From Geoff Tonkin
Howard Archbold and myself have just completed our seventh annual Windsor Chair and Stool making course here near Molong with eight chairmakers and two stool makers. The course ran for ten straight days and students used green wood (Robinia pseudo acacia) and only hand tools to complete their pieces.
Seats were carved from camphor laurel and ash was used for the steambent back and arm bows. Tools used included splitting axes, froes, mallets, side axes, shavehorses, drawknives, pole lathes, inshaves, spokeshaves and handplanes. Students came from afar afield as Armidale, Central Coast, Sydney and Lake Cargelligo with some locals. One man returned for his fifth course and two others had also done the course before.
Howard has been running these courses for over 20 years at Moonan Brook in the Hunter Valley and it is a great thrill to have him return annually to our Molong workshop. Some have already booked for next year's course.
More information can be found at: geofftonkin.com.au and also rarechairs.com.au