Sackback Windsor

[Michelle Rich]

total cherry sackback. This is one of the windsors I made for my dining table

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful work Michelle. Did you make a complete set?

[Jim Rimmer]

Beautiful chair. How many more do you have to make?

[Alexander Valle]

I'm not familiar with American furniture but this style is really lovely and delicate...good work!!

[Michelle Rich]

Jim & Bruce 2 sackbacks, a continuous arm, a birdcage..I like variety.

[lowell holmes]

Traditionally, Windsor chairs were made with steam bent green wood. I think the wood was mostly oak.

How are the bent pieces made in your chair? Did you steam bend cherry? Are the spindles made on a shave horse or turned?

The chair is beautiful.

[Michael Dromey]

Very nice work. Was it difficult?

[Michelle Rich]

Very nice work. Was it difficult?

Yes, chairs are considered the hardest furniture to make. These are no exception.

[dave toney]

Yes, chairs are considered the hardest furniture to make. These are no exception.

Beautiful work!
You are absolutely right, chairs are the biggest challenge to build well from and engineering perspective, no other piece of furniture is subject to so many types of stress and abuse.

[Michelle Rich]

Traditionally, Windsor chairs were made with steam bent green wood. I think the wood was mostly oak.

How are the bent pieces made in your chair? Did you steam bend cherry? Are the spindles made on a shave horse or turned?

The chair is beautiful.

thanks for your comment. Various woods were used depending on where folks made these. In England/Wales, etc they used what woods were native..in United States, each region used the wood they had too. Usually they were multiple woods chairs. I chose to make mine all cherry as I wanted to have some that were not painted which is the norm. The bent pieces are steam bent spokeshaved..the spindles are spokeshaved.(spokeshaving gives the pieces more strength) .the posts, legs etc , turned.

[lowell holmes]

That's how we did it in a Windsor chair class I attended. We used green red oak for the spindles and bent pieces.

Was your cherry green, or is it possible to steam bend kiln dried cherry.

I have some tiger maple I would like to make a Windsor with, but I've been reluctant to try it. I'm not worried about spokeshaving the spindles, but I'm unsure about the bent rail on the back.

[Michelle Rich]

That's how we did it in a Windsor chair class I attended. We used green red oak for the spindles and bent pieces.

Was your cherry green, or is it possible to steam bend kiln dried cherry.

I have some tiger maple I would like to make a Windsor with, but I've been reluctant to try it. I'm not worried about spokeshaving the spindles, but I'm unsure about the bent rail on the back.

I would worry about shaving the spindles on figured stock..I'm sure it would take a ton of patience, and probably more scraping than shaving.
the cherry was green..Sackbacks are easy to bend, vs. say a continuous arm which must be bent in 2 planes. My C.A. just about caused me a heart attack..I broke 8-9 of them before I got a good one. One is all of that style is all I will ever make! Enjoy making your chair

[Baxter Smith]

Beautiful chair Michele. I think they are the prettiest chair made regardless of wood or style. This is a great one!

[Cody Colston]

Wonderful work. I've never attempted to build one but I really admire that style chair. It looks great in Cherry, too, much nicer than painted, IMHO. Thanks for showing.

[Jim Becker]

Wow...beautiful work!