A new Windsor - and sharpening drawknives

[John Keeton]

I just finished assembling my 14 Windsor - a fan back arm chair from Buchanan's plan. This chair is larger than a comb back - the splay of the arms is greater and the seat is a couple inches deeper front to back. The plans don't call for a tail and brace spindles, but I added them as I think it adds a bit to the visual weight of the chair. It will sit in the house for a month before being painted. This one had some new challenges, but was a fairly straight forward build over all.

The drawknives are my five 6" knives that do 99% of the work I do - two Jennings & Griffin, one New Haven, one Witherby and a "no name." They are all superior knives and I use one until it is dull and go to the next one, though my "dull" is more like some I have handled that were represented to be "very sharp." Using a drawknife that isn't SHARP is just plain hard work. Using one that is extremely sharp is therapeutic pleasure!

These have done about 4 chairs, an additional 5 dozen roughed out spindles, several crests, arm rails and rough outs for those pieces before being sharpened. This was the day to re-sharpen them back to a razor edge.

[Mel Fulks]

Your chairs are all tall and Kingly. I still think Windsors should all be green …but an Ermine neck pillow would be an appropriate crown for it.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

The chair is beautiful! I keep trying to scroll up on the image to see if one of your rifles is hanging above the mantel.

[Andrew Hughes]

I don’t understand where the draw knife work is done.
Everything looks like it was turned on a lathe.
I just now realizing I have no idea how a Windsor chair is made. :o
Awesome Work John

[John Keeton]

Mel, thanks, but I attribute that to Buchanan’s plans which I have used for all my chairs. After extensive time spent in Santore’s book I am convinced Curtis has incorporated the finer elements of the various makers in his plans. They seem more refined than most of the originals.

Maurice, I appreciate the kind words. The rifle isn’t over the mantle, it hangs on the back wall of the great room. 😉

[John Keeton]

Thanks Andrew!!

[Michael Bulatowicz]

I just finished assembling my 14 Windsor - a fan back arm chair from Buchanan's plan. This chair is larger than a comb back - the splay of the arms is greater and the seat is a couple inches deeper front to back. The plans don't call for a tail and brace spindles, but I added them as I think it adds a bit to the visual weight of the chair. It will sit in the house for a month before being painted. This one had some new challenges, but was a fairly straight forward build over all.

The drawknives are my five 6" knives that do 99% of the work I do - two Jennings & Griffin, one New Haven, one Witherby and a "no name." They are all superior knives and I use one until it is dull and go to the next one, though my "dull" is more like some I have handled that were represented to be "very sharp." Using a drawknife that isn't SHARP is just plain hard work. Using one that is extremely sharp is therapeutic pleasure!

These have done about 4 chairs, an additional 5 dozen roughed out spindles, several crests, arm rails and rough outs for those pieces before being sharpened. This was the day to re-sharpen them back to a razor edge.

Beautiful work, John! I hope to reach the level of skill to make chairs approaching your level of work at some point.

As a side note, I agree completely on the sharpness of drawknives or any other tool. I've never yet received a tool sharp enough for my preference--including a number of Pfeil gouges reputed to be "carving sharp right from the factory." Truly sharp, leaving a highly polished (reflective) surface with ease, is a joy to work with! Anything else makes fine work difficult at best--so, time to sharpen. I've come to find dull tools simply intolerable and compulsively sharpen them before continuing.

[Mel Fulks]

Windsor chairs are interesting for a lot of reasons . They were cheap and “imported “ all over . Because they were affordable parents would
let kids’s , “rock -on “ in them , of course the kids beat them to pieces, that made them rare now and quite valuable….even though they
don’t vibrate ….they still resinate , and bring astounding sums ! A great “vibe” …. long before the electric vibrating chairs .

[Jim Koepke]

Very nice work John.

It is my hope to some day make a Windsor chair. My folks sold maple furniture and that included many factory made Windsor style chairs. My recollection is Nichols & Stone was their main supplier for maple chairs.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

John, Fantastic. I have a couple questions.

Are you bending your own crest rails?

What are your woods?

Which parts are you using dry, which are green?

Are you using a skew for your spindle details?

It's impressive that you are comfortable altering the design. You really have a gift. If any of you have frequented the Turners Forum, you'll know that John achieved professional-level tuning skills in record time. The same seems to be happening here...

John, I really hope you make some of your own designs in Windsors. Having made a couple myself I know how hard it is to create a chair design that is both novel and functional. I look forward to seeing where you take it.

[Keegan Shields]

Great looking chair John!

[John Keeton]

Keegan and Prashun, thanks for the kind words.

Prashun, regarding my progression in turning it is worth noting that I have been wood working for over 60 years and did a lot of carving along the way. I became very familiar with edge bevels, sharpening, and controlled delicate movements. I also developed a feel for a sharp edge being applied to wood and an understanding of grain direction that became automatic. When one carves the tool is "moved" through a stationary piece of wood. Turning is just the opposite - the tool is stationary (though it moves slowly with the direction of the cut) and the wood moves. The feel is the same. I rarely "watch" my cut. I keep my eye on the profile and feel the cut. For those reasons I think learning to turn was easier for me. It is much more related to my experiences than my skill level, though I suppose "experience improves skills."

