[{"id":165815124031,"handle":"books-by-christopher-schwarz","updated_at":"2023-09-30T23:15:45-04:00","published_at":"2020-07-21T13:41:03-04:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"global","title":"Books by Christopher Schwarz","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eChristopher Schwarz is a furniture maker, writer and publisher who works from a storefront in Covington, Ky. He is, along with John Hoffman, one of the founders and the editor of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/\"\u003eLost Art Press\u003c\/a\u003e, which publishes books on hand tool woodworking. And he is one of the founders of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/crucibletool.com\/\"\u003eCrucible Tool\u003c\/a\u003e. He is a former editor of \u003cem\u003ePopular Woodworking Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e, and has been published in \u003cem\u003eFine Woodworking\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMortise \u0026amp; Tenon Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e and many other woodworking publications. He teaches hand-tool woodworking around the world. Christopher is the author of five Lost Art Press books and a contributor to two, \"The Joiner and Cabinet Maker\" and \"The Art of Joinery.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","image":{"created_at":"2020-07-21T13:41:02-04:00","alt":"Christopher Schwarz at Lost Art Press","width":1000,"height":667,"src":"\/\/lostartpress.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/CS-chair_IMG_7022.jpg?v=1595353527"}},{"id":265756246079,"handle":"introduction-to-stick-chairs","updated_at":"2023-09-30T23:35:04-04:00","published_at":"2022-10-26T13:40:59-04:00","sort_order":"created","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"global","title":"Introduction to Stick Chairs","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eStick chairs are folk furniture that’s made by amateur woodworkers for their own use – or to sell to neighbors in their village. Unlike the formal chairs made by professional artisans (or in a factory) in the cities, stick chairs are built using local materials with simple joints and are not connected to a particular furniture style (like Queen Anne) or a period in time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThey are also dang comfortable at the dinner table or by the fireside.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere at Lost Art Press, we are dedicated to teaching people about stick chairs. We think this furniture form is a great way for all woodworkers – regardless of skill – to learn chairmaking without a lot of specialty tools or costly equipment (such as a shavehorse, steambox or lathe).\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe following is a little bit of history and information about stick chairs and how to get started building them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Comb-back-anatomy_480x480.jpg?v=1666806012\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Comb-back-anatomy_480x480.jpg?v=1666806012\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a Stick Chair?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe term “stick chair” has been applied to lots of different kinds of furniture through the centuries, including ladderbacks, rustic willow furniture and Windsor chairs. Our definition of it is simple. A stick chair begins with a plank of wood for the seat. All the remaining parts, such as the legs, sticks and arms are connected to the seat with round – not square – joinery. Stick chairs are made with simple tools and readily available (sometimes found) materials. And finally – this is important – stick chairs are not mass-manufactured. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Chair-2-Laws-of-Hywel-Dda_480x480.jpg?v=1666806203\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Chair-2-Laws-of-Hywel-Dda_480x480.jpg?v=1666806203\" data-mce-style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere Did Stick Chairs Come From?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMost cultures have some sort of seating furniture that qualifies as a stick chair, though these folk pieces have long been nearly invisible to furniture scholars, auction houses and collectors. In the West, stick chairs appear in almost every culture, though they seem to be more common in cultures that had contact with the Vikings (793-1066 AD). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first known image of a stick chair (above) comes from Wales, a country with a long history of making this kind of chair. The “Laws of Hywel Dda,” a Welsh book of laws from the late 12th or middle 13th century, shows a judge sitting on a chair that clearly has a plank seat with legs and uprights mortised into the seat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/red_windsor_IMG_2009_480x480.jpg?v=1666806345\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCenturies later, the similar Windsor chair form (shown above) emerged in England in the early part of the 18th century, according to Robert F. Parrott’s 2010 research in Regional Furniture, Vol. XXIV. Windsor chairs share a lot in common with Windsor chairs, especially in the way their parts are joined together. But there are important differences.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWindsor chairs are typically made by professional chairmakers or in a factory – not by amateurs. Though there are “folk Windsors” out there that were made by amateurs (and could easily be called stick chairs) they are somewhat rare. Many woodworkers like to think of stick chairs as “primitive Windsors,” but that’s a disservice to stick chairs as they have their own distinct (and longer) history and design vocabulary. (You wouldn’t call a Native American a “Primitive American” would you?)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhile some 20th-century historians (especially Christopher Gilbert and Victor Chinnery) paid attention to these forms, the first book dedicated to stick chairs is “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\"\u003eWelsh Stick Chairs\u003c\/a\u003e” by John Brown (1932-2008).