What a wonderful time I had here in our valley at the Let the Chips Fly Woodworking Show here in our very own San Jacinto, hosted by the Saboba Casino and organized by David Santos of Joey's Pals.

The show opened up on Friday and closed up today. I got to submit my rocking chair for the competition portion of the show, of which there where 4 categories. I entered my project in the Furniture category. There was a 1000 dollar prize for the First Place winner of each category and another 1000 dollar prize to the Best of Show. For a grand total of 2000 dollars to the most gifted artisan of the show.

I dropped off my chair Friday morning. I met with David Santos the organizer of the event and walked around and had an early preview of the awesome talent we have in the Inland Empire. David Santos is a great down to earth type of guy, willing to help out, donates many hours of his life to benefit the kids in our area, and just a neat guy to know. He invited me to his shop, and I can't wait to take him up on his invite.

 But the biggest show stopper of the event, at least for me anyway was the presence of Russ Filbeck. A master chair maker, specializing in the ladder back chair, and the ladder back rocker. His work is awesome. My jaw dropped when I saw his beautiful chairs. I got to meet Russ when he was setting up his work area. Russ is a wonderfully cheery man, very friendly, full of information, and just a joy to be around.  A man with his talents one might expect could be a little "Unapproachable". But he was the exact opposite. Russ was ready to talk, he was ready to help.
This morning I went to the event before they opened up to help set up the area for the day.  I arrived at 8:30 to bring furniture back out for display, and to uncover the tables of the plastic that was layered on the night before to protect the many pieces of art that inhabited the round 6' diameter tables. That was a joy in itself, because now I got to see the wonderful work up close, and I got to caress some beautiful woodwork as I was setting it all back up. After I finished my part of the work, I got to speak with Russ again.

My conversation with Russ was an awesome experience. It was one on one, just me and Russ. He sat in my chair, and I sat in his. He loved the design, I told him it was my first chair and it was a copy, not my design, but that didn't matter to him.  He stated to me that my first chair was better than his first attempt at a rocker. My buttons busted. After Russ pointed out all the wonderful aspects of my chair, he then went on to point out the areas that in his opinion could use improvement. He pointed to some areas that were a little soft, where he thought they could have been a tad harder in the line. He warned me of sanding too much at the hard lines that I should hold for character. And he graciously pointed out the areas that I could change to make the chair my own, to make it originally mine. He spent about 20 minutes with me, both of us kneeling on the ground, looking over the chair inch by inch, and all the while, capitalizing on originality and good lines. This is probably one of the biggest events of the year in my life, getting to talk with one of the greatest chair makers in our country. Thank you Russ, the pleasure was all mine.

Russ Filbeck on the left, and me on the right. Russ is sitting in his award winning chair that netted him first place in the furniture category and best of show, for a grand prize of 2000 thousand dollars!

The award winning Russ Filbeck Chair

One of Russ's Chairs during construction. Those are the weaves he uses wrapped at the top of his chair.

Another Filbeck Rocker made from spalted maple.

Russ is also a flatterer with the ladies, he coaxed my wife to sit in one of his wonderful chairs.

After our time with Russ, and after our tour of all the wonderful projects from our Southern Ca artisans, we were ready to go home. So I picked up my chair, and my wife, and 3 kids and we went home, and here we are now getting ready for the another week.
Thank you all for reading, and thanks again David Santos for a wonderful day at the show!

Here is the slide show of some of the work I saw.

http://www.theamericanwoodworker.com/photo/photo'>

Sounds like an awesome time John. I think your chair should have won. Sounds like you had a great time and as we all do when we get to meet other woodworkers you pick up some tips from another view.

Thanks John, yes is was very fun, and getting a chance to pick up some tips from a master like Russ, was invaluable. I appreciate your thoughts on my chair. From what I understand our chairs were separated by 3 points in the judging!

John Moody said:

Sounds like an awesome time John. I think your chair should have won. Sounds like you had a great time and as we all do when we get to meet other woodworkers you pick up some tips from another view.

Looks like some wonderful work. I loved all the chairs you showed. I did make Windsors at one time. Lots of work for not much money. Chairs are like stairs, nobody knows how much time goes into something good. bob

Thanks Bob, it sas a great time, this is an older post, but I was perusing the site last night and I thought I'd bring it back up to the top, it was one of those memorable woodworking events where everything just fit in right that day.

Chairs are like stairs, I'll remember that one!