Each Windsor chair is crafted from four types of wood: tulip poplar for one board chair seats; white ash for spindles; maple for legs and stretchers; and oak for bendings.

 

Inherent ability combined with experience and dedication provide skill and patience as Grell uses a drawknife to shape a Windsor comb.

         Using a chisel and        mallet, Grell carves        spiraled ears in the    wood he hand selects          for the combs and            Fan-backs on his                       Windsors. Spiraled Ears

Inshave Since 1973, Richard Grell has hand-carved every Windsor chair seat using this self-made tool called an inshave.

    After steaming the hand-shaped piece of     oak, Grell bends the bow for the back of                                     a Windsor armchair.

 

       To insure the strength of each Windsor                chair, Grell hand selects perfectly           straight-grained boards to create the                 spindles, bows, combs, legs, and                                                     stretchers.

Bending a Bow

Grell Signature The hallmark of each Grell Windsor is his hand-carved signature and the year on the underside of each seat crafted from a single piece (one board) of poplar.


 



© 2003 Richard Grell Windsor Chairs
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