Spotlight-Sackback

Oh, the sackback. The chair that started it all for me many years ago. I have made more of this chair than I can recall. It's a great chair to learn windsor technique. The bendings are simple, the seat is simple to carve, and assembly is straight forward. It still has it's challenges and I still like making this chair. It has a comforting look of purity and American history that draws me to it even now. I think this may be the perfect first chair for beginners.

 This version with double bobbin legs is a great choice if you want to do your own turnings and don't feel comfortable turning the ballaster style. This natural finished chair is white oak with an elm seat.

 This week I am working on a set of 4 sackbacks for a couple in Nashville. This is the page in my chair book that keeps me on track to make them all the same. See if you can make since of these numbers.

 I have the first one complete. I always build them one at a time even though I might turn everything at once. Tomorrow I will be splitting more oak for bending arms and backs.

 Other things around the shop lately. We just returned from the Braves game in Atlanta. They beat the Giants on Sunday 3-0. It was fun spending time with Kim and Logan.

 My student Fell just completed this musician's perch. The box stretcher with four legs works nice hooking your heel while playing a guitar. I like his design and deep carvings. I am going to make him do his turnings on the next one himself. He should have no trouble.

 This is the chair we demo'd the rocker jig at Kelly Mehler's a while back. I finished the chair at home using the new "Real Milk Paint" and shellac technique that Pete Galbert just blogged about. We played around with that at Kelly's. It works great and is very durable. I highly recommend trying this finish.

 The red really shows under two coats of black. Very little elbow grease involved in this process.