In-person course
in Presteigne Maker & location details

(37)

Make a Welsh stick chair

Welsh stick chairs in spring bluebells

Well done chaps, lovely chairs

The woodland workshop at Redwood Valley Yurts

Making chair seats

Wood-turning on a traditional foot-powered lathe

Description

The Welsh stick chair is the vernacular style of Windsor chair that evolved west of the border several hundred years ago. They’re simple but striking, and will grace any hearth with a charismatic presence. Over this seven-day course in a beautiful woodland workshop you’ll be taken through the process of crafting a Welsh stick chair from log to finished piece. You’ll fashion the legs, spindles and other frame parts from locally sourced ash using a range of simple tools, including drawknife and spokeshave. You’ll also use an adze and travisher to ‘bottom’ the chair seat to a comfortable form. The highlight of the course, apart from going away with your own heirloom, is the process of steam bending the graceful bow that forms the distinctive arm of the chair and the comb that tops off its back. This is an intensive course, but is suitable to beginners with no prior knowledge of chair making. More challenging variants on the Welsh stick theme may be possible for woodworkers with some existing skill. Ben Willis was mentored by the green woodworking legend Mike Abbott. He has been making chairs and other green-wood furniture for over 10 years.

What's included in the price?

A simple lunch will be provided each day as well as copious quantities of tea, coffee and biscuits to keep your motor running. Basic materials will be provided, but there will be an additional charge for the timber used to make the chair seat. This will range from £25-40 depending on what I have in stock at the time.

Duration

7 days

Cancellation policy

Strict - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 8 weeks before the course starts

Maker

Ben Willis at Ben Willis Woodcraft

with Craft Courses since 2017

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Suitable for

Adults
Seniors
Hearing impaired
Learning difficulties (SEN)
Accommodation offered
Parking provided
Engagement, birthdays & anniversaries
Suitable for beginners
Corporate days out & team building

What does this mean?

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Venue

Boultibrooke House, Norton Road, Presteigne, Powys, LD8 2EU

Price:

£675.00

Duration:

7 days

Time:

09:00 - 17:00

The course doesn't currently have live dates

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Reviews

All maker's reviews

3 Oct 23'

Patrick Laurie reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"A fantastic course, and a really excellent way to spend a week. Ben was always on hand with advice and support, and I learned an enormous amount as the days went by. The hard work ultimately paid off and I'm really delighted with the chair I made - I can't recommend this course highly enough."

2 Oct 23'

Paul O reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"I have benefited from Ben’s expert and patient tuition three times now, and our home is dignified by two elegant Welsh stick chairs and one functional Windsor stool as a result. The seven day course on the Welsh borders is simply fantastic….idyllic work environment, very good wood, very good tools and great company…and you end up with furniture far in advance of anything to be found on Tottenham Court Road. Sign up now!!!"

2 Oct 23'

Robin Loveland reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"What a fabulous week. Hidden away in our forest glade in a beautiful corner of very rural Wales, I couldn’t believe that the pile of freshly felled timber could be split , axed, shaved and bent into the beautiful traditional chair that I proudly took home a week later. The company was excellent, a great feeling of camaraderie and mutual support supervised at all time by the highly skilled, knowledgeable and ever patient Ben. The work room under canvas, with the ever present fire burning (there are a lot of off cuts!), learning how to, and then using hand tools, was a wonderful and peaceful, but highly industrious enclave. A great week with a great tutor! (and a lovely chair!!) Highly recommended! "

13 Jun 23'

Brendan Patchell reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course in making a Welsh Stick Chair. Ben is very good at teaching and assisting to all levels. A week seems like a long time but you need to learn lots of skills, insights and gain experience and confidence. The setting deep in the woods, with the kettle on the fire, was a perfect environment to meet strangers and come away as firm friends. The icing on the cake was taking away a beautiful, hand made, unique Welsh Stick chair."

9 Jun 23'

Richard Rodway reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"Well what can I say, other than my wonderful experience with Ben has left me in awe of his knowledge and calming influence. it has been inspirational in many ways. I have a fantastic journey into the world of green woodworking with a lovely chair and so many new skills that I have been inspired to dive head long into the green woodworking world. I have tweaked my chair already and have made my own saw horse and started on a couple of projects. Couldn't recommend highly enough. Such a lovely group of people to spend a week with in a wonderful woodland. "

