Roughing out the seat ->

After the seat is sawn to shape and the bottom edges are shaped with the drawknife and spokeshave, the saddle of the seat is chopped out with a chair-maker’s gutter adze.  This tool is made specifically for this purpose because it removes a lot of material very quickly, rough shaping the center section of the seat.  The amount of removal is set to a previously determined depth.  This depth of “saddling” is unique to each style of chair.  The seat is then finished with a scorp, compass plane, and travisher, which is another special chair-makers tool for smoothing the inside of the seat

Assembling the legs ->

After the seat is completely shaped and the turned legs and stretchers are completed, the legs and stretcher tenons are sized to fit.  Each piece is drilled, shaved, and test fitted to its mate.  The leg, stretcher, seat assembly is not “dry fit” so as not to “pre-stress” the chair.  The entire assembly is hammered together on the chair as it is glued.  The tapered leg tenons are wedged to the seat from above while the stretcher joints are force fit.  In this method of construction, the strength of traditional Windsor chairs does not depend on glue to hold it together.

Assembling the back ->

Each style of back requires slightly different steps in assembly.  In the sackback, for example, the bow is drilled for the spindles, then each spindle is inserted into the arm and set into the seat.  The bow is set, wedged in place, and then the spindles are split and a wedge driven into the joint above the bow.  Again, the bow is mechanically fastened and does not depend on glue to hold it together.

Distressed Layered Milk Paint ->

Our Windsor chairs, settees, stools, and tables have a painted finish, as do originals, to highlight the hand-crafted details.  Milk paint has its own distinctive look.  To visually tie everything together, we paint the chair with several layers of milk paint.  Milk paint matches the chair.  It ads color, but you can still feel the wood.  It’s about as close to raw wood as you can get.  Wood absorbs the thin-bodied paint more like a stain.  Unlike other paints, the coats will not chip or peel, but will wear away to reveal colors and wood underneath. 

The wiping varnish is a blend of oil-varnish finishes and provides water protection and a sheen.  Because milk paint stains easily, it needs to be protected with a wiping varnish, and then a coat of wax.  The total finish treatment takes over 10 days to complete.