Hey Jerry
I have built around 100 arm chairs and 150 bowbacks. I have taught classes one on one that lead to a chair going home but that takes more than a day. I have tried to fit in between Curtis and Dunbar for the most part. How do I do that?
When a student shows up, I have bows bent, spindles shaped(turned or whittled) and the seat blank for shaping. To my way of thinking, "de-mystifying" how the chair is built is the price of admission. Years ago, I used to bore the seat, leg and stretcher holes with a brace and spoon bits with bevel squares and mirrors. I just don't trouble myself with that these days. I have devised a way of doing all the boring with the drill press and forstner bits. The angles are spot on with a couple holders and a tilt table in place.
Knowing how to bore all the compound angles scares many away from the project and brings a few to my door.
I try to have a chair in the "dry assemble" stage to help envision the process and I think this works well. I can give a man the confidence to build a bowback in a day. In my thinking, I don't see the value in spending 200/day to learn how to split oak with a froe on the first go around. Back in the 70's I saw what straight grain wood was and how to bend curves with steam and the rest was really building bending forms to match your chair dimensions. That's just me.
I have a steambox and the tooling to heat and bend if the man wants to experience that but there enough videos on Youtube to make that clear to most woodworkers.
Shaping the seat is nice to see an example and get to use the unique tools that make the process fun to do. Travisher, drawknife, compass plane and in-shave to mention a few. Unlike Mike, I don't have 12 sets of these tools but I am willing to let the builder get his hands going.
The discouraging part of becoming a windsor builder is turning crisp and finely detailed undercarriages. I think this is where you have the chance to make your chair "pop" as they say. This does not happen in a couple days at the lathe with adult supervision. It takes a looooong time working with the skew and then you still have to work up to it if you haven't been turning for 6 months. So for a first chair look see, I like to show all the various styles and pull out some ready to go turnings I have on hand and get back to the how to bore and size the pieces in chapter one of this effort.
bamboo leg, NY leg, RI leg to show contrasting styles. some might say the turnings are too bulby but I don't like insipid turnings with little character. just taste
travisher for finer shaping
compass plane that I use sparingly-- bottom ain't too worn is it?
This is the chair I believe first timers are best served by building. Curved seat, bamboo legs they can go home and duplicate, spindles all ready. Over the years I have grown to like the more serpentine edge on the seat sides and front. Feedback from owners tells me they are more comfortable than the straighter front edge. I think I like it for the looks really.
Anyway that's Windsor chair ramblin' in 10 minutes. See ya
Dan