Rocking chair class with hal taylor
At Rocking Chair University, all 'classes' are one-on-one' I DO NOT ACCEPT 8 OR 9 STUDENTS AND SEND THEM HOME AT THE END OF THE WEEK WITH A PILE OF WOOD THAT MAY SOMEDAY BECOME A ROCKING CHAIR! Every student goes home with a rocking chair as exquisite as any I have ever made! Therefore there are NO scheduled classes! If you would like to come out and help build your own chair, drop me a note with the time frame you are interested in and I will check my schedule. When we can agree on a date, you send your 500 dollar deposit to hold your place in the queue and I engrave your name in the schedule!
How much does it cost?
The cost of the class is 6,700 dollars and includes the walnut from which your chair will be made and accommodation for one week(or the duration of the build) in the lovely Victorian, two bedroom, two bath house on the property. You can bring your family if you like.
If your chair is to be shipped to its new place of residence, I charge 900 dollars to build a crate and pack your chair perfectly. The freight cost, is again passed through with no markup. In the past I would ship UPS SCS air freight, however, with the coming of covid their prices tripled, so I now use other carriers.
If your chair is to be shipped to its new place of residence, I charge 900 dollars to build a crate and pack your chair perfectly. The freight cost, is again passed through with no markup. In the past I would ship UPS SCS air freight, however, with the coming of covid their prices tripled, so I now use other carriers.
How long does it take?
In the past 27 years, seven days has always proved adequate. I do not take weekends off, so you can arrive on Saturday or Sunday as it suits your schedule. Folks taking the class always ask, "When will we be finished?" and I always respond, "After the finish is applied!" I always give every chair as much time as is required for perfection. "Good enough" or "Pretty good" is completely inadequate in my view. We are working with wood and one never knows what surprises, both good and bad, lurk beneath the surface of the boards. Therefore to predict a finish time is foolhardy. That said, seven days, normally works.
I am getting older!
I am not as young as I once was! Last I checked I am a youthful 77 years young and still work every day. However, I do not work 9 or 10 hour days any longer and I like to take a quick nap at lunch, thus it may take a touch longer to complete your chair than in days-gone-by. If you desire to participate in the entire build and you are planning to take your chair home, you might think about building an extra day into your schedule. If you are flying and your chair is not completed by the time you depart, I will, of course, finish it and ship it to you. Scheduling for 8 days might be a clever thing to do if you desire to see the finish applied to your lovely new rocking chair.
What should you bring?
I always tell folks, the most important thing to bring is a good sense of humor. After that, perhaps your favorite face mask, and safety glasses. Then, if you have a favorite plane I am always interested in seeing what others are using to attain perfection.
Where should you stay?
I have a lovely 100 year old Victorian house on my property where students may stay, if they choose. It is a two bedroom, two bath with a modern kitchen. It also has good cell service. There is plenty of room to bring the family! The 1,000 charge, for your week is included in the price of the class. There are many hotels in the Danville, VA vicinity if you prefer. If you choose to stay in a hotel I deduct 1,000 dollars from the class fee.
