As a woodworker, sometimes I ask too much of the wood. Instead of just putting a cushion on a chair, I’ll do everything possible to force the wood to be as comfortable as possible. Naked. With no help from anything cloth, leather, foam, feathery or furry. So, I have spent years (almost two decades) learning…
Read moreIf you or a woodworking friend are wondering what the heck a stick chair is, we’ve made a page that is a quick but complete introduction to the form. It also explains how all our stick chair products relate to the form. So you can better decide if you should go Old School (“Welsh Stick…
Read moreThis video answers three common questions from people reading “The Stick Chair Book” or watching the “Build a Stick Chair” video. Question 1: How do you set your tenon cutter to make a 2-1/4″-long tenon? Question 2: And why are all your tenons 2-1/4″ long? Question 3: Why do all the short sticks in the…
Read moreOne of the most common questions I get is why I don’t use Forstner bits much in chairmaking. The bits are readily available, make flat-bottomed holes and cut cleanly. The answer is basically this: The Forstner’s lead point is too short*. That means if I want to drill anything other than a shallow angle I…
Read moreWhen you drill a hole with a 5/8” bit, then use a 5/8” tenon cutter to make the tenon, you should be golden…right? Nope – unless you get lucky. If you dare enter the fascinating world of boring you will quickly realize this truth: It is up to you to get your drill bits and…
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