CHAIRS
My chairs revive some of the oldest traditions of English Chair making, often called chair bodging.
'Green' unseasoned wood from local coppices is cleft from the log and turned on a wooden pole lathe to make legs and other spindles. After turning the wood is carefully seasoned before being used to create a chair.
Hoops, Bows and Combs are also cleft from the log, planed flat and steamed into shape.
Deep saddles are carved into the seat of each chair using an Adze and Travisher.
Each chair is assembled, oiled and waxed before being signed and numbered.
A loose ring can often be found on one of the turnings. Derived from a tradtional baby's rattle, it is an additional signature.
WESTONBIRT
Westonbirt was started around 1829 and many of the specimens now present date back to that time. The site covers an area of 600acres and includes areas of Ancient Semi Natural Woodland, specimen plants and open grassland. This woodland is an important area in itself as it represents one of the largest areas of woodland of its type in the locality. It is primarily Oak Standards with an understorey of Hazel coppice with some areas of high forest. Some of the work in these areas involves the restoration of this woodland type, which was clearfelled some 60 years ago.
Today Westonbirt is a Grade One listed landscape. The Holford family, who started the collection, planted in a picturesque style following the guidelines laid down by W.S.Gilpin. It is the landscape that the Holfords created that give us the grade one listing. The new maple plantings will, in time, create the world’s best collection of Maples and is in keeping with this tradition.
In September 2008, 35 hearty souls picked up traditional hand tools and constructed a medieval-style oak barn deep within the Forestry Commissions ancient Silk Wood at Westonbirt. This 5-metre tall, sustainable Silk Wood Barn was raised on the sixth day echoing barn building of the past.
The course was led by timber framer Henry Russell, of BBC What Did The Romans Do For Us fame. Alongside Henry and a team of experienced tutors, course participants worked towards raising and joining the frames on the final day.
All the oak had been harvested from the surrounding Westonbirt woodland as part of an on-going programme of woodland restoration. Three thousand shingles for the barn roof were individually made from sweet chestnut and oak, and were nailed on to larch battens.
Silk Wood Barn stands on Westonbirts Native Tree Trail and is an important centre for greenwood skills and traditional crafts in the coming years.
SILKWOOD BARN
COURSES
Courses from May to October
Six day Chair Making courses are held under cover in the woods of Westonbirt, the national Arboretum. Pole lathes and benches are set up in the Silk Wood Barn to create a traditional chairmakers' workshop.
Groups of up to eight participants learn to select timber, to cleave it from the log, to shape it with draw knives on a shaving horse and to turn it on a pole lathe. They also learn to steam bend, use a variety of hand tools to carve a chair seat, and to frame a well proportioned and strong Windsor chair.
Six day courses cost £250 per person which includes all tools and materials. For more details contact Paul on 01373 836051
Course Vouchers available. Ask Paul for more details.
COURSE DATES 2010:
June 21st - 26th fully booked
June 28th - 3rd July fully booked
July 12th - 17th fully booked
August 9th - 14th fully booked
Sept 20th - 28th fully booked
Oct 4th - 9th (7 places remaining)
Oct 11th - 16th (2 places remaining)
About Paul Hayden
Paul Hayden has been making Windsor Chairs from green wood for more than twenty years. He has been a regular contributor to Good Woodworking magazine and has designed chair making tools which are used by makers across the world.
While writing for Good Woodworking and representing them at shows and exhibitions he was often asked for help about some of the techniques specific to this sort of woodwork. These queries led him to set up a series of workshops on subjects such as steam bending, kiln drying, seat carving, making and using jigs, and making rounding planes. It was these workshops that became the Chair Making Courses he runs at Westonbirt Arboretum today.
GALLERY
Building a chair
Building Silk Wood Barn
GUESTBOOK
Click on the picture to go to the guestbook and leave your comments!
CONTACT
Contact and Bookings
Paul Hayden
paultfhayden_aol.com
01373 836051
Westonbirt Arboretum
Tel: 01666 880220
www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
Location
Tetbury
Glos.
GL8 8QS
Map
Green
Wood
Courses
