Duncan

Thank you! I'v been using this color a lot lately, it's really wonderful.

This is the second democratic chair I’ve made and both times I’ve learned so much about design from this wonderful chair design by Curtis Buchanan. Making this one I realized all the little things I did wrong on the first one, but luckily they are both functioning and comfortable chairs.

You should be able to get a pretty good surface of both of them, especially the travisher. They are definitely a little tricky to sharpen, I think both Peter Galbert and Curtis Buchanan have some good sharpening videos on their YouTube that I found helpful.

I think one of the most important things I've learned as a woodworkers is how to recognize when it's time to take a break from the shop. Some days are just not shop days and that's ok!

If you get the chance get yourself a scorp and a travisher because using them is maybe one of the best ways to spend time in the shop.

Also I dented the dang spindle deck assembling this chair’s undercarriage! >_<

Side view of a stool made with a cherry top and oak legs/undercarriage

Close up of the side stretchers on a cherry and oak stool

Front view of a stool made with a cherry top and oak legs/undercarriage

Close up of the bevels on the seat on a cherry and oak stool

Low stool in cherry and oak.

Soaking up some morning sun.

Letting this stool with a cherry top get a little sun tan. One of my favorite things about cherry is how much richer and deeper its color becomes as it ages. Part of the joy of working with it is knowing the resulting piece will just get better with time.

Thanks Ben! Yeah, it's black oak (which is a kind of red oak). The spindles and legs are the sapwood from the same log.

A side chair made from black oak sapwood+heart wood and poplar. Finished will milk paint and beeswax/linseed oil.

Close up front view of the front of this side chair

View from above of this side chair showing the texture of the seat

Front on view of a side chair with milk paint accents

Sometimes I question why I’m so into making chairs these days and don’t want to spend much time on other woodworking projects. But then I realize it’s because they are just so dang fun to make and whenever I finish one I get so many ideas of things to try on the next one.

Thanks Ash!

A busy weekend in the shop, in between finishing the side chair I’ve been working on I got all the undercarriage joinery finished on this stool and got it glued up.

Thanks Keller!

All painted/assembled and ready for final clean up and finishing. I’ve been second guessing my idea of making a chair with so much oak sapwood showing and nearly painted the whole thing today. I know the colors will change a lot when I apply finish but I think the results may be good.

Thanks Theo! Me too, I stole it from the Democratic Chair that Curtis Buchanan designed.

A partially assembled side chair with just the undercarriage assembled

Close up of the seat details on a partially assembled side chair

One of my favorite parts of a chair build is after gluing up the undercarriage. At this stage with the untrimmed legs and nothing above the seat the chair always looks like some wild creature.

I can never state enough how much I love public libraries, for this and so many other reasons!!

A dovetailed walnut tea box with a cherry lid

Two walnut and cherry tea boxes viewed from above

I suppose it's good to make something other than chairs on occasion, so made a few little tea boxes in walnut with cherry lids. I forgot how freaking wonderful walnut is to hand plane, one of the great joys of woodworking I'd say.

I love this!

Congrats!

Just finished this stool, which is a prototype for class I'm teaching this Fall. Excited to make a few tweaks to the design and make another stool or two so I know everything is dialed on it.

I love scorping out a white pine seat! Such satisfying work. Excited to see your chair when it's done.

Made from green wood, both from a pin oak log.

Thanks!

Finished a second Jennie Chair last week. Fun making a second one so soon after the first, I realized all of (well at least some of) the accidental deviations I made from the plans the first time. Excited to start experimenting more with post and ring chairs!

I’ve never chipped an edge that bad before!

I’d say a good find! And even if the bits end up being past their prime they would still good practice for sharpening augers.

Sorry lots of typos there, hopefully that makes sense.

Thanks! It was fun to try and record my process.

It’s a type of red oak, and works pretty similar to other red oak I’ve used. This log was from a huge tree and I’ve noticed a part of variability in the material depending on where in the tree it was, but most of it’s been feast to work.

Thanks Ivan!