by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 26, 2024 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 0 Comments
I sold my first reamer in 2004 or 2005 for about $40. Compared to the reamers we make now, it was a pretty rough affair; I ground the blade from a Stanley compass-saw blade and made the body from a maple blank for a Windsor chair leg. Since then, the price of our...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 14, 2024 | Chairmaking Tools and Supplies | 20 Comments
These tenon cutters were donated by a former student who has retired from his chairmaking hobby. We'd like them to go to someone who would have trouble affording them and would use them a lot. If you know someone like that, please nominate them (or yourself) in...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jul 4, 2024 | Built for Speed Book Project, Chair Stories, Classes | 4 Comments
I've been gone for what seems like forever. In the beginning of June, my wife and I went on vacation for a week with the ultimate goal of Eric Cannizzaro's shop in Vermont. There I taught a green woodworking class with Eric for a week. It's a pretty idyllic...
by Elia Bizzarri | Apr 19, 2024 | Classes | 2 Comments
Peter and I are at it again. Last year's wheelbarrow class was so much fun we've decided to do it again. A local sawmill is at work sawing one of the last green ash logs in the Piedmont for barrow frames (no thanks to you Mr. Emerald Ash Borer) and we've got Roy...
by Elia Bizzarri | Mar 21, 2024 | Classes | 0 Comments
I've been doing some spring cleaning. Yesterday and today I've been hauling pine seat blanks into the attic from where they've been air-drying outside. Before that, I was going through more seats upstairs, making room. The upshot is that I have found some surplus...
by Elia Bizzarri | Feb 12, 2024 | Classes | 0 Comments
I'm excited to be teaching this class again. It's the kind of woodworking I love best, and I love getting to share it. And I'm especially excited to be teaching with Eric Cannizzaro again - he's an excellent chairmaker, a good teacher and a really nice...
by Elia Bizzarri | Jan 28, 2024 | Built for Speed Book Project | 3 Comments
It's been a long time since I've posted on this blog. It seems that spending hours each day sitting in front of a computer writing a book, limits my motivation for sitting in front of a computer writing a blog post. Oh well. The book is coming along great...
by Elia Bizzarri | Oct 15, 2023 | Classes | 2 Comments
Last week's wheelbarrow making class with Peter Ross was a great success. And a lot of fun. First everyone spent a day moving my firewood around, so they could learn the proper use of a wheelbarrow. (I'm mostly kidding.) My mentor Curtis Buchanan took the class,...
by Elia Bizzarri | Sep 23, 2023 | Craft Films | 2 Comments
I've been getting ready for the wheelbarrow class in a couple weeks, including building some test wheels. Here's a finished wheel: Oops! Wrong photo! Here's a finished wheel: Well, at least the wooden parts are done - now it's off to Peter Ross's to shrink the...
by Elia Bizzarri | Aug 19, 2023 | Classes | 0 Comments
Boy, I've been busy! I taught a wonderful class with Eric Cannizzaro at Penland, NC in July, building Jennie Alexander ladderback chairs. Then my wife Morgan and I toured around for ten days, visiting family, friends and Lost Art Press in Cincinnati. ...
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