# windsor chair



## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

This solid cherry sackback windsor is my favorite chair. It may be the finest piece of furniture I have ever made. A bit ago I posted my cherry/curly maple table. As you can probably guess cherry is my favorite wood, and combining it with curly/or bird'seye is my preferred combination.This is one of my dining chairs which sits with my cherry/curly maple William & Mary dining table. Thanks for looking & I hope you enjoy seeing this chair.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> This solid cherry sackback windsor is my favorite chair. It may be the finest piece of furniture I have ever made. A bit ago I posted my cherry/curly maple table. As you can probably guess cherry is my favorite wood, and combining it with curly/or bird'seye is my preferred combination.This is one of my dining chairs which sits with my cherry/curly maple William & Mary dining table. Thanks for looking & I hope you enjoy seeing this chair.


Ho Boi! Well, we definitely have a chair maker here. Nicely done. Can we see a picture of the chair and table?


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

That is true talent, very nicely done. An exceptional challange to this novice wood worker to be sure.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi digitally challenged : appreciate you taking the time to comment. You may have thumb problems, but your eyes for good art/talent, are crystal clear!!!!:laugh::thank_you2:


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

xplorx4 said:


> That is true talent, very nicely done. An exceptional challange to this novice wood worker to be sure.


 Thanks for your comment. It does take many years , and great will to teach oneself to make chairs like this one. :dance3:I enjoy turning most of all, and branched out into chairs after turning all the "regular stuff" :thank_you2:


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

That is one magnificent chair, I took a look at your profile, fully expecting to see your background as "chair-maker" , but alas, once again we have a member with scant details in his/her profile, what a pity.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

harrysin said:


> That is one magnificent chair, I took a look at your profile, fully expecting to see your background as "chair-maker" , but alas, once again we have a member with scant details in his/her profile, what a pity.


 Hi Harry: I'm sorry I disappointed you. What information do you believe you need to know? Am I a chairmaker? Indeed I am. Am I a furniture maker? Yes I am. Do I turn vessels? Yes I do. I hope this helps you. I let my work speak for me, but if you need any more info I will try to help you. :thank_you2


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## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

Very nice your work is exceptional what finish did you use?


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi Rick..Can't remember, but I believe I used danish & wax. I don't like "finishes" esp. shiny ones. I like wood to look like wood. I like the feel of wood, not finish. But if I had made this for sale, I would have used a wipe on poly.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Beautiful work, gal...


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

gal turner said:


> Hi Harry: I'm sorry I disappointed you. What information do you believe you need to know? Am I a chairmaker? Indeed I am. Am I a furniture maker? Yes I am. Do I turn vessels? Yes I do. I hope this helps you. I let my work speak for me, but if you need any more info I will try to help you. :thank_you2


I certainly didn't mean any disrespect, but putting the information you have just given into your profile means that members looking at your future threads will be able to have a peep at your background and be in a position to ask appropriate questions, for instance, I'm curious to know how you shaped the chair bottom. Just click on the name of any regular member and the chances are that there will be quite a lot of information.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Harry, I shaped the bottom in the traditional manner..handtools The only powertool used was a lathe. Back when pluto was a pup & I started making furniture for my own use I used a homemade springpole lathe to make the parts. Now my credit card number is: 67586976970809-90-0=0-==10 BIG GRIN!!!!!!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks for that information, I'm sure that we are all now in a position to make such a chair bottom!


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> I shaped the bottom in the traditional manner..handtools


Then, why did you use through tenons? When I was much younger we were in the habit of visiting friends in the country. In the corner was this beautiful Windsor chair from yesteryear. It looked sooooo comfortable. I sat down and sort of slid into position only to be met with a major pain in the butt. The wood had shrunk over the years and the tenons had shrunk at a different rate than the seat. The tenons were now protruding into the seat and subsequently, into me. I didn't last long. I had to move. I've since had a 2x4 up my butt over through tenons.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hey Allthunbs: sorry about your childhood trauma, with windsor chairs!! Spooky & scary! HAHAHAHA The reasoning I have read is that as wood expands & contracts and weight is put on the chairs over theyears, the cone shaped tenon gets tighter & tighter in the seat, thus avoiding the loose leg/straight tenon joint. Thru tenons also provide more "glue area" between the two pieces. The chair you sat in just needed to have that protruding tenon removed. (sanded, filed, gouged???) Hopefully you , as an adult have found a support group for your fear of windsors!!! BIG< BIG GRIN!!!!


