A Dunbar-style Sack Back

Building a chair from a book. I haven't attempted this in years.

I have an assignment, due in a few weeks, to write a book review to be included in an upcoming issue of Mortise & Tenon Magazine. As I’ve mentioned here in the past, I enjoy the writing of Michael Dunbar, retired Windsor chair maker and teacher from New Hampshire. I thought I’d review one of his titles. His writing is forceful and opinionated. I do not agree with some of it, and some of it is insulting. This isn’t about “hate-reading” it - if that’s even a thing - though it challenges my ways of working. I enjoy hearing what Mr. Dunbar has to say about things. Because he doesn’t hold back when he has an opinion.

The book review assignment gave me a chance to pick up my copy of “Make A Windsor Chair with Mike Dunbar.” About a month ago, after confirming my choice with the magazine and sitting down to skim through it, I realized that I cannot give the book an honest assessment without building the chair as I go. That should have been clear to me from the title (and the title is perfectly straight forward about the contents of the book). It is Mike Dunbar showing the reader how to make a Windsor chair (two chairs actually…a continuous arm and a sack back).

I’ll share a bit about the sack back as I build it. The book review…those thoughts will land in the fall 2025 M&T magazine.