostly hanging with Pete and the gang up in Massachusetts, doing the Lie-Nielsen open house (which I missed, ugh!) and things like that. Glen hails from down under in Melbourne. He has come a long way to get some fresh inspiration to take back home with him.

Anyway, Glen was in Virginia taking a class with Jeff Lefkowitz, who teaches the chairmaking courses for Brian Boggs and after the class they loaded up and came down for a visit to the shop. It was a very pleasant surprise.

Left to right; Claire, Caleb, Jeff, Glen

Truthfully, he gave me a day or so notice, so I had good motivation to clean up the shop. I am in the middle of paneling the walls. More on that later. And my wife made some enchiladas verdes as a special treat for lunch. Handmade corn tortillas, umm. She's a Canadian that cooks some good Tex-Mex. Got to love it! (I am really getting off track here)

As I filled them in on the goings on around here I realized I haven't been blogging much lately. I am not one for fluff or filler on the blog but I think maybe I should share with everyone else as well. As I was telling Glen and Jeff, I am planning on taking one half of my shop and dedicating it to a classroom and am almost halfway there. I get pushed by just about every craftsman I know, that I should be teaching classes. I get requests on an ongoing basis as well. I am finally coming around to the idea.

I am looking at, of course, teaching some planemaking classes. Possibly a four day class on making a pair of hollows and rounds and a rabbet plane. I may split these up as two different classes. These would be a really good start and you can make the majority of planes based on those two formats.

The other classes would be some introductory classes on chairmaking. One will be on making a Danish modern stool which will include lathe work, joinery and danish cord weaving. A two or three day class depending on size. The other will be a three leg windsor stool that will have lathe work, hand drilling, reaming and seat carving. Probably a three day class as well depending on size.

I am up in the air about prices as of yet. It has a lot to do with class size and demand. I have room for about six students at a time though I would tend to want the class sizes a bit smaller. We will see.

Send me any suggestions or classes you would prefer to see available so that I can plan accordingly. I am not asking for a commitment but if you are a reader of this blog and see a class here or something related to what I do that you would like to take at some point, then let me know. Your feedback will make a difference.

Thanks and I hope you are enjoying your summer!

Windsor Continuous Arm Settee Plans?

I was recently asked if I would be making continuous arm settee plans for the curved settee that I make. I would love to but the likely hood of that happening is nil considering the other things I have on my to do list.

So, I have something that is probably better. If you have ever wanted to make a regular (non-curved) settee then here is how you can do it with the continuous arm chair plans that I recently completed for Curtis' Buchanan.

Curtis Buchanan Settee

The only difference between the single chair and the settee is the width plus two more legs. You can even use the same bending form, really no kidding. Here is basically how to do it. By the way I don't know if this is how Curtis does it on his settee design but this is how I do it when making one.

Take the plans and add 20" to the bow length. Then add 20" inches to the seat width. The additions are just straight lines. So for example the seat will have more center spindles all at the same angle of the center spindle in the single chair plans.

The bow is, again, a straight section being added. Simply take the bending form for the single chair and steam and bend only one side at a time on the form. Do one side and leave it in the form for a few days or however long you want. Take it off the form and repeat for the other side. It is actually easier than a regular chair because you are just bending one side at a time rather than doing both in one go. By the way this isn't a cheesy way to go about it. Peter Galbert is the one I first saw do this rather than make a new form just for the settee.

Now for the center legs... You can simply use the center line as the sighting line and use the rake angle from the front and rear legs respectively for the drilling angles. The only catch here is that for the elements of the turnings to line up properly the center legs must be "squished". As I was writing this it hit me that Pete has written about this in the past. Here is a link to his blog post on the subject. Thanks Pete!

That is about it. I think you can figure out the rest!