Backwoods Chairs
June 21, 2023
I started this project in 2019, as an idea with my publisher Lost Art Press, and it’s slowing built to this point. The book is nearing the editing and design phase, where it becomes a real thing. I plan to share more here in the coming months and on the LAP blog. Stories of chairmaking, perserverance, longevity, gratitude, stuggles, and beuty.
I loved making this book over the past four years. It took me down lanes and to places I’d only imaged, or read about elsewhere. Focused on the traditions of Central Appalachia, the book is a search for the remaining ladderback chairmakers working from the old ways.
Below are a few of the images we’re considering for a promotional poster, which gave me an opportunity to revisit a couple of my favorites from the travels.
Newberry and Sons. Red Boiling Springs, TN
Chairmaker’s Workbench. Floyd County, KY
Porch view. Jackson County, KY
the drawknife
June 1, 2023
I wrote a short piece for Highland Hardware about the drawknife and shave horse a few years back. It’s intended for someone interested in picking up the tool but hasn’t put one to use before.
If you are unsure of the correct drawknife to purchase, you can’t go wrong picking up a straight blade, 8” model. I prefer handles to knobs, but to each their own.
open for the season
May 24, 2023
Swing by the The Good Supply, in Pemaquid, ME, if you’re near the midcoast. A beautiful gallery in a converted Maine barn, representing local artists and makers, The Good Supply a place with beautiful work and good vibes.
My rocking chair will be in Catherine’s gallery this season among the paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and textiles. Stop in or check out the work online.
I took this picture while loading the rocker for the short drive south to The Good Supply.
a simple update
March 27, 2023
I set a few goals in early January, including a couple relating to local advertising, joining our state’s craft association, and ‘23 shows. This post is a short update.
a clipping of my first advertisement in our local paper
I’ll be showing at the Common Ground Fair this September. Please stop by the booth and say hello.
And I’m a new member of the Maine Craft Association. I hope to attend their shows in future seasons.
I finally made up my mind to add a sign and hang a shingle on the shop, as a way to let the community know of my furniture shop. I may hang a chair out front (this idea is still in an early phase).
One final note: I’ll be attending and demonstrating at Handworks this September in Amana, Iowa. This will be my first time attending (and I’m thrilled….I’ve heard amazing things about the celebration of hand tool woodworking for years and thankful to join this year). It’s happening September 1st and 2nd. Find your way to Iowa if you can.
handworks.co for details. You could win one of my wooden carriers as a door prize!
keep on a-rocking
March 5, 2023
First rocker of ‘23. Red oak and hickory bark with an ebonized finish. Sits about 42.5” tall. Rocks smooth, and I’m excited for the next one, which will start once I return from Berea.
I’ve grown to love red oak. It’s despised within the furniture community - a reputation it earned during the golden oak kitchen cabinet era of the 1990’s. That and its open grain structure. But it works wonderfully, bends consistenly, and takes a great ebonized finish. I’ve nearly used all of my most recent red oak log (one that came with significant curl). I’ll bring a new one home sometime this spring.
red oak and hickory bark
here comes ‘23… adios ‘22
January 14, 2023
Last year escaped before I knew it. My plans of posting regularly with projects and plans fell flat as I neglected it before the hope of sharing became a habit. January 14th seems a good time to start anew.
A look at ‘22: a year filled with instruction and large tables. I taught three different sessions at Pine Croft (my upcoming schedule to the right) and will head that way again in the coming months. Berea was home. Now it feels like home away from home.
The shop was filled with large tables last year. A slab conference table, work tables, and a dining table took me a good portion of the year to build. At first I missed seeing them when entering the shop after the December delivery. But my back is less cranky with them out of the space.
conference table: two tables on roller bearings with split in the center
The shop: I love it. It’s a perfect space to work. About 30% of the walls are up and I’m starting to hang to tools and clamps. I need to move more machinery out to free up space before finalizing the machine footprint (and getting at the remaining walls).
unfinished dining table and shop walls - painted wide pine boards
Goals for ‘23: I realized, somewhat late in the year, that I was doing a poor job of marketing. Not a surprise (it’s not a strong suit), but something that needs addressed. The issue, quite simply, is that few people within my community know I’m here. That needs to change in order to grow and sustain a business within the mid-coast. So I’ve vowed to take the following steps:
Place an advertisement within our local paper, The Lincoln County
Become a member of the Maine Craft Association.