8 May 23'

Chris & Mike Freed reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"A genuinely excellent tutor, course and workshop environment. Ben has the patience of a saint, is a lovely bloke and was able to nurture these 2 amateurs into budding chair-makers. Its hard to believe we turned green wood ash logs, with accompanying pre-prepared materials, into 2 welsh stick chairs we are proud of. Its all thanks to the structure and pace of the course, along with the newly learned skills, which kept us on our toes but ensured we both got our chairs completed. Our course-mates were an unexpected bonus - a fine, collaborative group who brought their own skills, good humour and support (including visits from friends, partners, wives and dogs to keep up morale and provide additional snacks). The woods and Welsh weather provided a stunning and calming backdrop that served as a wellbeing tonic, with the week being fuelled by Ben's satisfying lunches. Altogether brilliant! "

4 May 23'

Kaori Tatebayashi reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"It was a wonderful experience spending a week in the woodland filled with bluebells leaning new skills. Making a chair out of green wood using simple hand tools and minimum machineries was a pure pleasure. During the course, I didn't think of anything but forming a chair. I found it meditative and somehow healing. Brilliant teacher and a great group we had. "

2 May 23'

Connie DeWitt reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"This course was amazing. Ben has a natural gift for explaining things in a way that is appropriate for novices while still offering new insights to those more experienced - with fun and humor the whole way. Ben’s teaching style, the support and camaraderie of my classmates, and the gorgeous natural setting made for an unforgettable experience. It was absolutely worth the effort and expense to travel from California, and I can’t wait to get started on building my next chair!"

2 May 23'

Shaun Thomas reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"I enjoyed the course so much last year. I brought my son with me for another go, Ben did not let us down. Great content, deep understanding of Green woodworking and a well structured approach. We both left with more skills, a better understanding of wood and a fantastic welsh stick chair each. Could not recommend it any more highly. "

13 Jan 23'

Gareth Clayton reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"This course was excellent and Ben is a very accomplished, welcoming and patient instructor. The end product is amazing and you genuinely feel like you have had the majority of the input in making it. I learned a lot from the course and looked forward to each day. Highly recommended!"

25 Jun 22'

Melvyn Cole reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"What a great experience! As a man that has tools, this course was an eye opener. Not only didn't I have any of the tools needed for this adventure in my own collection, I'd never heard of them either. This mattered not a jot, as Ben had all the tools necessary to hand craft a beautiful Welsh Stick Chair from, well, basically a laying down tree. All I had to do was provide the sweat. I had a great week with an amazing group of people and would certainly do it again. Highly recommended."

9 May 22'

Harald Lamon reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"The perfect setting, a very skilled and enthusiastic teacher, beautiful wood to work with and quality sharp tools. All that made me go home with an amazing chair I 'm really proud of! Thanks again Ben!! Harald from Belgium. (www.lepelhuis.be)"

5 May 22'

John reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"Having done a couple of courses at Ben's workshop in London, I couldn't wait to give this one a go. Redwood Valley is lovely, the workshop is really well equipped and the local town is good for a pizza and a few pints when you're done for the day. Ben is a natural teacher, an expert craftsman and above all a really nice bloke. He has designed the course brilliantly, with a mixture of teamwork (steam bending was great) and individual time on the shave horse. Our group ranged in ability from experienced woodworkers to total beginners and everyone came away with an impressive chair. I'll have fond memories of that week for years to come, not only because I have made a lovely piece of furniture for the home, but spending seven days with a group of lovely people, working and eating together."

2 May 22'

Shaun Thomas reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"After the first day I was apprehensive and told my wife not to expect too much. With no greenwood experience it looked like a tough ask to produce any level of quality. By the end of day three I felt I’d already learned so much and was so much more comfortable with the tools and working the wood. I was learning new things every day - all of them useful. To put a cherry on top we have a great hand made chair that I am truly proud of. Despite the amount of work we had to do and the learning curve the whole experience was relaxing, absorbing and invigorating at the same time. Thank you Ben, I hope to join you again next spring to build on all I’ve learned so far."

1 May 22'

Alex Harris reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"Ben is an excellent teacher and his immense knowledge allows him to answer all questions, help with any problems and teach anyone to construct an incredibly complicated chair! I had a memorable week and though it was hard work, I had an incredible time and I’m proud of my achievements and my lovely chair! I’d recommend this course to anyone, I’ve learnt so much and met loads of nice people and worked in a lovely setting. Somehow it was exhausting and relaxing at the same time."

20 Aug 21'

Barry Bailey reviewed: Make a Welsh stick chair

"For more years than I care to remember, I have wanted to do a course like this, in an environment reminiscent of my childhood many years ago, using the basic tools of our forefathers. Finally, on a whim, having seen Ben's advert, and at the age of 76 yrs, I decided it was now or never, and decided to book this course. I am so glad that I did. The woods in which we were based, in Redwood Valley, were of a maturity rarely encountered these days. The commitment, depth of knowledge, and dedication to his course participants, by Ben, likewise. The other similar-minded people on this course were an absolute pleasure to be with, and will never be forgotten. My one regret - I didn't do this sooner."