Peter Galbert's book "Chairmaker's Notebook"

[Mike Holbrook]

Peter Galbert finished his new book "Chairmaker's Notebook" on green woodworking and building chairs. Lost Art Press and Lee Valley have the book listed and will apparently send bound copies out within a few weeks.

I ordered a bound and PDF version. I was pleasantly surprised to find the PDF file immediately available for download. I have been browsing several subjects I was very interested in and have found the detailed writing and drawings very descriptive. Galbert has an art education and is a very gifted illustrator, his hand drawn illustrations are very useful in understanding the process. Even those who have no interest in building a Windsor Chair will find much to learn in this book. In my book, Galbert's writing skills combined with the prolific illustrations cover the many subjects in a unique and engaging way.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks for the quick review Mike. I'll add this to my LV Wish List for the next free shipping event.
Fred

[Maurice Ungaro]

Just ordered mine today from Lost Art Press. Shipping is free until Friday, the 20th. Enter Chair​ in the code area for free shipping. Also, using PayPal gets free shipping as well.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks Maurice!

BTW guys, just this morning I noticed that Highland WW has a Galbert-designed honing jig for drawknives - in case anyone is looking for such.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Yup, that drawknife jig was designed with, and is being made by Benchcrafted. They are located about an hour or so southeast of Atlanta, so Highland is a natural for retailing it.

[paul cottingham]

I downloaded the PDF as well. What a terrific book. It has rekindled a nascent interest i have in chair making.

[Mike Brady]

Isn't Bench-Crafted in Iowa?

[Jim Koepke]

This is one of a few books being considered for my library.

The online samples have been enough for me to want a hard copy.

Thanks for your confirmation Mike.

jtk

[Maurice Ungaro]

Isn't Bench-Crafted in Iowa?
Mike, I believe you are right. I was thinking about all of the French Oak Roubo shenanigans that took place in Barnesville, GA. Ron Brese is somewhat local, however.

[paul cottingham]

This is one of a few books being considered for my library.

The online samples have been enough for me to want a hard copy.

Thanks for your confirmation Mike.

jtk

Jim, for what my opinion is worth, this book is on my list of books I would want to have if I was stranded on a desert island. I read a lot, am hard to please, and it's terrific.

Far better than Mike Dunbar's windsor chair book, (which is also very good) and as a bonus, lacks Dunbar's ego and certainty that his way is the only way.

[David Castor]

By chance, I happen to see him on Rough Cuts while channel surfing. I was impressed with his obvious skill but also his honesty and lack of hype. He seems like guy you could sit down and have a beer with to discuss woodworking, or anything else. I'll probably get the book even though I'll never get to the skill level required to build one of these chairs.

The thing I remember most is when Tommy asked Peter how long it took him to shape the chair bottom. He said "about 30 minutes". Then Tommy asked how long it would take him (Tommy) if he had never done it before - Peter answered - "about a day".

[James Conrad]

... Dunbar's ego and certainty that his way is the only way.

Have you ever met Mike Dunbar?

[paul cottingham]

Nope. Do I need to? His writing and blogging bear out my observation. Love his book, but Galberts is even better.

[James Conrad]

Nope. Do I need to? His writing and blogging bear out my observation. Love his book, but Galberts is even better.

Having read a few of his books, I never took away any sense of ego as you say. I actually know Mike, beyond his writings and teaching. He's nothing but generous, forthright and humble with his time and knowledge, again no ego or any "my way or the highway." He's also a pretty funny guy. So, I find your generalization not only a bit odd, but to be inaccurate.

Peter's book is excellent, better in writing and visual descriptions of his process than Mike's. Peter's writing style is more relaxed and you feel like you are having a conversation with him. Mike's knowledge of the Windsor history is superior. Both have solid knowledge where you could be successful in building a Windsor chair.

[Mike Holbrook]

I think the reason some people have the impression of ego or arrogance in relation to Michael Dunbar has to do with his firm public stand against some gear/equipment many others use to make chairs. I believe he has been quoted as saying that no one needs a shavehorse to make a Windsor Chair, insinuating that anyone who says they do is not worth their salt. I have talked with Mike and find him very pleasant and easy to learn from. I suspect his stand against, shavehorses in particular, is as much an effort to simplify and reduce the special gear people feel they need to make a Windsor, thus increasing the number of people who may attempt making one. I suspect his classes are excellent. I do have a sawhorse and find it useful though.

