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Anselm Fraser Chippendale furniture school

Inspired by you

Anselm Fraser, principal. writing in The Woodworker magazine Inspiration can be defined as finding a new or better way of answering a question, solving a problem or, for us woodworkers, coming up with a better design for a piece of furniture. But finding inspiration can be a hard task.  So how do you find it? …

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David Hall Whisky Barrel Furniture Company

Raising a glass to a desk

David Hall is a woodworker who knows precisely what he wants to do after graduation. He’s already bought a farmhouse and outbuildings in rural Aberdeenshire which he intends to convert into a studio and workshop. His new business will specialise in making fine furniture from old whisky barrels. It’s an idea that will give his …

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Clare Charleston restoration Chippendale school

The past, present

While this week has all been about learning the delicate skills involved in making a Windsor chair, our restoration business has also been busy. It’s a side of the Chippendale school that’s very important because it allows us to maintain a core of expertise within the school, and gives students hands-on experience in learning different …

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Anselm Fraser, principal, Chippendale school at dedication of bench to Isobel Edgar

A bench to remember

It’s a bench that’s been made by many hands and is now a fitting memorial to one of the Chippendale school’s longest-standing members of staff who died recently. Isobel Edgar, the school’s student welfare officer, had worked with the Chippendale team for 25 years. The Redwood bench is our way of paying tribute to her …

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Chippendale school learning Windsor chairs

The house of Windsor

This week our school has been transformed into a house of Windsor. Or, putting it a different way, our professional course students are learning how to make a Windsor chair. They work in teams of four to make their chairs, under the expert guidance of Tom Thackray and Stephen Langton. Tom is a veteran of …

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Tom Smyth bench Chippendale school

Steamed bench

Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes, but the important thing is to recognise it when you see it. Tom Smyth took inspiration for his steam-bent oak garden bench from work he carried out on the roof of a listed 400-year-old timber framed barn in Hampshire. The roofing project might not seem similar to a …

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