Chris Williams – who worked with John Brown for years and wrote a biography about him – is teaching a Welsh stick chair class in our shop this week. Yesterday, the students saddled their seats. Chris convinced at least a few of them to try his preferred method for rough stock removal: the adze. We caught some of it on video for your viewing pleasure and instruction.
Thanks much! Never would have thought of that two-handed grip. I will definitely give this a try next chair.
1:40 “we’re building a Welsh chair, not an Englishmen’s …. LMAO
Any chance of a close-up on the bottom of his rounded 53 spokeshave? I’ve been curious how he modified it.
yes i second that request.
It has not been modified at all, says CW
The blade is radically cambered. Like between a jack and a scrub.
So, just the blade, not the body? Interesting. I guess I was thinking of travishers, which all have a matching curve on the body.
A jack and a scrub don’t have contoured soles…. It works fine with the narrow spokeshave sole. Chris never even owned a travisher until a few years ago.
i have the veritas flat bottom spoke shave. if i get a second blade and grind a radius on it, do you think that would work or is there something about the shape/size of the 53 that makes it more suited for chairs?
Where did he get those drill tip protectors?
they probably came with the auger bits. they look like woodowl augers. i have a few of those and they ask came with one of those protectors.
I’ve got stray spokeshaves. I’m going to have to give this a try. Very interesting.
What tool roll is that?
https://www.ck-magma.com/products/ck-magma/tool-storage/rolls/tool-roll/
I’m a bit late to the party here but is there a benefit beyond personal preference vs rough shaping with a scorp, eg it’s faster?
That would have been my assumption, speed over (possibly unnecessary) control in roughing in. I’ve seen a long handled adz demoed while standing on the seat and that certainly dishes in a hurry. (I know this was just a short clip and intended to demo technique, not get the job done asap.)
That’s for sharing