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/JB-in-workshop_480x480.jpg?v=1666806590\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/JB-in-workshop_480x480.jpg?v=1666806590\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Brown \u0026amp; His Stick Chairs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn Brown (aka JB) self-published “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\"\u003eWelsh Stick Chairs\u003c\/a\u003e” in 1990 to shine a light on the Welsh form of this chair. The book, now back in print through Lost Art Press, also inspired thousands of budding chairmakers worldwide to take up the tools and make these chairs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first half of “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\"\u003eWelsh Stick Chairs\u003c\/a\u003e” is the tale of how JB encountered the form, learned to make chairs and began researching them. The second half of the book is a pictorial essay showing JB making one of his chairs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/JB-cardigan-chair_480x480.jpg?v=1666806710\" alt=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/JB-cardigan-chair_480x480.jpg?v=1666806710\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLike many groundbreaking books, “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\"\u003eWelsh Stick Chairs\u003c\/a\u003e” has its flaws. The chair that JB builds in the book isn’t really all that Welsh, as shown above (it has a steam-bent arm, for starters). And the construction information is purposely light on details. JB wanted you to have to work for it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite these shortcomings, “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/welsh-stick-chairs-by-john-brown\"\u003eWelsh Stick Chairs\u003c\/a\u003e” is still a classic. JB’s fantastic writing captures exactly why these chairs are so important and wonderful. And the photos and drawings of historical chairs will begin to unlock your understanding of the form. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso, it’s a book you can read in an afternoon that just might change the course of your life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLucky for us, JB showed Welshman \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.welshstickchairs.com\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.welshstickchairs.com\/\"\u003eChristopher Williams\u003c\/a\u003e how to build these chairs. And Chris worked with JB for many years, soaking up both JB’s techniques and philosophy. After JB’s death in 2008, Chris has carried forward as a professional chairmaker, improving the construction, design and finish of the chairs he makes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHe also wrote a book about his time with JB that offers a much deeper exploration of the form (and JB himself).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Heather_Birnie_Chris_Williams_Lost_Art_Press_15_480x480.jpg?v=1666806948\" alt=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Heather_Birnie_Chris_Williams_Lost_Art_Press_15_480x480.jpg?v=1666806948\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChris Williams \u0026amp; the Modern Welsh Stick Chair\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/good-work-the-chairmaking-life-of-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/good-work-the-chairmaking-life-of-john-brown\"\u003eGood Work: The Chairmaking Life of John Brown\u003c\/a\u003e” by Chris Williams explores the chairmaking activity of JB as experienced firsthand by Williams. The book includes the best essays that JB wrote about chairmaking for \u003cem\u003eGood Woodworking\u003c\/em\u003e magazine in the U.K. Plus it includes essays on JB written by his editor, former wife, nephew and one of his sons. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll in all, it is a faithful portrait of an amazing (and sometimes difficult) man. But it is also a deep and inspiring story of Williams’s love for the craft and this form of furniture. It is a perfect foil to “Welsh Stick Chairs” and answers many of the questions JB left unanswered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChairmakers will also rejoice at Williams’s far more detailed description of how he and JB made chairs for customers, including many of the improvements to the construction process. Also amazing is how far Williams has pushed the form forward by both looking back at the past and refusing to compromise on the craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePut together, “Welsh Stick Chairs” and “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/good-work-the-chairmaking-life-of-john-brown\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/good-work-the-chairmaking-life-of-john-brown\"\u003eGood Work: The Chairmaking Life of John Brown\u003c\/a\u003e” are the primary reasons anyone is even talking about or building stick chairs today.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite their love for making stick chairs, there is still a voice that needs to be heard – that of the old chairs. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/tim-bowen-CW-inspect-chair-DSC01207_480x480.jpg?v=1666807128\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTim \u0026amp; Betsan Bowen – the Antique Experts\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnother fantastic source of information and inspiration comes from the book: “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/the-welsh-stick-chair-a-visual-record\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/the-welsh-stick-chair-a-visual-record\"\u003eThe Welsh Stick Chair: A Visual Record\u003c\/a\u003e” by Tim and Betsan Bowen. This gorgeously photographed book shows many of the details and forms of 31 old chairs. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Bowens have studied and handled hundreds of Welsh stick chairs through their business, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/timbowenantiques.co.uk\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/timbowenantiques.co.uk\/\"\u003eTim Bowen Antiques\u003c\/a\u003e in Wales. The Bowens are generous with their knowledge of these chairs and this small volume will kickstart your eye when it comes to chair design – what looks good and why.