Making a Folding Chair with Michael Fortune August 23-28, 2021 (6 days)

Few folding chairs are now are made in wood; instead metal and composite materials are the norm. This is a wonderful opportunity to make a folding chair in wood that would fit nicely in a residential setting, and even be comfortable, a fact often overlooked in commercially available chairs. With this in mind, Michael has designed a folding chair that requires almost no metal parts beyond a simple pin. The joinery is mortise and tenon and can be done by machine or even by hand. The curved legs are laminated for strength and durability. Students will be able to make the curved seat in wood or upholster it. Michael has always had an interest in folding chairs old and new. The simplicity, complexity and variety of the folding method has always fascinated him. Church community centers, funeral parlors and card playing parties seem to breed them. He has researched this type of chair extensively and has developed a comfortable light weight variation that is easy to make, and it’s in the “Fortunovian” style. Students may duplicate the jigs for their own use after the class.