Windsor Bench: This contemporary Windsor bowback bench or settee was one of my first designs. Made to compliment my Contemporary Windsor Side Chair, inspiration for the bench originated in my love of Shaker furniture and the techniques I learned during the five plus years I worked at Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers. Pictured you see a cherry bench with ash spindles and maple (often birdseye or tiger maple) legs. I have also made this bench in maple, walnut, and oak. All but the oak bench had ash spindles. I laminate the curved “bow” of the back because cherry and many other woods do not steam bend well enough to make the tight curves you see. For the cherry benches I buy laminating veneer in flitches. A flitch is a half a log that has been sliced with a knife, in this case to 1/10th inch thick slices. Since the slices come in sequence the grain matches when the bows are glued together and the glue lines seem to disappear. I rough shape the seats with an electric chainsaw then grind and finally sand 4 time in successively finer grits. Call for pricing on longer benches.
To see amateur photos of the six foot version Windsor Bench click on the following links: ONE TWO
