Thread: Windsor Armchair

Wow, that's really spiffy

Very noice!

Interested hearing your thoughts there on developing the design. I've wondered how using native Australian timbers might cause one to alter some of the "Classic" Windsor styles. Yours looks original and good.

Cheers, Franklin

cheers ta. yes very noice, very noice. EFFluent darling…

I realised there was an untapped portion of the community who would take interest in my chairs. …people like retiree pirates who want to reminisce….cult leaders….vampires….

That my target marking plan.

Originally Posted by Fuzzie

Interested hearing your thoughts there on developing the design. I've wondered how using native Australian timbers might cause one to alter some of the "Classic" Windsor styles. Yours looks original and good.

Cheers, Franklin

There's a few problems I think. Mostly to do with breaking tradition and aesthetics.

The biggest problem I'd say is getting people on board to the idea of using them. Long history of not using them because of the movement problems for the maker. much more difficult to work with.

The other problem I think is people will have to be more forgiving to occasional surface cracks in the seat. I actual want them with some looks. And if you get all your cacks before construction, movements pretty much done. But surface cracks don't bother the chairs strength.

There are other flaws that can be hard to avoid, but will end up wasting wood to get out, that some turn their noses up at. Like pinhole. I'm not prepared to waste wood cutting around it. Pinhole doesn't affect the chairs strength. Sometimes I think it looks good in certain spots. Draws the eye like a beauty spot.

Its all aesthetics though.

The way hardwoods changes windsors for me mostly , is the spindles can be leaned up. Opens design options I like.

Those back spindles come down to 8mm and yet are still strong. I think it looks great. Lightens up the whole design. But then people will critize the timber type…… not being say red cedar or rosewood.

Red cedar at 8mm breaks in my hands. I've got a pic here. I accumulate pictures like this for my own reference. The bottom is a straight grain grey gum eucalypt or some hybrid. I can't break it in my hands. The chairs I've knocked about at home with similar spindles haven't. Cedar would be a poor choice (a CRAP choice for THIS DESIGN. have a bit of a stir of the tut tutting traditionalists)

just an opinion

Hi Jake

Your work continues to get better and better. Already I think you must make the best Windsors in Oz. Your interpretation is exactly what I like - there is a clean, fresh line free from the fussiness I see in US work.

I am gearing up to start making a few Windsors in the future. Your chairs are an inspiration!

Regards from Perth

Derek

thanks Derek.

good luck with your chairs.

[Quote.]
This post was created because I'm into woodwork. And thought it would be the ideal place to post since this is a forum full of woodworkers. I still don't know how to display my work without it looking like a show off. If your not into woodwork, and don't know me personally, shorely you must have something better to do with your time. Or is the urge to ear drop really that great ? (thats just an attempt to push away meddling noisy locals ) [Quote]

Far Canal, mate no need to sound apologetic for posting a picture of this ripper on here. Of course other woodworkers like to see new stuff and must say you have done a top notch job on it. It looks most elegant and refined. The custom crest is also very cool. Breaking design trends is a great thing and what ultimately leads on to new possibilities.
To give it the old "Art School critique" Batwoman would look at home sitting on it with a crest like that.
Only thing that I'm curious about is, why have you made the tennons that go through the seat base domed? and not flush with the seat base.Could be a snag for someone unfortunate enough to have a pantfull of haemorroids or the like.
Cheers
AB

Originally Posted by artful bodger

Only thing that I'm curious about is, why have you made the tennons that go through the seat base domed? and not flush with the seat base.Could be a snag for someone unfortunate enough to have a pantfull of haemorroids or the like.
Cheers
AB

ta mate.

Well I used to do them flush to the seat. As you'd know its much easier after glue up to finish them flush.

but….. thats another little problem with hardwoods. The tenons can protrude out the seat over time maybe 1-2mm. Even KD stuff. I've had, it feels like ,a dozen odd nitpicking woodworkers rub their hands along the seat feeling for the step, showing disapproval when they find it.

This step doesn't bother me, but when the wise and elderly start talking 'wisely' and possible clients listen, picking it up as a flaw, they don't buy either. Some who listen, and know sweet FA about it, then mimic it,,,,rubbing their fingers over the protruding tenons in the same way. ..

