gstilwell

A very, very accomplished woodworker.
I would take some exception to his description of the Windsor leg mortices, though. He describes them as being tapered, and "will actually tighten as the sitter sits on the chair" I submit that if the joint moves and gets tighter when someone sits on it--the joint has failed, period.
If the joint moves and gets tighter when you sit on it, what happens when you pick up the seat? do the legs fall off?
The design of the Windsor is such that as the legs are driven into the seat and locked, the stretchers are also locked in place, creating a solid undercarriage, if the leg mortices fail, the stretchers necessarily will loosen over time, resulting in a 'wobbly' chair, with potential stretcher failure.
Gary

The more I look at this, the more I want to build one. I do have some antique Pine from an old Ohio barn, but not enough-can get more. Could you please provide a cut list? I would really like to duplicate what you've done here. Any other instructuions would be greatly appreciated. My set of Stanley planes are sharp and ready to go.--
Gary

this thing is beautiful!! Nice to see someone really appreciates the finer art of working with hand tools

This sounds like a nice invention-especially to counter the $-based saw stop with it's bogus testing hype. BUT, the safety sensor of any woodworking tool lies in the BRAIN of the woodworker. When you know it can hurt you, you respect it!(remember when your Mom told you not to touch the stove burner? You won't do THAT again)
If you think you're safer, you will take more chances(look at the number of auto accidents after seat belts were mandated).
(it's ok Son, we have an 'auto-touch-no-burn-finger' stove)
I do applaud the Whirlwind inventor, though.

I have to agree completely with authors such as Tenleft, and planefolk;
Almost without exception, injuries in the shop(all) are the result of bad judgement, didn't follow instructions,etc. Tools don't jump up and bite you. This person who developed the saw stop apparently was not a Woodworker(Patent Attourney). Here's a way to get your retirement secured-find an idiot that hurt him(her)self. publicize it as if the tool attacked them, show selected, controlled demonstrations of your safe tool, get the gum mint to see how all people are stupid enough to hurt themselves, and they(gum mint) will be percieved as protecting the consumer. They could even add a new department- hire more gum mint employees, promulgate some new laws, require licencing for tool use--... blah,blah.
I have a new design chisel I'm thinking of developing--it will never cut your hand, then again, it won't cut wood either)

I'm not surprised at the outcome. My handplanes don't make dust; I don't need to buy a respirator, or a downdraft table,(with a dust collector) or sanding disks, I don't need electric cords all over the shop, it doesn't cost excess electricity. With the plane tuned properly, the finish is like glass. If not, a scraper blade will do the job.(which by the way, I noticed the sanding folks used)I do have to wade through fine, aromatic shavings of wood, though. I use them for potpourri, or to flavor my next Boston Butt on the smoker.

Nothing like a dumb a** to get the lawyers started. It's a SAW BLADE man; it CUTS STUFF---including fingers, if you put them in the way. You can't protect against stupid.

As theguyfromupnorth writes, I never met or saw Sam or his creations, but I read all I could about him and his designs. I loved the way he would defy convention on the bandsaw. His finishes are on all my pieces. His creations are like Windsors - they'll be around for a very long time.