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne of the most important things you’ll learn about stick chairs is that they are a product of their environment. It’s difficult (if not impossible) to make one of these chairs in American wood. So what do you do if you don’t live in Wales or another country that is rife with these chairs? \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStick Chairs in America\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn North America, Windsor chairs have always been more popular than the humble stick chair form. Yet there were many American builders who were inspired by John Brown and Christopher Williams and have adapted the form to American woods. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChristopher Schwarz first became entranced by the form in the late 1990s after reading John Brown’s columns in Good Woodworking magazine. He first learned to make stick chairs in 2003-2004 from David Fleming, a chairmaker in Cobden, Ontario, and Don Weber, a Welsh chairmaker who now lives in Kentucky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/CS-bog-oak2-ele-IMG_1324_480x480.jpg?v=1666807321\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFrom there, Schwarz developed techniques and designs that were suitable for making these chairs with American woods. The result is “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/products\/the-stick-chair-book\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/products\/the-stick-chair-book\"\u003eThe Stick Chair Book\u003c\/a\u003e,” a massive how-to book that shows how to use kiln-dried woods and simple tools to build stick chairs. The book includes complete plans for five stick chairs. And \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/full-size-patterns-from-the-stick-chair-book\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/full-size-patterns-from-the-stick-chair-book\"\u003efull-size patterns\u003c\/a\u003e for these chairs are also available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/738001832?h=e9b7d75953\u0026amp;badge=0\u0026amp;autopause=0\u0026amp;player_id=0\u0026amp;app_id=58479\" title=\"Trailer: Build a Stick Chair with Christopher Schwarz\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make this form of chair accessible to visual learners, Schwarz also produced a four-hour video on how to make these chairs titled “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/dvds\/products\/video-build-a-stick-chair\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/dvds\/products\/video-build-a-stick-chair\"\u003eBuild a Stick Chair\u003c\/a\u003e.” And he has launched an annual publication “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/the-stick-chair-journal\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/the-stick-chair-journal\"\u003eThe Stick Chair Journal\u003c\/a\u003e,” which offers more plans and construction information for builders who want to explore new designs and techniques. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/porritt-green-comb-back_480x480.jpg?v=1666807654\" alt=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/porritt-green-comb-back_480x480.jpg?v=1666807654\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Porritt, the ‘Belligerent Finisher’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFinally, there is the book “\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/the-belligerent-finisher\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/lostartpress.com\/collections\/books\/products\/the-belligerent-finisher\"\u003eThe Belligerent Finisher\u003c\/a\u003e” by John Porritt. Porritt, a chairmaker and furniture restorer, explains how to attain the aged and well-worn finishes found on so many old and beautiful chairs. Porritt’s methods use simple tools and processes. If you want your chairs to blend in with the antiques in your home, this book is essential reading. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStick Chairs: How They are Made\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMost woodworkers are intimidated by the idea of making a chair. The angles, the tools and the special equipment puts the craft of chairmaking out of reach for many. But making a stick chair is a far easier task. Here’s a quick look at how the parts are made using simple bench tools. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/leg-taper-plane-IMG_2455_480x480.jpg?v=1666807767\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Legs \u0026amp; Undercarriage: No Turnings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnlike with Windsor chairs, you don’t need a lathe to make a stick chair. The legs and stretchers start as simple octagons that you make by hand or with a band saw. Then you handplane them to shape with a jack plane. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe jack plane can taper the legs or remove all the corners and create a leg that looks turned (from a distance, at least).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe joinery is generally simple: Straight mortises drilled with an auger, spade or Forstner bit. With tenons made by shaving the wood to shape with a plane or cutting it with an inexpensive plug\/tenon cutter. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/gibson-red-IMG_4713_480x480.jpg?v=1666807842\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Seat\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMany stick chairs have little or no saddling. So if you cannot afford an adze, scorp or travisher, you can make a very comfortable chair with a flat seat. Simply round over the front edge with a plane. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIf you do want to add some shape to the seat, you can do it using only a travisher and scraper – the saddle is shallow and easy to make with only one specialty tool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/stick-block-plane-at-bottom-of-tenon_480x480.jpg?v=1666808016\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/stick-block-plane-at-bottom-of-tenon_480x480.jpg?v=1666808016\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Sticks are Shaved\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith Windsor chairs, the spindles (aka the sticks) are made on a lathe or by shaving them with a drawknife at a shaving horse. Making the sticks for stick chairs is much less equipment-intensive. The sticks are shaved with a jack plane and a block plane against a simple stop in a vise. No need for a drawknife, spokeshave and shavehorse. