Windsor chair making

March 11, 2019

The windsor chair is constructed from a solid base, the legs and back are then attached with a tenon joint. It’s a classic design and makes for a comfortable and sturdy chair.

These type of chairs can be made with a lathe and simple hand tools. Mike Dunbar from Hampton, NH has been making chairs (and sofas) this way for 45 years. He and his wife Susanna, set up the Windsor Institute to teach others how to make Windsor chairs. Over the years, they taught Windsor chairmaking to some 6,500 people from five continents before a well deserved retirement in 2016.

However, Mike still wants to help people make chairs so has set up a Windsor Institute YouTube Channel. The channel is already full of step by step guides, advice on using hand tools for chairmaking and the history of the chair. Their plan is to expand the collection to include the steps for 17 different Windsor chairs.

It takes about 20 hours of work to build a chair so it’s an achievable project in your spare time.

So if you want to make an heirloom Windsor chair without ever having to leave home (except to get wood and supplies), you can subscribe to their channel.

By Andy from Workshopshed Add Comment

  Posted in: Woodworking Tags: chair, windsor