Comb Back Chair – Tool List
Required Tools for the Chair
An important note on tools: When you arrive, all your tools must be sharp and ready to go. There won’t be time to restore vintage tools or set up new tools in this class (there are other great classes for those activities). I am quite serious about this point. If you don’t show up with sharp tools, you are letting me and your fellow students down.
Block plane or smoothing plane (HNT Gordan at each student bench)
10” or 12” Cabinet rasp, medium coarseness, such as 10 or 12 grain. Auriou is my favourite (School has several)
Mechanical pencils (.9mm or .7mm lead)
Non-Scratch Pliers such as this. Alternate: Bring Vise-Grips and we will line the jaws with tape
No. 2 pencil. (School will provide)
Pocket knife (sharp – seriously)
Combination square (6” or 12”) (School will provide)
Cordless drill/driver (School will provide)
5/8” spade bits. You need both the 5/8” standard length and the 5/8” extra-long length. Available from any decent hardware store
Scorp (I recommend the Lucian Avery Inshave or Barr Tools Mike Dunbar Style scorp or WoodJoy’s version). Order early to avoid disappointment!
Travisher (Claire Minihan’s standard travisher and Elia Bizzari’s 4.5” radius travisher are both excellent). Order early to avoid disappointment!
School has travishers but feel free to bring your own.
Card scraper (the Bahco 475 is the one to get or the curved one we make at Crucible). (School will provide)
Cork sanding block (School will provide)
Flush-cutting saw (I’ve never encountered a great one; this one is pretty good)
Veritas 5/8” Tapered Tenon Cutter. (School will provide)
Veritas Large Standard Reamer. School has Tim Maney Reamers available for all
Small sliding bevel (School will provide)
Plastic protractor (Yup, one of the inexpensive ones from the grocery)
Dividers (any but the smallest or largest sizes will do)
Tape measure (a small one, such as 12’, is fine) (School will provide)
Any crosscut saw – a carcase saw, a small panel saw or dozuki (School will provide)
Metal-bodied spokeshaves: you need the flat-sole one (I recommend the Veritas shaves or the Lie-Nielsen ones. Please do not buy crap shaves. You will regret it when you throw them away). (School will provide)
A few chisels – 1/2”, 5/8” or 3/4”
Mallet (heavier is better for chairmaking). I like 2-1/2” lbs.
Bubble level (any size will do except huge ones for carpentry)
5” random-orbit sander with 3M soft Interference pad. (School will provide)
Mirka Abranet #120-grit sanding discs (5” for your sander). (School will provide)
A final note on tools: Please bring your sharpening gear so you can keep your tools in working order.