eginning with #1 veneer-graded logs from the forests of Maine, I make my Windsor chairs from the original patterns used by the Windsor chairmakers of the 18th century. And just as important, I use only hand tools in their making.
    The chair parts, be it the spindles, arm, crest or bow are rived (hand-split) with an ax and a froe from the red oak log and then hand tooled with the tools of the Windsor chairmaking trade such as a scorp, travisher, spokeshave and drawknife. It is in this method that original 18th century Windsors were fashioned and so it is in that same method my Windsors are fashioned also. This 250-year-old method of construction is one of the techniques that give Windsor chairs their superior strength despite the delicate look.
   The arm rails, bows and crests, made from these rivened pieces are then shaped. They are then steamed in a steam box and bent around a bending form to give them their shape.
   Each chair is then hand assembled, one at a time. And characteristic of the original chairmakers, the joints are then wedged permanently into place with keyed, locking wedges as used in the original chairs.
   My chairs are a true Windsor in every sense. I do not make an "interpretation" of a Windsor chair nor do I make a modern day "contemporary" style of Windsor. My chairs are historically accurate duplicates of original styles, including Philadelphia, New York and New England, made using the traditional ways, tools and methods of the 18th century master chairmaker.