My Kitchen Chair is a scaled up version of tiny chairs that are commonly seen in antique store barns. I have a few of those around the house and in the shop. This design was inspired by those as well as some of my previous designs. The result is an unimposing chair with a nice amount of style and comfort. The lower back height helps it live nicely in a smaller location like the Kitchen which fits it’s humble roots. It would at home there chatting with the pots and pans. A chair of the people. But I digress…
It has a springy back and a comfortable seat and angles. It works well for me at 160 lbs and 5'9" tall. This chair has a poplar seat and crest rail and ash spindles and legs. I usually paint this type of chair with milk paint but poplar does take oil and will turn golden and brown with time. If desired, students may choose (ahead of time) a cherry seat and crest rail for a very nice look with a natural finish. Note that there is a $50. charge for using cherry for the crest rail and seat.
This class is suitable for beginner to experienced woodworkers. The skills used are similar to those learned in my High Work Stool Class but we do take it a few steps further with more seat shaping and the addition of a back. Processes included are rough turning on the lathe, drill press processes and bandsaw for roughing some parts and of course there will be lots of hand planing and spoke shaving on the shaving horse. Lots of time with travishers and in-shaves for seat shaping and tons of wedged tenon joints top things off.
Note that the images above show a dry assembled chair with rough parts. Students will complete their wedged tenon joints, trim them, and most likely smooth things up more than this. I have to say though that I love the chair in this state and I am sitting in it, as pictured, as I write this. We will discuss finishes but you will do that on your own.