Make an English Style Shaving Horse

This class is a great introduction to windsor chair making. The legs to the seat joint are the same. And with the front legs rake and splay being drastically different from the back legs you really get an understanding of sight lines and angles.

This is also a good one to take before you take the post and rung chair class as you can use it to build that chair!

We will make an English style shaving horse, or shave bench is another term describing the tool most beneficial to green woodworking, specifically chair making. It’s a vice that holds your work while your legs and feet work a treadle that applies a large amount of force clamping the workpiece securely while still quickly able to release and turn as needed. A very efficient tool that’s fun to use. These work horses are for utilitarian purposes and as with many tools made for the shop they are a mix of woods that fit the bill because there the right size over being the same wood. That doesnt mean youll get an ugly build, on the contrary its character and each piece will have pleasing grain for strength and appearance. The one pictured above is Soft Maple, Hard Maple, Cherry and Oak

We use different woods for the best result. Hard wood where we need strength, softer wood where we don’t will make it lighter and easier to move around. The best part of this is it’s a crash course in chair making! you’ll make tapered leg tenons that fit tightly into matching mortises in the seat. Learn how to use sight lines to lay out and drill your seat mortises for the best mechanical advantage. Glue and wedge the legs. These are the same techniques used to build the undercarriage of Windsor chairs, counter stools, bar stools etc.

This is a version the first Post and Rung chair I made over 25 years ago with my teacher John Alexander. That chair still sees regular use

Tools used to make the Shave Horse;

Machine- jointer planer table saw band saw drill press lath

Hand tools- block plane, spokeshave, hand saw, tapered reamer, tenon former, tri-square, bevel gauge, router plane, marking knife

No need to bring any of these tools unless you want, it’s to give you an idea of the type of work we’ll be doing.

Class fee $600 two days

Please go to the SHOP to purchase this class. Be sure “Local Pick Up” is selected, (it should be already) Contact sunwoodworking@gmail.com to secure the dates you wish to attend.

Dates continue to be available beyond January 2023 Please Don’t Hesitate to Inquire availability.