| One of the early techniques that wood workers | | | | pulling this drawknife towards him and shapes the |
| especially chairmakers learned was letting the wood | | | | piece first into a hexagon cross section and then |
| do the work in making a tight joint. Using special | | | | finishes it in to round pieces. Finer finish work may be |
| techniques, makers of ladder back, Windsor and many | | | | done with a spokeshave which is a much smaller tool |
| other styles, chairs from rustic to works of art were | | | | originally designed to form the spokes of wagon |
| created with nothing but green wood and a few | | | | wheels. Once these parts are ready the magic of |
| elementary hand tools. If you study the early | | | | joining green wood begins. |
| handmade Windsor chair styles you might find it hard | | | | First holes or mortises are bored into the legs to |
| to believe that many of these were crafted from | | | | receive the stretchers. The tool used for this is called a |
| fresh fallen trees. These chairs are so delicate that | | | | spoon bit. It is a strange looking tool which in some |
| they are said to be dancing. The technique begins by | | | | small way resembles a long spoon with sharpened |
| first selecting a standing tree usually of oak. | | | | edges. These bits which are still available come in |
| Once the tree is down it is cut up into usable lengths. | | | | various sizes. The spoonbit is held in a hand brace and |
| These are then split into various thicknesses using a | | | | when the hole in the leg is bored it is made to be wider |
| tool called a froe. A froe is simply a length of steel | | | | at the bottom than at the entrance. The spoonbit |
| usually about a 1/4 of and inch thick and 2 inches wide | | | | makes this process possible. Next the stretchers are |
| by 12 to 16 inches long and with a socket formed on | | | | prepared by forming tenons on the end. These tenons |
| one end. Into this socket is driven a strong short handle | | | | are formed to match the shape of the bored hole. |
| which enables the wood to be levered apart. | | | | Once these parts are ready the stretchers are heated |
| While oak when dry is difficult to work with hand tools | | | | and dried till all the moisture is removed. In this condition |
| in this green condition it is very pleasant to work with. | | | | they are referred to as bone dry. The legs will be left |
| Some of these pieces will become chair legs or chair | | | | wet. Without using glue the stretcher will be driven into |
| back pieces. Others will be shaped into stretchers | | | | the leg mortise which has been purposely left a very |
| which are the horizontal pieces that stretch between | | | | snug fit. Now after the chair is fully assembled as it |
| legs. Once split they are taken to a bench called a | | | | ages the legs dry which causes the mortises to shrink. |
| shaving horse. This is a low bench that is designed to | | | | The stretchers on the other hand take on moisture |
| be sat upon. At one end is a vise like holding device | | | | and swell. This drying and swelling of the pieces locks |
| controlled by foot pressure which holds the chair parts | | | | the chairs into extremely strong assemblies which in |
| while they are shaped with a drawknife. | | | | many cases have lasted for centuries. |
| A drawknife has a blade about 12 inches long with | | | | The magic of green wood chairs is alive today as |
| handles formed on each end at about 90 degrees. | | | | many crafts people continue to build using these |
| This allows the chairmaker to use both hands while | | | | ancient techniques. |