Progress on the comb back chair

Here is the progress from yesterdays chair making session. I drilled the arm bow using the riser jig and drill bit with long extension, making sure the arm bow was clamped firmly in place. Once the twelve holes were drilled I could then focus on shaping the sticks to support the arm. I started with the six short sticks first, trimming them to length once they were located in there sockets. I could then place the arm bow in position to see what the final height or the arm would look like. I then moved on to shaping the long sticks. The six long spindles in this chair need to be turned into cylinders the majority of the way down their length and to do this I’ll use the Ray Iles dowel former - a specially designed tool for chair making. It makes large pencil like shavings as it is turned over the sticks and is a most pleasing tool to use. Today I’ll focus on getting the long spindles in shape, then think I’ll saddle the seat before moving on to fitting the stretchers. All good progress.