Is the big oak chair one with battens on the seat? I see the seat it glued up from three boards, did you use loose tenons to secure them? Sorry for all the questions, I have a huge stack of wiergly sized ash with brilliant stick, leg and arm stock but nothing for seats really. It's reall thick, like 6 to 8 inches, sometimes more.
I don't make chairs for the chairless, but I do make beds for the bedless as part of a group Sleep in Heavenly Peace. We make beds for children who have no beds and we provide them along with mattresses, pillows and blankets for free.
Curious if you’ve read David Graeber’s book, “Debt: The first 5000 years”? He debunks the “myth of barter” and analyzes how credit, debt, and coinage were used for inter- and intra-community trade. It’s a great read (and he’s an anarchist!).
Also, forgot to mention tally sticks, that I think you’ll find interesting. They were pieces of wood used to record debts, and the stick was split in half with each party keeping one. When the debt was repaid, the sticks were destroyed. They could also be used as trade-able debt instruments that functioned like money, for example: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co60506/medieval-exchequer-tally-sticks
Over my 50+ years of furniture making, I have made more than a dozen rocking chairs…given away many, sold others and shit-canned a few! Being able to make a chair from a walnut tree on my own property is my true seat of power…cannot take that away. Still have the first rocker.
Chairs are a fascinating window into how status runs social systems. Arms on chairs were reserved for the head of the table. 400 years ago, kinda made sense. But only 20 years ago, even after OSHA had declared all arms on all chairs for secretaries (to prevent carpal tunnel disorder) our university was still stocking offices for secretaries with armless chairs. I went in one day, bought all new chairs (with arms) and threw the old ones out.
Appreciative and inspired by Joshua Kleins research of Jonathon fisher making chairs for the people in town. (Hopefully I got my facts straight there - it’s been a while since reading)
I built a stick chair from one of Chris's plans. It was slow because there was a lot to learn. It was sometimes frustrating because I'd never done anything close to the techniques. No, I didn't rive the wood. The sticks came from a lumberyard. In less than a year it's needed a couple of repairs. The milk paint finish is wonky. But here's the deal. It's my wife's daily kitchen table chair. She loves it. Her feet reach the floor. She says it's one of the most comfortable chairs she's used -- nope, the seat isn't saddled. Friends who come to the house love the chair. Our artist friend always picks this one. It already has the patina of use. Anyone who's considering making one, do it sooner than later. It is one of the most satisfying projects you will ever undertake.
What keeps me from building a chair? Fear, inertia, lack of tools, inexperience, no shave horse... . I had to cancel the 2 classes I signed up for (one to build a shave horse, and one to build a chair). because I didn't have enough vacation days. But your article is inspiring, maybe I can make a chair in my spare time.
It took me more than a year, to build my fist two bafkstools from Chris' plans in the ADB. The process was an absolute mess. The wood hated me and I had to work with really wonky tools. Almost quit the process when one of the seats split during glue up. Some miracle made them come together in the end, even though I had to disassemble one of them and reglue, because of glue failure. What I am trying to say: go tackle it! The chair from BS is an excellent start, I am building it myself just now. It's gonna be a mess, things will go wrong and you'll recover. It's so worth the ride!
I have all the same feelings whenever I start a new project. But my worst failures in woodworking are still my favorite possessions. Try your best and expect to bungle it and you will be rewarded :)
Beautifully written, beautifully true!
Is the big oak chair one with battens on the seat? I see the seat it glued up from three boards, did you use loose tenons to secure them? Sorry for all the questions, I have a huge stack of wiergly sized ash with brilliant stick, leg and arm stock but nothing for seats really. It's reall thick, like 6 to 8 inches, sometimes more.
The seat doesn't have battens. It is three boards joined with loose tenons and pegs. Many old chairs were made this way.
I don't make chairs for the chairless, but I do make beds for the bedless as part of a group Sleep in Heavenly Peace. We make beds for children who have no beds and we provide them along with mattresses, pillows and blankets for free.
Great piece of writing Chris!
The last 3 paragraphs are the closest to poetry that I have seen from your pen.
Keep teaching.
Curious if you’ve read David Graeber’s book, “Debt: The first 5000 years”? He debunks the “myth of barter” and analyzes how credit, debt, and coinage were used for inter- and intra-community trade. It’s a great read (and he’s an anarchist!).
Have not. Sounds interesting!
Also, forgot to mention tally sticks, that I think you’ll find interesting. They were pieces of wood used to record debts, and the stick was split in half with each party keeping one. When the debt was repaid, the sticks were destroyed. They could also be used as trade-able debt instruments that functioned like money, for example: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co60506/medieval-exchequer-tally-sticks
Over my 50+ years of furniture making, I have made more than a dozen rocking chairs…given away many, sold others and shit-canned a few! Being able to make a chair from a walnut tree on my own property is my true seat of power…cannot take that away. Still have the first rocker.
Chairs are a fascinating window into how status runs social systems. Arms on chairs were reserved for the head of the table. 400 years ago, kinda made sense. But only 20 years ago, even after OSHA had declared all arms on all chairs for secretaries (to prevent carpal tunnel disorder) our university was still stocking offices for secretaries with armless chairs. I went in one day, bought all new chairs (with arms) and threw the old ones out.
Appreciative and inspired by Joshua Kleins research of Jonathon fisher making chairs for the people in town. (Hopefully I got my facts straight there - it’s been a while since reading)
I built a stick chair from one of Chris's plans. It was slow because there was a lot to learn. It was sometimes frustrating because I'd never done anything close to the techniques. No, I didn't rive the wood. The sticks came from a lumberyard. In less than a year it's needed a couple of repairs. The milk paint finish is wonky. But here's the deal. It's my wife's daily kitchen table chair. She loves it. Her feet reach the floor. She says it's one of the most comfortable chairs she's used -- nope, the seat isn't saddled. Friends who come to the house love the chair. Our artist friend always picks this one. It already has the patina of use. Anyone who's considering making one, do it sooner than later. It is one of the most satisfying projects you will ever undertake.
I am going to use this book for my first chair: Build a Chair from Bulls%$t. I believe I can live up to its name
What keeps me from building a chair? Fear, inertia, lack of tools, inexperience, no shave horse... . I had to cancel the 2 classes I signed up for (one to build a shave horse, and one to build a chair). because I didn't have enough vacation days. But your article is inspiring, maybe I can make a chair in my spare time.
It took me more than a year, to build my fist two bafkstools from Chris' plans in the ADB. The process was an absolute mess. The wood hated me and I had to work with really wonky tools. Almost quit the process when one of the seats split during glue up. Some miracle made them come together in the end, even though I had to disassemble one of them and reglue, because of glue failure. What I am trying to say: go tackle it! The chair from BS is an excellent start, I am building it myself just now. It's gonna be a mess, things will go wrong and you'll recover. It's so worth the ride!
I have all the same feelings whenever I start a new project. But my worst failures in woodworking are still my favorite possessions. Try your best and expect to bungle it and you will be rewarded :)
Thank you for the encouragement. I need to just quit being afraid and know that the more I do, the better I will get
Helen, search out Chris's video class on The Wood Whisperer for The American Welsh Chair. It is all there.
Thanks for the tip
BRAVO ! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WISDOM AND ALL OF YOUR VISION.
NOW AT THE AGE OF 80 I WILL PROCEED WITH THE TRYING TO BUILD A STICK CHAIR.
THANK YOU, GENE GNIDA