Images Shaping the spindles. The spindles are shaped with a drawknife and spokeshave to the size desired. The spindles of most handmade Windsor chairs vary slightly in size and shape because they are shaped using hand tools. Some chairmakers turn the spindles on a lathe. Whether a spindle is shaped by hand or turned on a lathe is less important than whether the wood from which it is shaped was sawn or riven.
Riven wood gives the straightness of grain that ensures strength.
Images Adding the handrest to the arm. A piece of hardwood is glued to the side of each end of the armrail. Straight grained blocks of wood are turned on the lathe to the desired shape. Traditional Windsor chairs often use maple or birch wood for these because of its strength. Images Shaping the seat.