I took the class Galbert did at Highland Woodworking. It was exhausting in terms of the amount of information and methodology offered. Galbert might be considered the opposite of Dunbar in terms of his approach to the tools used to make Windsors. Galbert is very inventive and is constantly trying to design better tools to make Windsors. Half the time in the class I took Peter was working on improving the tools we were using. He sharpened my drawknife, rebuilt drill bits, built a jig to line up drill bits at an angle for those of us who might not have been able to use his visually challenging method.....He constantly tinkers with the tools. He has quite a few people and companies making his tool designs and selling them, including Benchmade. I think Benchmade is making his turning caliper and his drawknife sharpening device. His traviser design, reamer for tapered tenons...are made by a number of different woodworkers and offered for sale.

Anytime there is such a divergent approach to methods or tools there will be some errr discussion concerning which approach to follow. Of course we NEVER experience any of this kind of discussion regarding methods or tools here!

[Mel Fulks]

Yeah. Sounds like he is probably the most important spokesman in the anti sawhorse movement. I think he could be working for the table people.

[Bob Snyder - Austin]

I too ordered the printed and PDF version as I usually do from Lost Art. But I like to read the paper version first so I haven't even opened the PDF yet. PDF versions I think are nice for quick look up on a laptop but I really hate reading a book on a screen.

[Bob Glenn]

Isn't Bench-Crafted in Iowa?

You are correct sir. Bench Crafted is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At least that is where my Draw Sharp was shipped from when I ordered it from Bench Crafted.

[Bob Glenn]

I have seen Peter both at Working Wood in Eighteenth Century in Williamsburg and at WWIA two years ago. I am amazed at his enthusiasm for making chairs after all the years he has been at it. An excitement pervades his presentations. Book on order! Bob

[Jim Koepke]

Sounds like he is probably the most important spokesman in the anti sawhorse movement.

My sawhorses are handy shop helpers. Why would someone be so upset about sawhorses?

jtk

[Mike Holbrook]

MY BAD! dumb mistake. I said sawhorse when I meant shavehorse. I just finished a course in which we made sawhorses using "windsor chair" techniques, tapered round mortises and tenons. I also just finished a class on building an Irish Stick (Windsor) chair. Both courses offered shavehorses to clamp the legs & spindles for working them with drawknives, spokeshaves....Dunbar, I understand, does not use shavehorses where most of the other chair makers do use them. Galbert has lots of info on designs for sawhorses and modifications of the various plans. Boggs designed a shave horse that LN sells. Country Workshops sells a modified version of the LN shavehorse that is much less expensive. Drew Langsner has plans for building a shavehorse in his excellent Chair Making book too. Drew Langsner's book is also excellent for anyone interested in green wood or making chairs. Drew's book covers more styles of chairs than the Windsor Chair books. Drew actually had John Brown at Country Workshops over the years. John Brown "wrote the book" on Irish Stick chairs.

[Matt ONeill]

I think this blog post in particular turned a lot of people off of Mr. Dunbar..

http://thewindsorinstitute.com/blog/?p=136

The "chairmaker sitting at his shavehorse" that Dunbar is referring to happens to be Pete Galbert, who was featured in FWW magazine.

[Steve Voigt]

I think this blog post in particular turned a lot of people off of Mr. Dunbar..

http://thewindsorinstitute.com/blog/?p=136

The "chairmaker sitting at his shavehorse" that Dunbar is referring to happens to be Pete Galbert, who was featured in FWW magazine.

Yeah. Here is a blog post (http://chairnotes.blogspot.com/2012/11/oh-snap.html) Pete wrote in response…it's kind of funny to read the comments.

I agree that stuff like this doesn't make Mr. Dunbar look too good. Reminds me of Sellers. On the other hand, both are reputed, as James indicated, to be very affable in person. A lot of us come off significantly worse in print than in person, maybe that's the problem…

[Steve Voigt]

Oh, and Welsh stick chairs, not Irish! Careful, we don't want to start another war! :p

[Jim Koepke]

I think this blog post in particular turned a lot of people off of Mr. Dunbar..

It kind of turns me off to the guy.

It is easy to find tools, benches, methods or styles of work that are not optimum for me or my shop. That doesn't mean anyone wants to hear me opining about my perceived ineptitude of others who favor these other tools, benches, methods or styles to produce their work. On the contrary, most of the time my suggestion is for people to find what works best for them.

My experience with people who are fixated on how fast something can be done has often seen them end up with flaws in the finished product.

jtk

[paul cottingham]

I think this blog post in particular turned a lot of people off of Mr. Dunbar..

http://thewindsorinstitute.com/blog/?p=136

The "chairmaker sitting at his shavehorse" that Dunbar is referring to happens to be Pete Galbert, who was featured in FWW magazine.

