Thursday, May 14, 2009

Not Quite Business as Usual

Things are buzzing around the house and shop these days! Obviously lots of teaching and chair building, but now, with another great review of the Galbert Caliper on the Popular Woodworking site, we are humming like a beehive (it looks like I won't have time this year to put in actual beehives, but there's always next year). This is our best review yet!
If you haven't been to the web page for the Caliper lately, the introductory price is set to expire on July 1st. I'm committed to keeping the tool produced in the U.S., I take pride in adding to our manufacturing base, in my own small way. This fall, you will be seeing the Caliper available with some of your favorite retailers as well as through my web site.

There are a few spaces left at the classes that I will be teaching with Curtis Buchanan this summer. We have a lot of fun when we teach together and think that our different approaches make for a great learning opportunity, I hope to see you there.

4 comments:

  1. Peter, the review you mentioned, as well as the impending price increase is what got me off the fence. I also like to think of the purchase price as helping to pay for your time spent on this blog, which I really enjoy. Thanks for all that you do, and I look forward to trying out your caliper!

    Pete

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  2. Pete,
    Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoy the blog! I've been working hard to keep the caliper manufacturing in the US while also trying to make it financially viable to produce, honestly it a bit of a rock and a hard place. The feedback that I've been getting is very positive, I liken it to the remote control on a TV, sure the TV works without the remote, but how many times have you turned over the couch cushions to find the thing!
    Your support is much appreciated.

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  3. Hi Peter,
    I have a question that's not on topic. A large limb of a large shagbark hickory tree has come down on our property , a victim of this last winter's ice storms. There is a straight section that is five feet long and a little over six inches in diameter. Before I make firewood out of it I'm wondering if there is useful wood for eventual chair parts and, if so, how you would go about it.

    Thanks,

    Tico

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  4. Tico,
    normally, I'd leave limb wood to the fireplace because of the reaction wood that you're bound to find, but as long as you've got it, I'd split the hickory and see what it's like. Hickory is my favorite wood to shave, it's downright creamy. I'd split it out and shave a spindle and see how it react during drying, if it warps wildly, it may not be worth using in chairs, but for tool handles, it can't be beat. The reason I don't use it all the time is because it is almost too rigid in the chair and it tend to rot fast in the summer months. Good luck, you really can't lose because it also is just about the best firewood around!

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