Big Change for Chair Notes

When I started Chair Notes in 2007, I had no idea it would be such an amazing catalyst in my life and career. Many hundreds of post later, I can’t even imagine my life without it. It’s led me to many wonderful opportunities, such as my book, magazine articles and videos.

In recent years, with the advent of Instagram and having my attention pulled in too many directions, I’ve let my interaction with the blog slow to mostly informing about upcoming events. But I’m changing that.

I am heading full on into continuing to build Chairnotes as a communication tool and resource for other makers as well as a place to develop my own skills and work through ideas. I am including more videos and instructional tips. To do this, I am moving the blog over to Substack, which is a writers platform that is easy to use, has tools to expand the audience, and gives the reader a chance to help support the effort with a small monthly or yearly contribution. I will be offering lots of free content as well as some that is exclusive to supporters. My plan is to move my list of blog recipients from this venue to Substack, so you will be getting this feed from a new location and might need to sign up. I’m sure many of you already have, with great writers such as Chris Schwarz and Peter Follansbee already posting there. If you don’t want me to transfer your subscription, please unsubscribe here and you won’t be on the list. I already have posts over there and if you want to check it out to see if you want to follow me over, check out this link, https://petergalbert.substack.com/.

I appreciate your time and support over the years, and hope you will consider chipping in help me to continue to build Chairnotes.

thanks,

Pete

Never a Dull Moment

I guess the headline should be that the new classes are up on the schedule, but with all that’s happening, it feels like everything is a headline. Registration begins this Wednesday Aug 30th at 8, so check out the classes!

My time has been split between teaching, developing some new tools and trying to finish my house before the cold sets in and the money runs out. The progress has me feeling hopeful that I’ll be out of the tent by Thanksgiving, but I’m still prioritizing having an indoor shower.

Here you can see that the rockwool panels are going on the outside of the house, the walls that infill the timberframe are only about 3” thick, so insulating the outside made the most sense.

The clapboard siding will go on the vertical strips on the outside of the panels and leave an air gap.

Recent classes have been going great, especially the design class that I taught with Aspen Golann. She hand picked a very talented group of makers to come explore building rocking chairs from soup to nuts. We decided to pursue a very fun design that had the seat suspended by the spindles. It worked out well and hopefully the process of designing a rocking chair will inspire the makers to head home and create more. There is still room in my October design class if you want to come tackle the creative and technical aspects of creating chairs.

Here’s Aspen in our prototype

I also designed a T shirt and we had a bunch printed up. The design is sort of a chalkboard drawing displaying the 4 views of a chair, the rake, splay, sightline and resultant. You can see the relationship between the views and maybe, just maybe you’ll get some insight into sightlines, or you can just enjoy the all cotton T shirt. You can order them through my website or come see me at Handworks next weekend.

Oh and as for Handworks, I’ll be showing off my new travisher design!!!! I also plan to have a few to sell, so show up early. This tool is different than my previous design in that it’s meant to be easier to do rougher work. The handle shape and geometry of the tool allows you to use the force more from your arms than hands and wrists. I often hand this to students struggling with the inshave and they never give it back. I’m very excited to get into full production of this one, it’s very intuitive and effective.

Sneak peek of the new travisher

I have another tool that I’m developing, but it’s still under super secret protocol while I work out the kinks and see if it is of any real value!

And of course Georgia is enjoying glamping this summer, especially when I use my cool as can be scythe to make her little hay beds all over the property

and this is Zues, he lives across the street and is very curious, he even climbs the scaffold to give the carpenters a hand with the siding

Here's your chance to work with Tim Manney and other News!

I’m so sorry to be this late on an announcement, but here it is, this weekend, Tim Manney is teaching a sharpening seminar at my shop in Rollinsford. It’s taken years of cajoling to get Tim to teach again (he’s been busy with family, reamers, chairs etc…)but he finally agreed. He will be teaching how to sharpen all sorts of tools, straight and curved with very clear direct methods that are result driven and intuitive. There are a a couple of spots left, the class is only $400 for two days. If you are looking to do the one thing to propel your woodworking forward, this is it!

And down the road a bit, there is still room in the Ladderback class with Andy Glenn in November. Don’t miss this one, Andy is wrapping up his book for Lost Art Press on Appalachian Ladderbacks and the makers who are still creating chairs in the backwoods. It’s a fascinating journey into chairmaking and the people who practice the tradition, once it publishes, his classes are going to be tough to get into! Check my schedule for details.

Life for me lately has been a mix of workshops and working on my house. I’ll do a post soon showing the progress of my 1790’s cape renovation. It’s super engrossing and lots of fun, I can’t wait to share it with you.