So a fix to it I realised is to round the tenon end, so when the tenon steps its bearly noticeable. Can set round over just under the seat even to anticipate it, and it still looks ok.

and no, it doesn't affect comfort at all. I thought it might too before I tried it.

Anyway a rounded tenon tip looks good I believe. Gives more interest to the seat.

Only problem is adds much more time to the overall construction. Don't know exactly how much more time it takes. There's a fiddle before glue up,,,, and a long fiddle after glue up for each leg. All said and done its just fooocking fiddly.

Yeah, I know what ya mean regarding those tennons. The legs have the grain going vertically and the seat base has the grain going at right angles to them so there is bound to be discrepancies in the movement of the wood (and worse luck for us it will move)......know where your coming from there.
With the chairs I have made with those through tennon joints I prefer to make the joints flush then carve a vee section around the tennon and seat base. At least that way there feels like there is a step there from the start even if there aint. And if there is a bit of movement it feels much the same.
Yep, it's a hassle to carve that vee joint, seems like your almost ruining a good initial perfect joint in some respects, but it's a sort of insurance to keep those knitpickers or haemorroid pantsers free from criticism. Only other way is if you have enough thickness on the base so the tennons don't have to go all the way through and just use glue.

Originally Posted by artful bodger

Yeah, I know what ya mean regarding those tennons. The legs have the grain going vertically and the seat base has the grain going at right angles to them so there is bound to be discrepancies in the movement of the wood (and worse luck for us it will move)......know where your coming from there.
With the chairs I have made with those through tennon joints I prefer to make the joints flush then carve a vee section around the tennon and seat base. At least that way there feels like there is a step there from the start even if there aint. And if there is a bit of movement it feels much the same.
Yep, it's a hassle to carve that vee joint, seems like your almost ruining a good initial perfect joint in some respects, but it's a sort of insurance to keep those knitpickers or haemorroid pantsers free from criticism. Only other way is if you have enough thickness on the base so the tennons don't have to go all the way through and just use glue.

gotcha I think on the Vcut. probably help to see it to appreciate what you mean exactly. Thats the problem I've found with the internet. Its doesn't always engage all your senses. Are you thinking something to what I'm thiiiiinking ?

Shame, time and effort needs to be put into something that doesn't affect its strength. Why is it so important that the surface remains flush anyway ? Which bloke began this association. finding a little step with your finger = bad .

suppose there's another reason why mass production avoids such through joints. No risk of people seeing anything to pick at. Why put so much more time into something that may cause you trouble. Hide it all, including errors in the unseen part. But through joints I think look better. Takes more care to get them right.

It seems to me through, joint stepping is mostly just a hardwood problem, because when its done properly with softwood it seldom occurs. Another little negative against the poor Aussie hardwood.

For me, its going to be. If you want the surface flush ->softwood only. If you want a hardwood -> I'll put the effort into rounding it for you if your bothered by possible stepping(whats 'stepping' they may think), but are you willing to pay for the effort ? But how does one describe honestly, all of this to a client without mentioning anything negative.

A negative thought for a client, has them walking I've noticed, even if I'm only trying to nut out a solution for them. But if you rave too much about it, in an attempt to be honest, it gets too much and they'll walk too…..but they'll walk also if they sense your not being honest ……So have to be able to talk little and be honest at the same time about a topic thats more complicated than just a yes/no answer.

Or just give up on all the BS, and just grunt acknowledgements. or just nod at people. Look like you've got a mental problem. Maybe that'll help sales eventually. ' Oh look, its that poor woodworker with the mental problem again….how sad, ....oh dear, we should buy from him to help him out . '

Love the chair. Looks like it would envelope and hold the sitter admirably. It looks alive. Like if you weren't sitting on it you would find it in a different corner of the room cos it felt like a wander. Also love the flow of the top rail thingo. My only thing is that its a little to shiny but that's a personal thing I guess.

Don't let the turkeys get you down.

Maybe call it a "Windsoresk chair" so the traditionalists can't have kittens about your mods.

Love it!
Your taking an old type of chair and developing something new. That chair looks welcoming.