Musings

Teaching at PTG

While at the Piano Technicians Guild shindig I taught a couple of additional classes.  First was a half-day on Veneer Repair (this must be the year for veneer repair, and in fact I am going to work on a full-length instructional video on the subject this Fall) and a lecture on the Principles of Conservation.  The latter session essentially mirrored my recent article in Mortise and Tenon, so there isn’t too much to say about that.

Both class sessions were well attended, in fact the veneer repair session was SRO much of the time.  The attendees were highly enthusiastic, and I set the room up so they could be close enough to see me working.

At my invitation they gathered closer, and pretty soon it was a mosh pit.  I’m not particularly claustrophobic, which is a good thing.

I managed to engage in a discussion of wide ranging topics related to the issues of veneer damage, and demonstrated the techniques that have served me so well over the past few decades.

With lots of Show-n-Tell to pass around, I think they all got a good exposure to the topic.  If the evaluations are any indication, they enjoyed and learned much, which is about all you can ask.

My only regret was not bringing my own petite Roubo workbench, as the hotel folding tables were not really up to snuff.  I guess that I will just have to make it  practice when I go teach to bring my own workbench unless I know for a fact that another good one will be there.