Apply for a booth at The Common Ground Fair. I don’t plan on doing many shows but want to give the Common Ground a try. I was scheduled to participate in ‘21 but the fair was cancelled for health concerns.
Lastly, and one I’ve waffled on, is to hang a shingle. We live on a quite street, and I don’t plan to have open hours [at least not yet], but I think it’d help spread the word that a chair maker lives within the community. This one is TBD…but I’m leaning towards it come spring.
Chairs: first chair of ‘23, a three-slat ladder back. This one will end up in the book with Lost Art Press. A rocker comes next, followed by a couple of stick chairs. ‘23 is off to a nice start.
white oak & hickory bark
Upcoming: Chair Kits
February 20, 2022
Sourcing quality materials is the most common deterrent in working green wood. Finding a source for the material is difficult, along with the fact that it takes a different tool set to prepare the timber (chainsaw, mill, axes, froes, etc.).
It’s my plan to offer an option for woodworkers who want to make a green wood chair but do not have a source for the hardwood. Once the order is placed, I’ll cut them, seal the ends, box and ship them to your doorstep.
A full kit in red oak; ends sealed to retain moisture
I’m working towards offering green wood chair kits in the near future. Specifically, ladder back kits in red oak, white oak, and ash. Price will likely land around $185 + shipping. I’m working with veneer grade logs with straight, clear grain, purchased from a local log yard. The parts are ideal for use on the shavehorse or at the lathe.
Kits include the green material for 3 back posts, 2 front posts, 13 rounds, and 4 slats. The materials will work for most settin’ and dining chairs.
Sizing (sizes are approximate; parts are both cut with the bandsaw and rived with the froe and axe):
back posts: 40” x 2” x 2”
front legs: 20” x 2” x 2”
slats: 20” x 4.5” x .325”
rounds: 20” x 1” x 1”
I’ll offer parts a la carte as well, should someone want a few extra pieces.
The kits should be up and for sale within the next couple of weeks.
full kit: 3 posts, 2 front legs, 4 slats, and 13 rounds
Dining Chair
February 14, 2022
red oak, ash slats, leather. 36.5” tall
I’m working towards a dining chair. This is the first iteration, working to create a chair that looks good sitting around a table. I’m quite happy with this chair and am working towards the 2.0 version. It’s the most comfortable ladderback I’ve built, with the S-curve back post and bent slats supporting the back in an upright, yet relaxed position. The wide posts are splayed out of the way, which helps as well, since the sitter is supported by the slats, not against the posts.
This is part of my effort to create a relaxed, comfortable, and shapely form that works in both refined dining rooms and relaxed settings. I like the ladderback form for that reason; it’s welcomed to most settings, as long as it’s vibe fits the space.
This chair is for sale. Reach out to me if you’d like it, or if you’d like to discuss a full set.
Warmth
January 23, 2022Mid-January. It’s cold outside but the shop is warm. I’ve never appreciated an old/used gas furnace like I do out in the workshop. The space is in great condition to take in work; lights are hung, insulation is in place, and now the furnace. I’ll tackle the cosmetic details at a slower pace, around the work.
This gorgeous ugly duckling came out of the local fish market
Making an initial cut through a walnut slab
The first job through the new shop is a group of claro walnut slabs being shaped into tables. Some of the most beautiful wood I’ve ever worked. Huge, dark, and figured.
Three slabs will put this shop though the paces for the first time. I’ll learn plenty about the flow and correct machine placement while working on this project. The machines are not in their final place but dust collection is the next consideration.
Welcome
I am just beginning to get this site going….both to showcase my work and share about woodworking. The plan for this section is to highlight work, share about the craft, and keep an updated schedule on the right bar. This page will function much like a blog, with ideas and updates focused on woodworking, spanning from what’s currently on my bench to thoughts on the woodworking field today.
I am a craft woodworker working alone in my shop. There is plenty of time to think about things. I should share some other it here. Thanks for visiting and following along.
December 13, 2021
insulation and electrical work nearly completed
shop; west facing
unloading a lumber rack, late December afternoon
It’s mid-December and the shop doesn’t have heat yet (I’m remembering the importance of “layering” ), but otherwise it’s ready to welcome the first projects. Actually, the first projects are tucked under blankets, waiting, as I wrap up the current mess. I finished adding the fiberglass batts to the ceiling this morning. No more sessions of falling glass fluff - plus it’ll hold the heat, whenever the furnace gets here.