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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

I think what Harry was very respectfully trying to inquire about were the details of certain aspects of the build that other members can benefit from. Such as the technique used to make the contours in the seat bottom, tools etc, or bending the arch for the back, or what technique/tricks were used to turn the thin spindles...etc.
Just posting a picture of a completed project does little to help others appreciate the work required to achieve it or to emulate it.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

jmg: thanks for the explanation. What having info in profile has to do with explaining how a chair was built or what question could be asked, is not computing for me. But I'm happy to answer questions about anything I post. All one has to do is ask. I do not read profiles,:lazy: nor do I put info in that section. I let my work speak for me. And I let other's work speak for them. Hope to see your work soon. I notice not much gets shown here. I love seeing what people make, and sure would like to see more finished projects here. Again, thanks for the info


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> Hey Allthunbs: sorry about your childhood trauma, with windsor chairs!! Spooky & scary! HAHAHAHA





> The chair you sat in just needed to have that protruding tenon removed. (sanded, filed, gouged???) Hopefully you , as an adult have found a support group for your fear of windsors!!! BIG< BIG GRIN!!!!


The _GlutimusWindsorTenonus society_ has yet to have its' inaugural meeting.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hey Al..will I be receiving an invitation to the inaugural meeting? I sure hope so.!!! Have you attended the Shaker chair meetings for the pre-shaker tape, splint seat pinch bottom get togethers??? :lol:If not, hope to see you there!:thank_you2:


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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

gal turner said:


> jmg: Hope to see your work soon. I notice not much gets shown here.


Just scan the "Show and Tell" area and you'll see several of my box projects including an 8-10 page step by step of my latest jewelry box project with detailed explanations. http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/18971-jewelry-box-build-pics.html
My work is far from expert but I learned a lot from some of the comments and questions.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> Hey Al..will I be receiving an invitation to the inaugural meeting? I sure hope so.!!! Have you attended the Shaker chair meetings for the pre-shaker tape, splint seat pinch bottom get togethers??? :lol:If not, hope to see you there!:thank_you2:


You forgot splinter! Thanks for the chuckle. I needed that.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Joe, me thinks that you and I (and others) are flogging a dead horse on this thread.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi from the dead horse: I am not trying to be difficult Harry. I just cannot fathom why info in a profile helps you ask questions. If you would enlighten me, I'd sure try to see your view. If I wrote in my profile::wacko: I"m a retired pole dancer, would you ask me if I built my own pole?  So I am truly lost as to what you want from me.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Beautiful work! Where did you get the plans for the chair and table?


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

No real plans..I do have tons of books on chairbuilding and lots of books on shaker items. I'll guess that both these are composites of info in the books. Shop Drawings of Shaker Furniture by Ejner Handberg Making Authentic Shaker Furniture by John Shea Make a Windsor with Michael Dunbar Traditional Windsor chairs, by Rendi Hope this helps get you on the road to making your own Good Luck!


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> Hi from the dead horse: I am not trying to be difficult Harry. I just cannot fathom why info in a profile helps you ask questions. If you would enlighten me, I'd sure try to see your view. If I wrote in my profile::wacko: I"m a retired pole dancer, would you ask me if I built my own pole?  So I am truly lost as to what you want from me.


Hi Gal:

I think I can understand the dilemma. You see when someone asks a question like "where can I get type "X" wood?" it helps if we knew where (s)he was from. We know that in the EU they use 240V whereas in NA we use 120V. 

It's probably also driving Harry nuts that he doesn't know who you are!

Go for it! :dance3:


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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

gal turner said:


> No real plans..I do have tons of books on chairbuilding and lots of books on shaker items....


No real plans? Hmmmm...just scan a few books and viola! a Windsor chair pops out. Interesting.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

jmg1017 said:


> No real plans? Hmmmm...just scan a few books and viola! a Windsor chair pops out. Interesting.


 LOL, yep that's just how it happened. They just pop out! Holy moley jg, if you knew the work and work, and work it took to make a pole lathe, teach myself to turn, teach myself to make chairs, you'd probably drop dead of boredom watching the process. I first made stools..it took a few just to get them square, let alone solid and attractive. I have made many chair seats only to find I drilled a leg hole in the wrong direction. It's been a 40 yr. journey. Poppin' out. Hardly. :blink:


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> I have made many chair seats only to find I drilled a leg hole in the wrong direction. It's been a 40 yr. journey. Poppin' out. Hardly. :blink:


I've never made a chair seat but I've drilled lots of holes in the wrong direction. You're still a youngster. There are some here that earned their grey hair ;-)


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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

gal turner said:


> Holy moley jg, if you knew the work and work, and work it took to make a pole lathe, teach myself to turn, teach myself to make chairs.......