Thats the one. the fact that it felt like a shot at Galbert (to me) didn't help. That being said, Dunbar's book is very good, if stiffly opinionated. By the way, I don't think his stand on shavehorses is driven by a minimalist outlook. I just think he doesn't find them useful. -for him- I do appreciate the way he changed his opinions on several things between editions of his book, and actually points them out. His writing on single piece seats vs glued up ones for example.

I find Galberts book more accessible, and better organized. I read it cover to cover (so to speak!) practically in one setting. Dunbar's felt more indigestible, so I read it in chunks. Still really good, I just enjoyed Galberts more. Considerably more.

All this verbiage aside, they are both books I'll read again and again. Galberts is so well written, I would put it on a desert island list.

[Mel Fulks]

Writers understand that when we are reading their unerring wisdom we give the lines gentle voicing ,even though they may have written it while grinding their teeth. If I remember right "affable" connotes a "especially toward subordinates"
that "amiable" does not.

[Jim Koepke]

Writers understand that when we are reading their unerring wisdom we give the lines gentle voicing ,even though they may have written it while grinding their teeth. If I remember right "affable" connotes a "especially toward subordinates"
that "amiable" does not.

Even though my grades in English classes were dismal, at least until college, for me it is interesting to learn about the meaning of words.

As far as my computer thesaurus is concerned it sort of puts the words together:


affable
adjective
he would have us believe that his sexual advances were merely the charming excesses of an affable rogue friendly, amiable,

amiable
adjective
you'll find that the folks in this department are genuinely amiable friendly, affable,

When it comes to definitions there is little difference:


amiable |ˈāmēəbəl|
adjective
having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner : an amiable, unassuming fellow.

affable |ˈafəbəl|
adjective
friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to : an affable and agreeable companion.

Affable does include "companion" which does lean towards "subordinates."

Amiable seems to have a wider focus than just companions.

Of course the English language can be very ambiguous at times and it can be a bit sloppy even in moments of precision.

But thanks Mel, it gave me a reason to look into some etymology which brought me to amicable. Amicable does seem to imply a relationship between people.

Life is confusing, but never as confusing as the English language.

jtk

[Mel Fulks]

Jim,I just happen to have remembered that from looking it up in the OED many years ago. What a great resource! Long
time ago I was reading the early North American journal of French Jesuit Charlevoir and came across an exotic name of
some wild cat ....don't remember now what the word was. But when I looked it up in OED the research was so complete that
it included "....used incorrectly by Charlrvoir in describing ....." .

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,I just happen to have remembered that from looking it up in the OED many years ago.

Reminds me of my youth. My folks had a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Sometime it was fun just to fan through pages and see what new word was on the pages.

jtk

[Bruce Haugen]

MY BAD! dumb mistake. I said sawhorse when I meant shavehorse. I just finished a course in which we made sawhorses using "windsor chair" techniques, tapered round mortises and tenons. I also just finished a class on building an Irish Stick (Windsor) chair. Both courses offered shavehorses to clamp the legs & spindles for working them with drawknives, spokeshaves....Dunbar, I understand, does not use shavehorses where most of the other chair makers do use them. Galbert has lots of info on designs for sawhorses and modifications of the various plans. Boggs designed a shave horse that LN sells. Country Workshops sells a modified version of the LN shavehorse that is much less expensive. Drew Langsner has plans for building a shavehorse in his excellent Chair Making book too. Drew Langsner's book is also excellent for anyone interested in green wood or making chairs. Drew's book covers more styles of chairs than the Windsor Chair books. Drew actually had John Brown at Country Workshops over the years. John Brown "wrote the book" on Irish Stick chairs.

Not to mention that if you've seen the Curt Buchanan videos, you'd wonder why one would want to make spindles in any other way. His practiced movements and results sure let you know you're in the presence of a master. besides which, the man is a genius with a drawknife. Good enough for Buchanan and Boggs, good enough for me.

[Steve Kirincich]

I live in Massachusetts and have had the fortune to take two chair making classes with Peter. It is a lot of hard work, but Peter is so nice and well-organized that even the minor mishaps are no big deal. I hope to use the book to make my first Windsor chair by myself.

[Prashun Patel]

I read dunbar's book and did not find it egocentric. I found it well thought out and inspiring.
I took his appendix about tools as a call to new makers not to be intimidated.

Looking forward to galberts book too.