Woodworker: Roland Benjamin

After 65 years as an amateur woodworker, Roland Benjamin couldn’t resist the challenge of building a “sculpture in wood,” this corner chair after one designed by John Goddard of Newport, R.I., about 1760. The project took about 300 hours. Benjamin made drawings from two photographs and then did mockups from scrap stock to refine the shapes of the three double cabriole uprights and cyma back splats. The only straight parts are the rear seat rails. The chair, constructed out of American cherry, was finished with shellac. From Fine Woodworking #200 Photo: Roland Benjamin