I know a little bit about what it takes to make a Windsor chair like the one in the picture. And I also know what it takes to make a Shaker night stand like the one pictured in your gallery. It is my opinion that they were not made by the same hands. Call it a hunch.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Oh boy, I don't know where you are coming from or why you chose to post this. You may believe as you wish. May you have a good day


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## jmg1017 (Apr 9, 2009)

Well, if it's not too much trouble, share some of your techniques with us. Maybe some detail or pictures showing us how you cut the angled tenons for the legs and stretchers. Maybe show us your tools you used to carve the profile in the seat, or a picture of your steamer used to bend the arch in the back...etc.
These are the type of things many here are asking you to share. These are the things that are helpful to other members.
Anyone can take or find a picture and post it. No skill needed there. It's the sharing of specific information that helps others learn and helps the forum grow.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

It is not a requirement of this forum for people to qualify their existence. This is a place where people help people. Someone who screws up the courage to speak up is appreciated. Better still if their contribution helps someone else. Sometimes, just the speaking up is all it takes to trigger someone else to comment and thus we have a discussion that encourages others to comment from which we all learn. There are times I'll post something that is grossly wrong just to encourage others to correct me and a discussion is started, and I'm not the only one to go that route.

I tried doing what Harry is doing and all I got was flamed for my effort so I don't do it any more. What bugged me more was that no one came to my defense so I felt it was the entire forum that was flaming me. 

However, I will encourage discussion and for that you don't need to know my life's story nor do I have to qualify my existence. I have my reasons for wanting to remain behind the anonymity of the 'net and that I do not need to qualify to anyone. The same holds true for all of the membership of this forum.


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## Mark (Aug 4, 2004)

jmg1017 said:


> I know a little bit about what it takes to make a Windsor chair like the one in the picture. And I also know what it takes to make a Shaker night stand like the one pictured in your gallery. It is my opinion that they were not made by the same hands. Call it a hunch.


Learn to treat members with respect. 24 hour holiday.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

There are lots of books on how to make Windsor chairs. There's lots of books on how to make spring pole and spinning wheel lathes. We do not need to re-invent the wheel here. Besides if Galturner or Canukgal or anyone else took the time and trouble to prepare such a treatise, it would be wasted because there is no archive here that allows multiple generations of participants to this forum to refer.

It is not the objective of this forum to teach people how to make Windsor chairs. There are other fora better suited to that purpose. This is a router forum and although you can use a router to make a chair seat, it is better with an inshave and rounded spoke shave. (Ignore the grain at your peril.)

I think Galturner's quilted cutting boards, photos and explanation provides more than adequate information to make a stacked cutting board. Would you have gotten that information some other way? Probably, but maybe not with the design she made. Now, you have another design to refer to and an explanation of how to make it. I think she's provided more than what is necessary to duplicate her efforts. It's not a Windsor chair but it can be done with a router.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

I had never heard of a spring pole lathe before. I had to do a little investigating. I sometimes forget people made things long before electricity was discovered. Thanks for the lesson galturner!


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Gal Turner that is a beautiful chair. Really well made. Would love to see more of your furniture in your gallery. 

A spring pole lathe is a cool lathe. A friend of mine back east bought one and rebuilt it. I am telling you if you can turn on it you are a turner.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Deb

If you get some time check out the links below

Part 1
UNC-TV ONLINE: Video On-Demand: The Woodwright's Shop

Part 2
UNC-TV ONLINE: Video On-Demand: The Woodwright's Shop


PBS - Woodwright's Shop: Schedule

PBS - Woodwright's Shop: Schedule

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CanuckGal said:


> I had never heard of a spring pole lathe before. I had to do a little investigating. I sometimes forget people made things long before electricity was discovered. Thanks for the lesson galturner!


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Very interesting links. Thanks BJ!


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

*Now we're discussin'*

Thanks CG Bernie,Bobj3..can't see your videos, (dial-up) but I have seen Roy on PBS and his lathe is awesome. Mine was a pole attached to a shed, some screws in the heads to put the wood, and a board as a foot pedal. Was it UGLY. But it got me the basics. When I got a real electric lathe, having the wood spinning on one direction was a real treat.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

gal turner said:


> Thanks CG Bernie,Bobj3..can't see your videos, (dial-up) but I have seen Roy on PBS and his lathe is awesome. Mine was a pole attached to a shed, some screws in the heads to put the wood, and a board as a foot pedal. Was it UGLY. But it got me the basics. When I got a real electric lathe, having the wood spinning on one direction was a real treat.


You just needed a chisel that would cut on the up _and_ down strokes.


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