March 1 – 5

Lincolnshire Chair

with Christopher Schwarz

Experience Level: Intermediate

While beginning chairmakers are welcome, we ask that students be quite confident with hand tools and sharpening. In particular, the jack plane, block plane, scorp/inshave and travisher.

Class Details

Build one of the earliest Windsor chairs known to scholars – circa 1737 – and learn a host of woodworking skills, from steambending to basic turning to using an adze for seat saddling.

The Lincolnshire Windsor chair is a gorgeous, large and lightweight chair, ideal for sitting by the fire, reading a book or talking with friends. Its deep and comfortable seat encourages you to stick around, while the expansive back cradles your shoulders.

This chair is historically interesting because it is the earliest Windsor chair we know of. Its design offers a preview of what American Windsors will look like. And we think it is an essential link to the vernacular stick chairs in the U.K. and the long history of Windsors that came after it.

This is a physically challenging class. Bending the armbows and adzing the seat requires a level of upper body strength and endurance. The extensive seat shaping requires dexterity with hatchets, drawknives, spokeshaves and traditional saddling tools (travishers and scorps/inshaves).

This week-long class will be intense, with some work in the evenings required. But it will also be a great week of camaraderie and good food and drink in Covington. If you want to dive off the deep end into chairmaking, this is a good way to do it.

The price includes all materials (wood, glue, 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. I recommend 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: Another essential tool. I recommend a vintage metal jack, such as a pre-war Stanley No. 5. The older ones weigh less than the new premium jacks, which is a good thing. And the handles are far more comfortable. 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.
  • Spokeshaves, both flat sole and round sole: I am partial to shaves in the Stanley No. 151 pattern. These shaves have two blade adjustment screws. Veritas makes the best new one. You’ll need both shaves – round and flat soles – to work outside and inside curves. 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”)
  • Card scraper (we recommend the curved one we make at Crucible)
  • Mechanical pencils (.9mm or .7mm lead)
  • Scorp: (I recommend the Lucian Avery Inshave, the Hans Karlsson Inshave or the one from Jason Lonon). Order early to avoid disappointment!
  • Travisher: (Elia Bizzari’s 4.5” radius travisher, Peter Galbert’s T2 and the travishers from Allan Williams are all excellent). I also like the travishers from Windsor Workshop. If you use the Windsor Workshop travisher (particularly the Delrin one) then you don’t really need a scorp.
  • Chairmaker’s adze: Jason Lonon’s is our favorite.
  • Drawknife
  • 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 – 1/2” and 1” are essential
  • Lump hammer (heavier is better for chairmaking). I like 2-1/2” lbs.
  • 16-ounce nail hammer
  • Bubble level (12” levels are ideal).
  • Additional tools to bring (if you already own them)
  • If you have any of the following tools, it will greatly speed things so you don’t have to wait to use mine.
  • 1-1/8” Wood Owl Auger (Ultra-smooth version is best)
  • Veritas Power Tenon Cutters (1/2”) (confirm with Chris if this is size is correct)
  • Star M F-type bits (12mm)
  • Heavy-duty cordless drill (20v or so)
  • Random-orbit sander with some sort of dust extraction.

Optional Tools
(If you have any of the following tools, it will greatly speed things so you don’t have to wait to use mine):

  • 1-1/8” Wood Owl Auger (Ultra-smooth version is best)
  • Veritas Power Tenon Cutters (1/2”)
  • Star M F-type bits (12mm)
  • Heavy-duty cordless drill (20v or so)
  • Random-orbit sander with some sort of dust extraction.

Finish

I’ll bring soft wax and the application tools for that finish. If you want something else (paint, India ink, shellac), please bring it along. We will have time to finish your chair completely.

Transporting Your Chair Home

If you are flying to attend the class, we recommend you pack your chair 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).

*Most of all, if you have an unusual situation, please give us a heads up so we can prepare.

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.