Replies

1. 
   woodshaver | Jun 27, 2003 03:13am | #1

   welcome to the forum JamesD, if your interested in 18th  century furniture and

   hand tools , take a look at this website  http://www.sapfm.org/  I just joined ,

     it to has a online forum , and is a great place to ask questions .

                                                          good luck

                                                                           mark .

1. 
   JamesD | Jun 27, 2003 03:17am | #2

   Absolutely awesome link! Thank you.

2. 
   RW | Jun 27, 2003 03:41am | #3

   The American Furniture book by Greene is great. There's another that I thought was real good too. I'm trying to recollect the title, but it was all southern - so think states that were south when the Civil War went on. I'll go rummage around and see if I can find the title. That one is also a keeper, and big on photos, documentation, and closeups of variations in joinery.

   "The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb "      lyrics by Roger Waters

3. 
   RW | Jun 27, 2003 03:44am | #4

   View Image

   Southern Furniture 1680-1830: The Colonial Williamsburg Collection

   View Image
   View Image

   "The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb "      lyrics by Roger Waters

1. 
   creekwood | Jun 27, 2003 04:50am | #6

   RW, I have that book. It provides much info and inspiration.

4. 
   creekwood | Jun 27, 2003 04:48am | #5

   Welcome, JamesD. I've only been in here about 3 months,  and I'm hooked; here every day. There's a wealth of information to be gleaned in here. Enjoy!

5. 
   TomS | Jun 27, 2003 05:11am | #7

   Welcome to the forum.  I like Norman Vandal's book on QA furniture.

   As far as the Windsors are concerned, have you taken a class or are you self-taugh?  What styles are you currently making and how many chairs have you built so far?

   I make Windsors as well, but haven't put one together in quite some time.

   Tom

1. 
   JamesD | Jun 27, 2003 05:37am | #9

   Hi Tom,

   I did take a one week class to get me started at Windsor chairmaking, but that was after reading Dunbars book and dreaming about it for about 17 years. I've made some sackbacks, braced bowback, small comb-back, stools and a comb-back rocker. I am currently working on a sack-back settee.  

   I worked out the designs for the settee and comb-back rocker myself. I have developed a real good "feel" for designing Windsor chairs. The comb-back, I designed from scratch after studying several different chairs and rockers. It turned out beautiful, with no changes required in the design, which is quite odd for the first try at a new design.

1. 
   TomS | Jun 27, 2003 03:10pm | #11

   If possible, could you attach some pictures of your work?  I am always interested in what others have done in the area of design and execution of Windsor interpretation.

   Thanks,  Tom

1. 
   JamesD | Jun 27, 2003 03:16pm | #12

   I will post some later today or tonight. Some of my pics are really bad but they'll give an idea of what I've been doing.

1. 
   JamesD | Jun 28, 2003 04:32am | #15

   A few more pics. Sorry about the image quality.

   
2. 
   forestgirl | Jun 28, 2003 05:46am | #16

   I pulled up blksbck(?) 71KB and the chair is beautiful!  Any chance you could re-size the other 2 pics to under 100KB?  Many of us don't have highspeed connection and give up after the first 100KB or so.  forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

3. 
   JamesD | Jun 28, 2003 05:51am | #17

   I'll see what I can do. It's late, so it'll have wait until tomorrow.

4. 
   camel | Jul 05, 2003 04:30pm | #19

   JamesD.- Nice looking chairs James and welcome to the forum. You do a hell of a job with your back spindles. They almost look like you turned them. Mine were unbalanced and lopsided somewhat. Do you do all your turnings too? What were the species you used for different parts? Also, what is the thickness of your seat? It looks a little thinner than 2". I'm not critisizing, but the pommel looked rounded over. It's probably just the picture. It looks great though.

   I took a week-long sack back class with Mike Dunbar a few years ago. It was the best time I have ever had. I learned alot and he and his staff were awesome to work with. I want to go back and learn the C-arm. It's my favorite Windsor. Since taking that class, it has forever changed the way I look at any chair. It's amazing the pure junk the general public buys everyday thinking they're saving money. I've definetly caught the Windsor chair addiction. Colonial Furniture in general. Speaking of the class, it was so nice to work and not hear all the noise from machines and only the sound of razor sharp tools slicing through the wood.John E. Nanasy

5. 
   ehBeth | Jul 05, 2003 05:27pm | #20

   Nice looking work, JamesD.  It's great to be able to present such fine examples of workmanship. If you can't play a sport, be one.

6. 
   JamesD | Jul 05, 2003 07:04pm | #21

   Hi John,

   Thanks for your kind comments. I have added a few thoughts, possibly answers to your questions.

   My spindles begin from the red oak log. I split (rive) it out but then dress it with my hand plane to 3/4" square. I mark the length and each end with pencil and marking guage to dimension. From this point I start shaving four sides of the spindle to the dimensions I want. Note to shave four sides. After it is shaved to dimension and the length of the spindle has the taper I'm looking for, I shave the corners off with my drawknife. If you look at each end you should have relatively accurate octagon. Now I start shaving with my spokeshave. I discipline myself to continually rotate the spindle despite my desire to take a few more cuts in a certain spot. I don't get too accurate at this stage as the spindle will dry and shrink to a somewhat oval shape. I do all my own turnings. I'm improving with each chair.

   The seat thickness in the black sack-back was 1 7/8", but it is poplar. I prefer pine and try to get my material 2" - 2 1/8" thick. My chair parts are as follows: seat-pine, turnings-rock or sugar maple, shaved spindles and steam bent parts-red oak.

   I hope this helps.

2. 
   JamesD | Jun 28, 2003 02:27am | #14

   Test picture post. Please remember, I said they were bad pictures.

   
6. 
   TomS | Jun 27, 2003 05:17am | #8

   There is another book, The Master Craftsmen of Newport, that was researched by Michael Moses.  I haven't seen it, but I hear it is the definitive work on the subject.

   Tom

7. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 27, 2003 05:52am | #10

   James, if you're already making Windsors, you doubtless have all the shop skills down pat. I'd think your remaining objective would be more in the line of getting detailed drawings of 18th century furniture rather than a how-to book.

   If that's the case, the good news is three of the Old Masters left us with exactly what you're looking for (Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton) in the form of "Directories" of their furniture designs. I think Dover has published reprints within the last 20 years or so (?) of at least a couple of them (Sheraton for sure, but he's really an early 19th century Master...if that matters.) Don't know if even the Dover editions are still in print, but it might be worth a try.

   ...And welcome aboard. Knots is a great resource. You can count on getting at least two contrary opinions on virtually any topic you care to bring up.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/26/2003 10:55:23 PM ET by Jon Arno

1. 
   JamesD | Jul 04, 2003 03:38pm | #18

   Jon,

   I checked Dovers website and they have several books referencing period furniture at very reasonable prices. Thanks for mentioning Dover.

   http://store.doverpublications.com/doverpublications/by-subject-antiques--collecting-furniture--wood.html

8. 
   forestgirl | Jun 28, 2003 02:12am | #13

   Welcome, Jim, it's fun to have new members!  Are you here to challenge my record in arm-chair WWing?  I'd hate to lose it!  I, too, look forward to seeing some pics of your work.  Best of luck in turning totally pro!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)