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe mortises for the sticks are made with a simple 5\/8” drill bit. The tenons can be made with a cheap plug\/tenon cutter, or they can be shaved to size using a plane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/allarmbowjoinery_480x480.jpg?v=1666808216\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Arm: No Bending Needed\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMany Windsor chairs have steam-bent arms. Setting up a shop to do steam-bending is an investment in time, space and money. And it takes some practice (and the right wood) to do it successfully and consistently. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eStick chairs don’t generally use steam-bent components. The arms are either branches that grew in a curve (a common feature on the best Welsh chairs), or they are cut from flat, dry stock and laminated together to produce a basic kind of plywood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese laminated arms can be graceful, beautiful and strong. And they offer lots of opportunities to personalize the chair with different hands. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/comb-drill-two-center-holes-IMG_2238_480x480.jpg?v=1666808296\" alt=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/comb-drill-two-center-holes-IMG_2238_480x480.jpg?v=1666808296\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Comb: Again, No Bending\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe combs for stick chairs are usually cut from solid material and shaped with saws, planes and spokeshaves. No steam box needed. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinishes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMost Windsor chairs are painted to conceal the fact that several species of wood were used in their construction. Stick chairs can be made out of one species – such as oak – and then painted or coated with a clear finish. With stick chairs the finish is your call, and any approach is correct. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo Two Chairs Alike\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMost of all, stick chairs are never tiresome to build because no two should come out identical in the end. The materials on hand help guide both the construction process and the chair’s decorative details. Plus, there aren’t many well-defined forms of stick chairs like there are with Windsor chairs (sack back, continuous arm, fanback etc.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStick chairs have a bit of wildness to them. And every one of them should be a little different from its cousins.\u003c\/p\u003e"},{"id":13382609,"handle":"frontpage","updated_at":"2023-10-01T00:25:40-04:00","published_at":"2013-11-26T15:57:00-05:00","sort_order":"created-desc","template_suffix":null,"published_scope":"global","title":"New Products","body_html":""},{"id":14049677,"handle":"dvds","title":"Videos","updated_at":"2023-09-30T17:46:25-04:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2013-12-16T11:32:00-05:00","sort_order":"created-desc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"type","relation":"equals","condition":"Videos"}],"published_scope":"global"}]
What's a stick chair? You can learn all about them here.
A video with Christopher Schwarz
Learn to build a stick chair using common woodworking tools and machines, plus kiln-dried wood from the lumberyard. This video, which clocks in at more than four hours long, has 18 separate chapters that cover all aspects of stick chair construction, from selecting the lumber to applying the finish.
Purchasers will also receive a digital file with full-size patterns for the chair shown in the video, which can be printed out at any reprographics firm or office supply store. Plus, notes on the sizes of the chair parts and sources for tools used in the video. (This chair is a new design, not one found in "The Stick Chair Book.")
The videos can be streamed on any digital device connected to the internet. Alternately, you can download the video for offline viewing. The video is completely free of DRM (digital rights management) software and protections. That means it is portable among all your devices – laptop, tablet, phone etc.
Stick chairs are an ideal chair form for beginning chairmakers. Unlike with Windsor chairs, ladderbacks and other advanced forms, you don't need green wood, a steambox, a shavehorse, a drawknife, a froe, a hatchet, a lathe or even a spokeshave. You can build stick chairs with kiln-dried lumber, a regular woodworking bench and mostly a drill, handplanes and a band saw. There are a few specialty tools (mostly inexpensive) that make the job easier, which are covered in the video.
We consider the “Build a Stick Chair” video as a companion to “The Stick Chair Book.” Not a substitute. The book took years of work to write and edit, and it goes into details that are impossible for a talking head to explain on a screen. But the video shows bodily motion in a way that print never can. Some things about chairmaking are so simple if you can just see the process unfold before your eyes.
We're not saying you should get both the book and the video. Instead, start with the one that appeals to you most. If you are a visual learner, the video is probably the correct choice. If you are first a reader, the book is what we would recommend.
Make a Stick Chair Video
Introduction
0:05:44
1. Select Wood for Chairs
0:09:19
2. Break Down the Stock
0:19:04
3. Make Octagons
0:08:50
4. Taper and Tenon the Legs
0:13:08
5. Glue the Seat and Drill the Mortises
0:35:50
6. Make the Stretchers
0:15:27
7. Make the Arms
0:21:18
8. Mortises in the Arm and Seat
0:18:27
9. Sticks
0:12:32
10. Saddle the Seat
0:22:09
11. Make Wedges
0:03:28
12. Prepare to Assemble the Undercarriage
0:02:38
13. Assemble the Undercarriage
0:13:03
14. Prepare the Arm & Sticks for Assembly
0:04:30
15. Assemble the Uppercarriage
0:10:42
16. Shape & Install the Comb
0:18:03
17. Level & Cut the Legs
0:09:22
18. Finishing Up
0:10:25
What's Included with Purchase
• Streaming and full download access to all 18 chapters with no DRM (digital rights access)
• Download of the full-size patterns for the seat, arms, shoe and comb of the chair that can be printed out at any copy shop.
• Measured drawings of the two jigs shown in the video: the band saw jig for making octagons and the drilling jig for boring mortises in the arms and seat.
• A parts list, links for the tools shown in the video plus the recipe for the soft wax finished used on the chair.
