Sign Up Now for New Chair Making Classes!

*Please Note* Class enrollment won't start until 12 noon, please don't send requests prior to then to give everyone an equal chance, thanks!

Here is a list of an added 2018 class and the classes that I'll be offering in the first 7 months of the 2019. I have spaced them out a bit more (more chair time for me) and added more days to each class to give us plenty of time to get all the info out, work done and petting of Georgia that we need to do. The classes this year have been spectacular, I can't say enough about the joy that it's brought me to have folks in my shop, learning, working and sharing. All classes are still 4 students, except at North Bennet where we have 8 and an assistant.

Please contact me soon if you want to enroll, some classes fill very fast and I want everyone to have a chance.

*Please note, this schedule starts with a class in December 2018 that I've added. It's a comb back class from December 1-8.*

2018 

Comb Back Arm Chair, December 1-8 (8 Days) Tuition $1900

2019

Class 1: Continuous Arm Chair, February 10-16 (7 Days) tuition $1750

Class 2: Rod Back Rocking Chair, March 23-31  (9 Days) tuition $2400

Class 3: Comb Back Arm Chair, May 5-12 (8 Days) tuition $1900

Class 4: Side Chair (Fan or Balloon Back), June 17-23 (7 Days) tuition $1700

Class 5: Continuous Arm Chair at North Bennet Street School, July 27-Aug 3 (8 Days) tuition $1850 (enrollment through www.nbss.edu)
 

Please visit my "schedule" page on petergalbert.com to see more info on the classes and contact me with any questions.

I will be adding more classes to the 2019 schedule after the new year, I hope to see you there!

New 2019 Class Schedule...Scheduled!

I will be announcing my class schedule for next year on Monday at 12 noon. It will be posted on my website and this blog page. I learned last year that it was a good idea to give everyone a chance to sign up by having a set time. I will most likely be adding a few turning intensives throughout the year, but for now, I have scheduled 8 chair classes. I am extending all of my classes by 1-2 days to be sure that folks have all the time that they need to get the work done and cover all the topics with a comfortable pace.

Thanks to all the students who've come out and made this year so spectactular. I've had nothing but great times working with you and am looking forward to another great year!

Here are a few pics from the most recent comb back class, it was a great class and I am going to teach it twice next year!

Tired but happy on the last day

Craig's chair, looking sharp!

And lil Georgia is making friends much more easily. All of the students got plenty of pets in! Remember to check back here or at my schedule page Monday the 23rd for all the new classes. They fill fast and are first come first serve.

More Shop Tips

Here are a couple of things that I've found helpful lately in my shop. When I started making kilns for drying wood, the only thing available was too complex to wire for my experience, or chicken incubator thermostats. Well, technology has made some advances, I'm sure solely for the home kiln builder and now you can get this beauty.

This thing is a champ, accurate and easy. Here is a link to an Amazon page (not an endorsement, just a link, buy it where you like). It's $28 and much more trustworthy, plus it also senses humidity, but I haven't played with that feature yet.

Here is a favorite splitting tool of mine. It's an Estwing hatchet, available everywhere. I use it to create the initial score line when splitting as well as for splitting small parts. It's super slim which helps it "sneak" into the split without the crack running too far. This helps the wood separate along the fibers. Also, the handle makes it easy to hold while striking the back of the head and also to dislodge from the wood. Finally, the flare at the back of the head helps the split finish with a resounding "POP" when you drive it in. I reach for this tool all the time.

And my last tips for today is to share Wendell Castle's 10 Adopted Rules that Michael Fortune had on a poster at Fine Woodworking LIve