David Laird, Flitch Bench Seat (RECYCLED & RESCUED 2023)

Photos:

Richard Lord

Country:

New Zealand

My version of a Bench seat, this bench seat is constructed using traditional materials & techniques. I have looked passed the formal design of a Shaker Meeting Bench or a Windsor bench seat & looked to create a pared back bench seat. The joints are wedged through tapered mortice & tenons in combination with hide glue. The bench is made from one solid English walnut slab that has been milled from a walnut tree that had died & was left standing for around 10 years, the slab with the character of its full life now at rest on Elm legs I have turned. The steam bent Wych Elm arm rest & hand shaped back rest are milled from a tree blown over in a Nor wester, is supported with hand shaped tapered White Ash spindles. All of the timber used has been sourced within Canterbury & are a great example of the early plantings brought to New Zealand. Fundamental to my process to create the Flitch Bench seat is to have the smallest footprint possible. Traditional chair making techniques, sourcing fallen timber locally & being able to manage the timber through the seasoning process of air drying & finishing in a solar kiln. All of these methods weigh lightly on the planet & connect you to the material. It is a joy to be able to learn from the timber & a bonus to sequester carbon in the process. www.davidlairdchairbler.co.nz The Bench Seat is finished in the Osmo-Polyx oil & the dimensions are: W 1660mm x D 390 to 560mm x H 450mm (Seat) 920mm (Backrest).

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.