Woodturning Magazine UK
http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=3437

Popular Woodworking - George Walker
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/look-beneath-the-surface

Woodworkers Journal
http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/jim-sannerud-woodworking-scandinavian-heritage/

Popular Woodworking
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/working-lathe-fluid-process-qa-jim-sannerud

MN Original Video
http://www.mnoriginal.org/episode/520-shana-kaplow-haley-bonar/jim-sannerud/

First Chair

For many years I have had an interest in seating and figuring out what elements make a comfortable chair. My interest in building chairs was rekindled on my last trip to Sweden where I saw chairs that were hundreds of years old and as sturdy as the day they were built. I’ve seen beautiful chairs over the years that had a good aesthetic design but lacked comfort. Perhaps you’ve sat in a chair that “pushed” you out or a chair with a wooden seat that needed a seat cushion in order to sit in it for any length of time. I’ve heard about how restaurants are installing what they call “20 minute seating” - seats so uncomfortable you want to leave shortly after you eat. I’ve always paid attention to how comfortable seating is and wanted to make my own, so I decided to scratch that “building a chair” itch. Last fall I started studying windsor chairs. To me the design and joinery in windsor chairs is perfect, as it has been for hundreds of years; nothing more is needed and nothing can be taken away. I thought this would be a good place to start while allowing me to expand my skills in green woodworking. With guidance from an experienced chair maker, I learned how to make a chair following traditional methods using hand tools. Although many of the procedures and even some of the tools were new to me, I made a decent first attempt at a sack back windsor. I don’t have a “production” timeline of starting to make my own seating, which is good because I’m finding that this is a very deep well.
Photo, Tib Shaw.