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?
Everybody signs up for my BYOB (bring your own boards) program, which is $4,000. However, precious few actually bring their own boards. If I supply walnut there will be a 700 dollar adder, other woods are supplied as the student desires, provided I can locate said wood. I pass the added cost on to the student with no adder, I do not make money selling wood. However, if I have to travel in order to secure the wood, that will cost 50 dollars per hour. I advise folks to stick with walnut, as it is a glorious wood!
If you choose to bring your own boards, the wood MUST be dried to 7 or 8% and must be a full 8/4 (2") thick. The quantity of wood required is approximately 40 board feet if the wood is defect free. The more flaws in the wood the more wood is required.
If your chair is to be shipped to its new place of residence, I charge 600 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 their prices have recently gone through the roof so I now use other carriers.
If you choose to bring your own boards, the wood MUST be dried to 7 or 8% and must be a full 8/4 (2") thick. The quantity of wood required is approximately 40 board feet if the wood is defect free. The more flaws in the wood the more wood is required.
If your chair is to be shipped to its new place of residence, I charge 600 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 their prices have recently gone through the roof 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 76 years old 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 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! I charge 1,000 for your week, or, however long it takes to complete your rocker, normally 7 days. It has been a little neglected in the past but I am restoring it to it's original glory. There are many hotels in the Danville, VA vicinity if you prefer.