While the ever-popular Adirondack chair is comfortable enough for reading or relaxing, it can be difficult to get in and out of. Inspired by the shapely arc of daylily leaves in his garden, acclaimed furniture maker Michael Fortune redesigned this classic with better ergonomics as the graceful and ultra-comfortable Garden Chair. In this workshop, he walks you through every step of building his unique version and helps you to master a variety of woodworking skills.

The first phase of this chair project is a complete lesson in bent lamination for creating the sweeping arms, seat, and back slats. Expand your understanding of this process as Michael shares all the secrets to success that he’s learned over 40 years. You’ll see how he creates a sturdy, lightweight form, keeps the plies aligned, manages the clamping and gluing, creates a seamless bend, and more. Michael then goes on to demonstrate a variety of useful techniques for working with these curved pieces. Discover useful tips for working with your bandsaw, jointer, drill press, and planer while you construct the chair’s components. Finally, you’ll see how he sands and smooths all the parts, assembles the chair, and levels the legs.

The Class Materials for this workshop include a printable plan and a digital plan for use with SketchUp® software.