Making A Chair Part Six - Finishing
With the temperature outside heading towards thirty degrees, it seems a long time ago that I wrote about that frosty trip to the woodyard.
Making A Chair Part Five - Shaping
It’s been a while since I posted on this series, I hope the anticipation has been bearable. Moving straight into action, this week I’ll be shaping the uppercarriage.
Jim Steele - A Tribute
My fellow chairmaker and friend Jim Steele passed away last month, after a short illness. You can read more about the two of us here, but I thought I’d share a few memories. I only knew Jim for a short time towards the end of his long life, but he was a big influence.
Chair Fancier’s Fair
Last September I attended a celebratory reception at London’s Museum of the Home in honour of Bill and Gerry Cotton. Their work in identifying the distinct regional styles and makers of vernacular furniture lead to the most important book on chairmaking that I own - “The English Regional Chair”, published in 1990.
Making A Chair Part Four - Leg It
It’s been a hectic few weeks in the workshop. Making furniture has taken priority over writing about it, and I hope you’ll all agree that’s how it should be. I’ve finally got room full of brand new chairs and a delivery van booked for the morning, might as well sit down and continue the story…
Making A Chair Part Three - Carving The Seat
A confession - when I first started making chairs, I began to wonder if I couldn’t just set up a machine to do this job. It seemed to take hours. My knuckles started to bleed while my fitness watch assumed I was swimming the channel. Not much fun, but I stuck at it.
Making A Chair Part Two - Steambending
Steambending wood is like being goalkeeper for a rubbish football team. Long periods of boredom punctuated by a few seconds of frenetic activity, where you can get everything right and still somehow lose.
Making A Chair Part One - Timber
There’s a low sun and long shadows as I head over the Ridgeway towards Tyler Hardwoods.
A Year In Chairmaking
Today marks my first twelve months as a full-time chairmaker - time flies when you’re faffing about trying to sharpen a spokeshave.
Tempting Fête
Summer’s sort of here…in this little corner of Buckinghamshire that means it’s village fête season.