Since these chairs have been a Bucket List item from my early 20s when I was immersed into the history of the 18th century I am largely interested in the elements that were used in the original Windsors. However, I think some of the more contemporary designs are attractive and I am not adverse to branching out at some point.


John, Fantastic. I have a couple questions.

Are you bending your own crest rails? Yes, I completely shape them and carve the volutes prior to bending them. Each chair style takes a different length and bend form.

What are your woods? Hard maple for the legs, stretchers, arm supports and posts; white or red oak for spindles, arm rails and crests; and pine or poplar for the seats. On this chair the arms weren't bent so they are cherry simply because it is easy to carve, and I had a board of it in the shop.

Which parts are you using dry, which are green? All of the oak pieces are worked green, but the spindles are kilned prior to assembly. The bends dry somewhat in the kiln while on the form, but they are left to air dry while the rest of the pieces are done. When I get a log I try to do several bends for various chairs and rough out spindles with the rest of the wood. I have several dozen spindles roughed out and they will be air dry for future chairs. They will still work quite well with a sharp knife and spokeshave. Presently I have arm rails and crests for a couple of comb backs and arm rails for a couple of continuous arm chairs. I also have another crest for this fan back arm chair.

The maple parts are turned from green wood, but depending on how long it has been in the barn the moisture content will vary. I have my mill cut straight grained maple billets that are 2.5x2.5x32 or 26 depending on my needs. Usually, that means I am buying the better part of a log so 50-70 billets at a time. Obviously, the first pieces from a batch will be quite wet.

Typically, I will do the bends for a chair first, take the roughed out spindles to approx. final shape, turn the maple parts, then carve the handhold knuckles and volutes. After the spindles are dried in the kiln I will form the tenons and refine the surface. The seat is the last thing done prior to assembly.

The seat material is air dried. All tenons are super dry prior to assembly, as are the oak spindles.

Are you using a skew for your spindle details? Minimally. The skew and I are not good friends, but we tolerate each other for a couple of applications. My favorite tools for the maple parts are a 3/4" continental gouge and Thompson detail spindle gouges - 1/4" and 3/8".

[Tom M King]

Gorgeous specimen!!!!

[John Keeton]

Thanks Tom!

[Robert LaPlaca]

John, that’s a beautiful chair

[John Keeton]

Thanks, Robert!

[James Pallas]

Nice work John. Really like your drawknives. They are truly magical tools when prepared correctly. Even in very hard materials you can barely feel the pull.
Jim

[John Keeton]

Thanks, Jim! I had a serious addiction to drawknives for a couple years. After going through 4 or 5 dozen I ended up keeping 10. But, the 6" knives are my favorites. All of my knives are bevel down, which I feel provides a much better level of control for the work I do. I also like a very small rounded "bevel" on the back side as it helps start a cut and also provides a bit of "lift" when peeling off heavy slices. Kind of keeps the knife from digging in too much.

[James Pallas]

John I don’t do the type of work you do, windsor chairs and such. I used drawknives when I lived in the Southwest to do trim for houses. I still do carvings some and in the course of furniture work I find them useful in places where others may use a plane. Much easier for me to take off a 1/4” then with a plane. I also like them for roughing raised panels and various bevels.
Jim

[Ron Brese]

That's a fine looking chair John

Ron

[John Keeton]

Thanks, Ron! A welcome comment from such a craftsman as you.

[Mark Rainey]

John, that could be an ornament on a tree - Merry Christmas!

[John Keeton]

Thanks Mark!

[Phil Mueller]

Very nice, John! It’s fun to see someone take a specialized passion for a particular piece and refine it to perfection. I think each of us have a love for certain styles/projects that inspire us to get into the shop. Don’t know if I’ll ever get around to trying a chair, but really enjoy seeing your work.

[John Keeton]

Thanks, Phil! I like the term “specialized” - my wife seems to prefer obsessive.:D

[Cameron Wood]

I'm guessing you have a shaving horse- could we see a pic?

[John Keeton]

Cameron, I do have a shavehorse. It was built from Tim Manney’s plan- https://www.timmanney.com/work/shavinghorseplans

I won’t be back in the shop for a couple days, but if you want to email me I will send you a pic.

[Vince Shriver]

Lovely chair John. At one time I worked for an English antique restorer who made Windsors (little ones for his small grandchildren, along with normal size). He used yew wood. Your chair reminds me of those days.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Beautiful chair John! Well done, Sir!

[John Keeton]

Vince, thanks for the kind words!

Ken, I appreciate you following along on Facebook with the assembly of this chair. And, I am humbled by your comments here as well. Thanks!