The shop’s nowhere close to “finished” but it’s taking shape and primed for work. I have a lot of hopes and plans for this space. Time to get to it.
Blog post at Lost Art Press
November 3, 2021
A couple of James Cooper’s chairs
I wrote a short piece about my upcoming book, Backwoods Chairs, over at the Lost Art Press blog (the book is still a ways out). In it, I share the handwritten notes of Mr. James Cooper, an Eastern Kentucky chairmaker. Mr. Cooper shares things about chairmaking that only someone with deep experiences and self reflection could share. He also introduces a whole new chairmaking language.
In my piece, I write about categories. Many times, we as woodworkers and craftspeople put work into categorical buckets - “handmade,” “full-time,” “amatuer vs professional,” and, the messiest of all for me, the “right” way vs “wrong,” introducing the concept of superior/inferior techniques and work. I hear it when someone mentions “he cheated because he used a machine…..”
I find these makers defy easy categorization. It’s better to not attempt labels….just appreciate the chairs and the makers as they are. The makers and their chairs are too interesting to pigeonhole into simple categories anyway.
Give it a read and let me know what you think.
Upcoming Classes, Events, & Shows
The Woodworking School at Pine Croft. Berea, Kentucky
Hickory Bark Harvesting June 10, 2023
“Grand Rocker” June 11 - 17, 2023
North Bennet Street School. Boston, MA
3-Slat Ladderback Chairmaking: August 14 - 18, 2023
Handworks. Amana, IA
All things handwork. September 1 & 2, 2023
The Common Ground Fair. Unity, ME
A wonderful, community-focused fair with great craft & heaps of inspiration. Stop by my booth and sit in a chair. September 22, 23, & 24, 2023
Peter Galbert’s Chair Shop. Rollingsford, NB
Build a green wood chair. November 13 - 18, 2023.
Interested or have a question about classes? Contact me at: andy.d.glenn@gmail.com
Backwoods Chairs
June 21, 2023
I started this project in 2019, as an idea with my publisher Lost Art Press, and it’s slowing built to this point. The book is nearing the editing and design phase, where it becomes a real thing. I plan to share more here in the coming months and on the LAP blog. Stories of chairmaking, perserverance, longevity, gratitude, stuggles, and beuty.
I loved making this book over the past four years. It took me down lanes and to places I’d only imaged, or read about elsewhere. Focused on the traditions of Central Appalachia, the book is a search for the remaining ladderback chairmakers working from the old ways.
Below are a few of the images we’re considering for a promotional poster, which gave me an opportunity to revisit a couple of my favorites from the travels.
Newberry and Sons. Red Boiling Springs, TN
Chairmaker’s Workbench. Floyd County, KY
Porch view. Jackson County, KY
the drawknife
June 1, 2023
I wrote a short piece for Highland Hardware about the drawknife and shave horse a few years back. It’s intended for someone interested in picking up the tool but hasn’t put one to use before.
If you are unsure of the correct drawknife to purchase, you can’t go wrong picking up a straight blade, 8” model. I prefer handles to knobs, but to each their own.
open for the season
May 24, 2023
Swing by the The Good Supply, in Pemaquid, ME, if you’re near the midcoast. A beautiful gallery in a converted Maine barn, representing local artists and makers, The Good Supply a place with beautiful work and good vibes.
My rocking chair will be in Catherine’s gallery this season among the paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and textiles. Stop in or check out the work online.
I took this picture while loading the rocker for the short drive south to The Good Supply.
a simple update
March 27, 2023
I set a few goals in early January, including a couple relating to local advertising, joining our state’s craft association, and ‘23 shows. This post is a short update.
a clipping of my first advertisement in our local paper
I’ll be showing at the Common Ground Fair this September. Please stop by the booth and say hello.
And I’m a new member of the Maine Craft Association. I hope to attend their shows in future seasons.
I finally made up my mind to add a sign and hang a shingle on the shop, as a way to let the community know of my furniture shop. I may hang a chair out front (this idea is still in an early phase).
