June 25 – 27 | $1000

Low Staked Stool and Fresh Milk Paint

with Ania Nowakowski

Experience Level: All

Class Details

The Low Staked Stool (the ADB Stool) is a fantastic way to step into the world of chair making.  While not a chair itself, it gives the opportunity to learn many of the skills needed to build a chair.  Shaping and tenoning the legs, using sightlines to drill mortises, incorporating stretchers into the sub-structure – all these skills transfer perfectly into chairmaking.  This class allows for a low-pressure entry into the world of staked furniture, a perfect stepping stone for future chair makers.  

Once we have finished building our stools we will turn to finishing them using fresh milk paint.  Following the procedures in “Make Fresh Milk Paint” by Nick Kroll, we will make our own paint using earth pigments and quark.  Students will have a selection of pigments to choose from to personalize their stools.  

This class is geared towards beginner chairmakers.  We do ask that students be confident with hand tools and sharpening. In particular the jack plane and block plane.

The price includes all materials (wood, glue, pigments, etc.) Each class also includes a light breakfast and lunch every day.  

For information on Covington, including where to stay and where to eat, click here. 

Tool List

Class Tool List

An important note on tools: When you arrive, your tools should be sharp and ready to go.  There won’t be time to restore vintage tools or set up new tools in this class.

Required For the Class

  • Block plane: This is one of the most important tools in the kit. As recommended by Chris Schwarz, a high-quality new block plane with an adjustable mouth, such as the Lie-Nielsen 60-1/2. The adjustable mouth will allow you to make against-the-grain cuts without tearing. If you have small hands, you can substitute a smaller model with a non-adjustable mouth. But you will be doing more scraping.
  • Jack plane: If possible, grind the iron so it has a pronounced curve, such as an 8” or 10” radius. If you don’t have a grinder, a sharp, straight edge will work.
  • Spokeshave – flat sole.  We will be working with dry wood, so wooden-bodies shaves are not recommended.
  • 6” rule
  • Small tape measure
  • Combination square (6” and/or 12”)
  • Mechanical pencils (.9mm or .7mm lead)
  • Crosscut back saw (Western or a simple dozuki)
  • Cork sanding block
  • A selection of sandpaper in #80, #120 and #180 grits
  • Flush-cutting saw
  • A few chisels – ¼”, 5/8” and 1”
  • Lump hammer (heavier is better for chairmaking). I like 2-1/2” lbs.
  • 16-ounce nail hammer
  • Bubble level (24” levels are ideal).

Nice to Have (if you already own them)

  • 1” Wood Owl Auger (Ultra-smooth version is best)
  • Veritas Power Tenon Cutters (5/8” and 1”)
  • Star M F-type bits (16mm)
  • Heavy-duty cordless drill (20v or so)

We have a small number of tools to share for those who need them. Please let us know beforehand if you need to borrow a tool from the list so we can ensure there is one available.


Transporting Your Stool Home

If you are flying to attend the class, we recommend you pack your stool parts in a suitcase and check them with the airline for the flight home. If that’s not possible, please let us know and we can discuss other options (such as shipping the parts via UPS or another carrier).”


Register for the Class

Registration happens via email on a first come, first served basis. Click the Register button for instructions on how to sign up for this class.

Register

Cancellations will be accepted until eight weeks before the class for a full refund.  If a cancellation occurs within eight weeks prior to the class date, a refund will be issued only if the spot can be filled.