Replies

1. 
   arkriver | Mar 31, 2006 09:44pm | #1

   I have purchased various "stuff" from Shaker Workshop and the service and quality is very good. Sorry, but I have not bought a kit from them

1. 
   CWilson | Apr 01, 2006 04:11am | #2

   Thanks for the reply.  By the way what type of stuff did you buy?  Was it the cloth tape perheps?  Thanks again.

    

   CW

1. 
   arkriver | Apr 01, 2006 06:08pm | #3

   I made several foot stools using the cloth tape they have. I have also used their milk paint. Both are good products.

1. 
   CWilson | Apr 02, 2006 01:55am | #4

   thanks again.  I do appreciate the insight.

2. 
   JohnE | Apr 02, 2006 11:15pm | #5

   I have just finished assembling their No. 5 Cherry Rocking Chair and I am quit satisfied with the kit. Workmanship is quite good and the instructions are adequate for someone with any woodworking experience. I am an intermediate woodworker and the reason I bought the kit is that I wanted a rocker of this style and it requires a lot of work on the lathe. I don't have a lathe. The joints are very tight, in fact all the tenons were slightly oversized as received and required some sanding to get them to fit. The only complaint is that they did not do the greatest job of matching the wood color but it can be easily handled with a little gel stain.

1. 
   CWilson | Apr 03, 2006 05:28am | #6

   thanks for the help.  What colors did you use?

1. 
   JohnE | Apr 03, 2006 08:14pm | #7

   I used Bartley's "Pennsylvania Cherry". Incidentally, cherry can be subject to blotching when it is stained. So it might be a good idea to put on a coat of diluted (50/50) finish before you stain. Shellac is commonly used for this purpose but you can use whatever is you plan to finish the chair with. I used Waterlox Original.

3. 
   Ronaway | Apr 04, 2006 02:52pm | #8

   I have had my hands on a couple of these kits. The chairs have the overall look but some of details had to be modified in order to get them to look better than just manufactured. For instances all the pieces with tenons had very sharp shoulders on them. I had to put them back into the lathe and taper the shoulders down. This improved the looks of the chair a great deal. I quess this could be done with a spokeshave if a lathe is not available. The cloth tape is relatively simple to do, once you get past the first one.

   Ron

4. 
   royh | Apr 04, 2006 10:42pm | #9

   I have built several items from their kits. 3 rockers, a lamp, a clock, a drop leaf table, a 3-legged round table, coffee table, small footstool, a "high" chair. Maybe something else I can't remember at the moment. If parts are defective, they can be exchanged. If they break or wear out, you can get a replacement (at least for the rocking chairs). As others have said, the instructions are pretty straightforward and the weaving of the tape can be interesting once you do it once or twice. The rocking chairs are strong and light-weight. I always used the oil finish. Easy company to deal with.

1. 
   CWilson | Apr 05, 2006 03:14am | #10

   Thanks again for the help guys!