One final note: I’ll be attending and demonstrating at Handworks this September in Amana, Iowa. This will be my first time attending (and I’m thrilled….I’ve heard amazing things about the celebration of hand tool woodworking for years and thankful to join this year). It’s happening September 1st and 2nd. Find your way to Iowa if you can.
handworks.co for details. You could win one of my wooden carriers as a door prize!
keep on a-rocking
March 5, 2023
First rocker of ‘23. Red oak and hickory bark with an ebonized finish. Sits about 42.5” tall. Rocks smooth, and I’m excited for the next one, which will start once I return from Berea.
I’ve grown to love red oak. It’s despised within the furniture community - a reputation it earned during the golden oak kitchen cabinet era of the 1990’s. That and its open grain structure. But it works wonderfully, bends consistenly, and takes a great ebonized finish. I’ve nearly used all of my most recent red oak log (one that came with significant curl). I’ll bring a new one home sometime this spring.
red oak and hickory bark
here comes ‘23… adios ‘22
January 14, 2023
Last year escaped before I knew it. My plans of posting regularly with projects and plans fell flat as I neglected it before the hope of sharing became a habit. January 14th seems a good time to start anew.
A look at ‘22: a year filled with instruction and large tables. I taught three different sessions at Pine Croft (my upcoming schedule to the right) and will head that way again in the coming months. Berea was home. Now it feels like home away from home.
The shop was filled with large tables last year. A slab conference table, work tables, and a dining table took me a good portion of the year to build. At first I missed seeing them when entering the shop after the December delivery. But my back is less cranky with them out of the space.
conference table: two tables on roller bearings with split in the center
The shop: I love it. It’s a perfect space to work. About 30% of the walls are up and I’m starting to hang to tools and clamps. I need to move more machinery out to free up space before finalizing the machine footprint (and getting at the remaining walls).
unfinished dining table and shop walls - painted wide pine boards
Goals for ‘23: I realized, somewhat late in the year, that I was doing a poor job of marketing. Not a surprise (it’s not a strong suit), but something that needs addressed. The issue, quite simply, is that few people within my community know I’m here. That needs to change in order to grow and sustain a business within the mid-coast. So I’ve vowed to take the following steps:
Place an advertisement within our local paper, The Lincoln County
Become a member of the Maine Craft Association.
Apply for a booth at The Common Ground Fair. I don’t plan on doing many shows but want to give the Common Ground a try. I was scheduled to participate in ‘21 but the fair was cancelled for health concerns.
Lastly, and one I’ve waffled on, is to hang a shingle. We live on a quite street, and I don’t plan to have open hours [at least not yet], but I think it’d help spread the word that a chair maker lives within the community. This one is TBD…but I’m leaning towards it come spring.
Chairs: first chair of ‘23, a three-slat ladder back. This one will end up in the book with Lost Art Press. A rocker comes next, followed by a couple of stick chairs. ‘23 is off to a nice start.
white oak & hickory bark
Upcoming: Chair Kits
February 20, 2022
Sourcing quality materials is the most common deterrent in working green wood. Finding a source for the material is difficult, along with the fact that it takes a different tool set to prepare the timber (chainsaw, mill, axes, froes, etc.).
It’s my plan to offer an option for woodworkers who want to make a green wood chair but do not have a source for the hardwood. Once the order is placed, I’ll cut them, seal the ends, box and ship them to your doorstep.
A full kit in red oak; ends sealed to retain moisture
I’m working towards offering green wood chair kits in the near future. Specifically, ladder back kits in red oak, white oak, and ash. Price will likely land around $185 + shipping. I’m working with veneer grade logs with straight, clear grain, purchased from a local log yard. The parts are ideal for use on the shavehorse or at the lathe.
Kits include the green material for 3 back posts, 2 front posts, 13 rounds, and 4 slats. The materials will work for most settin’ and dining chairs.
Sizing (sizes are approximate; parts are both cut with the bandsaw and rived with the froe and axe):
back posts: 40” x 2” x 2”
front legs: 20” x 2” x 2”
slats: 20” x 4.5” x .325”
rounds: 20” x 1” x 1”
I’ll offer parts a la carte as well, should someone want a few extra pieces.
