Description

The ultimate test of your woodworking skills – the Hepplewhite Shieldback chair. The angled rear legs and shaped seat come together with compound angled mortise-and-tenon joints. Combine the joinery with inlaid and flaired legs, a carved back splat and a molded crest and you’ve got a woodworking project tour de force.

Shieldback Chair

A natural progression in design from the late Chippendale chairs, the Shieldback is constructed more like a Queen Anne Baloon seat than a typical trapezoidal seat Chippendale chair. The pierced and carved back splat with its drop and swag motif is utterly Neoclassical in design. Add is French flared legs and a bit of inlay, and you’ve got  all the elements of the Federal period in one piece.

Some of the skills learned in the Shieldback Chair class are:

• Classical design
• Curved and angle joinery
• Making a carved back spat

Materials are not included in the class fee. Lumber for this project may be purchased through us or on your own and shipped to our shop at least four weeks prior to the class.

Each student should supply his, or her, own:

• Safety glasses and hearing protection
• Combination or machinist square
• Bevel gauge
• Bench chisels
• Carvers mallet
• Dovetail saw
• Marking gauge
• Smooth plane or jack plane
• Block plane
• Tape measure or folding rule

If you do not have the tools on the list, don’t panic, there are plenty of tools for your use in class.

Course Dates:

• July 25 – 29, 2022

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9:00 am.  A delicious lunch, snacks, and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm – the shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

The class is limited to a maximum of 3 students.

Call or email to be placed on the waiting list if this class sells out.