Windsor Institute


The Windsor Institute is a school in Hampton, New Hampshire, United States. It is owned and operated by Michael Dunbar, where five-day courses in Windsor chairmaking are taught year round.

Students

Many students, from accomplished woodworkers to those who have never used a hammer, have come from Great Britain, Korea, Argentina, Canada, Australia and many other countries, as well as from all parts of the United States, to study at the Windsor Institute. Students' country flags are flown outside the main shop during the course, and later displayed inside, in tribute to this internationalism.
Beginning students learn the basics of Windsor chairmaking in the Sack Back course, which prepares them for advanced classes.

Chairmaker's Hall of Fame

The Chairmaker's Hall of Fame at the Windsor Institute recognises those students who have improved on methods taught in the class or have created new methods altogether. Humorous names for these new inventions, such as the No-Name Stick, the Shot In The Back, and the VanHovenometer, contribute to the light-hearted atmosphere of the shop.