Skip to main content
Mar 31
Love0

Class: Post and Rung Poynor Chair

By decommission

Poynor Side Chair

With Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland

February 26 - March 2, 2024

$1,675

Poynor Side Chair

During this six day class students will build a traditional ladderback side chair based on the iconic chairs of Richard Poynor and his family. Parts will be split from a freshly felled log, shaped using drawknives and spokeshaves, and joined through a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Throughout this process students will gain in depth, hands-on experience understanding and working with wood’s natural structure and movement to maximize its strength and flexibility, and will gain perspective on designing and building objects without the need for straight, flat, or square reference surfaces. While most work will be done using a small set of hand tools, Robell and Charlie will discuss options for working with floor standing power tools, and demonstrate processes for using standard, kiln dried lumber for times when whole logs are either unavailable or impractical. Seat weaving with paper cord will be demonstrated at the end of class, and students are welcome to bring their own weaving material, but we prefer to focus on the core skills, techniques, and tools of chair construction while in class together. No previous experience is necessary, students of all skill levels are encouraged to join us. Continued below…

Class Description:

During this six day class students will build a traditional ladderback side chair based on the iconic chairs of Richard Poynor and his family. Parts will be split from a freshly felled log, shaped using drawknives and spokeshaves, and joined through a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Throughout this process students will gain in depth, hands-on experience understanding and working with wood’s natural structure and movement to maximize its strength and flexibility, and will gain perspective on designing and building objects without the need for straight, flat, or square reference surfaces. While most work will be done using a small set of hand tools, Robell and Charlie will discuss options for working with floor standing power tools, and demonstrate processes for using standard, kiln dried lumber for times when whole logs are either unavailable or impractical. Seat weaving with paper cord will be demonstrated at the end of class, and students are welcome to bring their own weaving material, but we prefer to focus on the core skills, techniques, and tools of chair construction while in class together. No previous experience is necessary, students of all skill levels are encouraged to join us.

Tool List:

All tools will be provided for students during the course. If you do have tools of your own that you would like to bring, please see the list below. And if you are interested in purchasing your own, we encourage you to come to the class, try what is available there, and discuss options throughout the week.

Personal Tool List:

  • Drawknife
  • Spokeshaves (metal bodied, flat and round bottom)
  • Folding rule with extension
  • Handsaw
  • 3/16” mortise chisel
  • Card scraper
  • Handsaw
  • Eye protection
  • Ear protection
  • Grippy gloves
  • Pencils/pens

Lunches provided.

Register
Dec 09
Love0

Class: Green Wood Chair Making

By decommission

Date(s): March 13-17. 9am – 5pm. Five class days

Instructor: Andy Glenn

Price: $1,500

Description: In this class, we will begin the week with the log to collect knock out parts and end the week with a completed chair. Green wood chair making starts with moisture content; the wetter wood of the posts shrinks around the dry rungs. That’s what holds the chair together, as these chairs were traditionally made without the use of nails or glue (though we’ll use a little glue, it’s nice to use for the peace of mind ).

We’ll use primarily hand tools in the class, to shave and shape our parts. We’ll split the log with a froe and maul. Then shave the posts and rungs at the shavehorse. We will steam and bend the back post, which both adds to the appearance and increases the comfort of the chair.

This class is ideal for someone making their first chair or their 20th. It is my hope that someone can take this class and feel confident returning home to make a chair in their shop. We’ll cover all the relevant topics: moisture content, materials, tools and techniques, form making, seat weaving, and finish.

The chair design is characteristic of a traditional Appalachian post-and-rung. Shaved with three slats, bent upper post, and a woven hickory back seat, this design is commonly found around the region.

Lunches provided.

Students: please bring your tool kit and seating material*

* A couple seating options (I’ve listed a few and there are plenty of others )

Tool List:

Needed:

  • Drawknife
  • Spokeshave (Flat or Round bottomed, flat will be a little easier)

Recommended: (please bring – especially the first eight on this list – but don’t run out to purchase if you don’t own one yet)

  • pencil
  • utility or pocket knife
  • tape measure
  • sliding bevel gauges
  • tenon or dovetail saw
  • sharp chisel
  • pocket knife or (small) straight carving knife
  • claw hammer
  • handsaw (smaller crosscut saw – ideally a tenon saw, though most anything will do)
  • framing square or 24″ straight edge
  • deadblow or lump hammer
  • block plane
  • compass (scribe)
  • card scraper

We’ll use/cover, but not needed (please bring if you have them):

  • froe, maul and wedges
  • hatchet
  • power tenon cutters
  • bevel setting gauge or protractor (a way to find angle for the sliding bevel gauge)