The kits should be up and for sale within the next couple of weeks.
full kit: 3 posts, 2 front legs, 4 slats, and 13 rounds
Dining Chair
February 14, 2022
red oak, ash slats, leather. 36.5” tall
I’m working towards a dining chair. This is the first iteration, working to create a chair that looks good sitting around a table. I’m quite happy with this chair and am working towards the 2.0 version. It’s the most comfortable ladderback I’ve built, with the S-curve back post and bent slats supporting the back in an upright, yet relaxed position. The wide posts are splayed out of the way, which helps as well, since the sitter is supported by the slats, not against the posts.
This is part of my effort to create a relaxed, comfortable, and shapely form that works in both refined dining rooms and relaxed settings. I like the ladderback form for that reason; it’s welcomed to most settings, as long as it’s vibe fits the space.
This chair is for sale. Reach out to me if you’d like it, or if you’d like to discuss a full set.
Warmth
January 23, 2022Mid-January. It’s cold outside but the shop is warm. I’ve never appreciated an old/used gas furnace like I do out in the workshop. The space is in great condition to take in work; lights are hung, insulation is in place, and now the furnace. I’ll tackle the cosmetic details at a slower pace, around the work.
This gorgeous ugly duckling came out of the local fish market
Making an initial cut through a walnut slab
The first job through the new shop is a group of claro walnut slabs being shaped into tables. Some of the most beautiful wood I’ve ever worked. Huge, dark, and figured.
Three slabs will put this shop though the paces for the first time. I’ll learn plenty about the flow and correct machine placement while working on this project. The machines are not in their final place but dust collection is the next consideration.
Welcome
I am just beginning to get this site going….both to showcase my work and share about woodworking. The plan for this section is to highlight work, share about the craft, and keep an updated schedule on the right bar. This page will function much like a blog, with ideas and updates focused on woodworking, spanning from what’s currently on my bench to thoughts on the woodworking field today.
I am a craft woodworker working alone in my shop. There is plenty of time to think about things. I should share some other it here. Thanks for visiting and following along.
December 13, 2021
insulation and electrical work nearly completed
shop; west facing
unloading a lumber rack, late December afternoon
It’s mid-December and the shop doesn’t have heat yet (I’m remembering the importance of “layering” ), but otherwise it’s ready to welcome the first projects. Actually, the first projects are tucked under blankets, waiting, as I wrap up the current mess. I finished adding the fiberglass batts to the ceiling this morning. No more sessions of falling glass fluff - plus it’ll hold the heat, whenever the furnace gets here.
The shop’s nowhere close to “finished” but it’s taking shape and primed for work. I have a lot of hopes and plans for this space. Time to get to it.
Blog post at Lost Art Press
November 3, 2021
A couple of James Cooper’s chairs
I wrote a short piece about my upcoming book, Backwoods Chairs, over at the Lost Art Press blog (the book is still a ways out). In it, I share the handwritten notes of Mr. James Cooper, an Eastern Kentucky chairmaker. Mr. Cooper shares things about chairmaking that only someone with deep experiences and self reflection could share. He also introduces a whole new chairmaking language.
In my piece, I write about categories. Many times, we as woodworkers and craftspeople put work into categorical buckets - “handmade,” “full-time,” “amatuer vs professional,” and, the messiest of all for me, the “right” way vs “wrong,” introducing the concept of superior/inferior techniques and work. I hear it when someone mentions “he cheated because he used a machine…..”
I find these makers defy easy categorization. It’s better to not attempt labels….just appreciate the chairs and the makers as they are. The makers and their chairs are too interesting to pigeonhole into simple categories anyway.
Give it a read and let me know what you think.
Upcoming Classes, Events, & Shows
The Woodworking School at Pine Croft. Berea, Kentucky
Hickory Bark Harvesting June 10, 2023
“Grand Rocker” June 11 - 17, 2023
North Bennet Street School. Boston, MA
3-Slat Ladderback Chairmaking: August 14 - 18, 2023
Handworks. Amana, IA
All things handwork. September 1 & 2, 2023
The Common Ground Fair. Unity, ME
A wonderful, community-focused fair with great craft & heaps of inspiration. Stop by my booth and sit in a chair. September 22, 23, & 24, 2023
Peter Galbert’s Chair Shop. Rollingsford, NB
Build a green wood chair. November 13 - 18, 2023.
Interested or have a question about classes? Contact me at: andy.d.glenn@gmail.com