As of November, 2008, Dave has retired (reluctantly) from the teaching
end of his business. It's been a great run. He is still accepting commission
for his chairs and tables. If you need a handcrafted gift to mark a
special event, Dave will be happy to oblige.
Handcraft
your own chair
2007
Courses
Greenwood
Stool (3 days)
Ladderback
Chair (5 days)
Upper
Canada Armchair (5 days)
Continuous
Arm Windsor (7-8 days)
In
my village workshop, you'll be immersed in a world of almost forgotten
woodcraft, working with antique tools and fragrant pine, oak and hickory.
You'll learn how to rive green wood with a froe, how to shape staves
and spindles with a drawknife and spokeshave and how to steambend bows
to graceful contours. Later, you'll be able to try the spring-pole lathe.
With adze and travisher, you'll sculpt the seats of Windsor chairs and
with brace and bit drill compound angles by hand and eye. Then assembly;
the hours of careful quiet work pay off, and you'll return home with
a handsome chair.
Since 1994 over
three hundred clients have successfully completed their projects.
There
are many chair designs to choose from: Some students may wish to build
an oak ladderback chair - light, resilient, and wonderfully strong.
I supply the natural rush for the seating, too. If Windsor chairs are
your focus, you can begin with a sackback or a bowback chair. These
are 18th century classics, still popular today. Later, you can advance
to the continuous arm, birdcage Windsor, or combback, the grandest of
the Windsor chairs. I also offer instruction to experienced clients
in building English and Welsh chairs with their special features. For
those students who are not turners I supply a set of the appropriate
turnings.
You
may be interested also in two-day courses in constructing a shaving
horse, woodturning instruction, rush seat weaving, spoon and bowl carving,
steambending techniques or ash-splint basketry.
Contact Dave or Sandy at Spokeshave Woodwork for full
details about current courses, prices, and accomodations.
