After 20 years of studying vernacular chairs in Western cultures, I am happy to state – again and again – something that some people refuse to believe. Chairs do not need stretchers to be strong or to last hundreds of years. The furniture record is clear. Chairs without stretchers survive just fine. They survive for…
Read moreMy daughter Katherie has posted about 40 jars of Soft Wax 2.0 in her store, and I have bought the first one (we are out of it, and I asked her to make some). We love this finish I use on my chairs and casework. I adore it. Katherine cooks it up here in the…
Read moreThe following short story was passed to me by a guy at the John C. Campbell Folk School, and it is well worth reading, especially if you are a vernacular chair nerd. Published in the Christian Science Monitor in 1986 (the year I graduated high school), the short story “I’d Like to Make You a…
Read moreWhen you encounter a person who is an incredibly talented woodworker, designer and teacher, it’s natural to wonder, “Why hasn’t this person written a book and become a famous author?” I’ve met a lot of these people. I’ve attempted to get some of them to write a book. I’ve succeeded a few times and failed…
Read moreJohn Wilson, who unlocked the mysteries of Shaker oval boxes for millions of woodworkers around the world, died on Friday, Jan. 27. He was 83. Wilson of Charlotte, Michigan, began his career as an anthropology professor, but then became a home builder and professional woodworker whose main line of business was building Shaker oval boxes…
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