The American Peasant

The American Peasant Substack combines insights on woodworking, craftsmanship, and the philosophy of making things with a focus on peasant furniture and the importance of handcraft in the modern world. It addresses the challenges and rewards of writing, selling, and crafting, while emphasizing integrity, creativity, and the value of traditional skills.

Woodworking Craftsmanship Furniture Design Creative Writing Publishing Self-Improvement Tool Use and Selection Cultural Traditions

The hottest Substack posts of The American Peasant

And their main takeaways

Earlywood: I Love Difficult Teachers

738 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
🚌 Education Teaching Methods Craftsmanship Student experience Pedagogy Skill development
  1. Difficult teachers can actually help students grow. They might seem tough, but their strictness often leads to better learning and skill development.
  2. Experiencing challenges in learning can make students better. When pushed to perform at a high level, students may realize their true potential over time.
  3. Feedback from teachers can sometimes feel harsh, but it's important for improvement. Learning to accept and understand this feedback is crucial in any craft.

2 Questions for You

2555 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🚌 Education Teaching Learning Skills Workshops Customer Relations
  1. Asking clear questions helps start conversations better. It allows you to understand what someone really needs right away.
  2. Understanding students' goals in classes helps tailor the teaching approach. This way, you can mix in production techniques or focus on traditional methods based on their interests.
  3. Using direct questions in any interaction makes communication smoother. It helps you get to the point without unnecessary details.

Black & White Furniture Finishes

1836 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🪑 Design Furniture Techniques Materials Artistry
  1. Using wood bleach can make wood really light. It's not the same as the bleach for clothes, and it works well for making furniture look bright.
  2. India ink is great for making wood black. It dries fast and won't fade, making it a sturdy choice for darker finishes.
  3. Finishing with wax can add a nice shine to the wood. It doesn’t change the color, but it gives the surface a smooth and polished look.

Why We Make the Exeter Hammer

2715 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
💼 Business Product Development Entrepreneurship Manufacturing Marketing Sales
  1. The Exeter Hammer was developed over three years to create a lightweight, balanced tool ideal for furniture makers. It combines good design and functionality to improve woodworking tasks.
  2. The hammer's design process involved scrapping an earlier project that felt too similar to common hammers on the market. This led to creating a unique hammer that meets specific needs of woodworkers.
  3. The first 400 hammers sold quickly, showing a strong demand and approval from users. This success suggests that thoughtful design can resonate well with the target audience.
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Earlywood: Take My Advice, I’m Not Using It

2555 implied HN points • 26 Oct 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Networking Marketing Finance Self-employment
  1. Keep your day job until you are financially secure. It’s smart to build your business while you still have a steady income.
  2. Network with other creative people. Making friends in your field can lead to new opportunities and support when you need it.
  3. Learn a bit of everything. Knowing skills like photography and website design can save you money and help your business thrive.

The Anarchist’s Compass No. 1

2535 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
💼 Business Publishing Finance Entrepreneurship Acquisitions Venture Capital
  1. A businessman shared a wild story about buying a small publishing company. He revealed that the owner didn't know he was supposed to keep the cash in the company, and the buyer ended up getting the business almost for free.
  2. The room erupted in laughter when he shared how the situation turned out. It showed how sometimes, deals can have unexpected and surprising outcomes.
  3. This story highlights how important it is to understand business transactions and financial details. Misunderstandings can lead to big surprises for both buyers and sellers.

Hysteresis: The Reason Wood Movement Ain’t Such a Big Deal

2335 implied HN points • 20 Oct 24
🪑 Design Furniture Craftsmanship Woodworking Sustainability Materials
  1. Wood can swell and shrink, but it often moves less than expected due to something called hysteresis. This means you might worry too much about how much your wood will move.
  2. Using flexible glues and ductile nails can help furniture withstand wood movement over time. These materials allow parts to adjust without falling apart.
  3. Many traditional furniture designs were made with wood movement in mind. This means older pieces often handle changes in humidity better than you might think.

My Lucky Scars

1956 implied HN points • 19 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Personal Stories Memoirs Life lessons Craftsmanship Anecdotes
  1. Scars can remind us of important lessons and experiences. They serve as a reminder to be careful and think twice before acting.
  2. Old tools can hold special significance, especially if they have a story behind them. Restoring a beloved tool can bring back fond memories.
  3. Life has cycles, just like repairing and using old tools. It's a reminder to cherish what matters and stay focused on what's important.

Decide You Are Not Done

2914 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Art Sports Lifestyle Education Personal Growth
  1. When you want to improve a skill, don't just stop at what's easy. Keep going to push your limits, like continuing to practice a sport even if you don't enjoy it.
  2. Focusing on a specific task for longer can lead to better results. Working longer on the same project can help you learn more and improve your work.
  3. Practicing in a challenging way, instead of just going through the motions, makes a difference. Trying hard things can lead to great improvements, even if it feels frustrating at times.

Earlywood: Making Things Hard/Easy

1796 implied HN points • 12 Oct 24
🪑 Design Product Design Industrial Design Graphic design UI/UX Design Fashion & Design
  1. The balance between making tasks hard or easy can impact productivity. If a task is too hard, people may give up, but if it's too easy, they might lose interest.
  2. Finding the right level of challenge can help improve skills and keep people engaged. It's important to push yourself just enough without overwhelming yourself.
  3. Understanding how to adjust difficulty levels can lead to better learning experiences. When tasks are balanced, it encourages growth and motivation.

Not Unnatural

2295 implied HN points • 06 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Music Art Craft Technology Creativity
  1. Using Auto-Tune in music can ruin the natural sound of a singer, making it feel fake. It's better to embrace human imperfections, like being slightly off-key, which can make music more relatable and emotional.
  2. In woodworking, some people use technology to create perfect shapes and designs, but this can take away the charm of natural, handmade pieces. Simplicity and imperfections often hold more beauty.
  3. Technology can help us do tasks more easily and still produce good results, but when it creates things that are too complex or unnatural, it loses its appeal. Authenticity and human touch are more valued.

Come See the Chair Show on Nov. 23

2036 implied HN points • 06 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Exhibitions Creative Process
  1. The Chair Show is happening on November 23, and it sounds like a fun event to see lots of interesting work.
  2. The person organizing the show prefers to sell their work directly rather than through a gallery, which often takes a large cut of the sales.
  3. They haven't shown their work in a gallery before, but they are excited about the opportunity and the social aspect of gallery shows.

For Paid Subscribers Only

1557 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Crafts Design Sculpture Painting Photography
  1. The first 100 Exeter hammers are on sale for $133 and come numbered. It's a great buy if you're into woodworking.
  2. You can learn more about the different types of hammers and their uses on the website provided. Knowing the right tool can really help your projects.
  3. Shipping for the hammers is free in the U.S., and you might want to check out the new T-shirts they offer too. It's a fun way to support a brand you like.

Introduction: The Cabbage-flavored Kool-Aid

3194 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
  1. The book 'The American Peasant' sheds light on overlooked peasant furniture forms from Europe.
  2. The furniture pieces are unique in form, construction, finish, and embellishment.
  3. Traditional European peasant culture was skilled, fastidious, and proud, with everyday objects beautifully embellished.

The Lesson of the Bearded Antiquarian

4971 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
  1. Receiving hate mail comes with the territory of writing, but it's important to not let it affect you deeply.
  2. Facing criticism can lead to self-reflection and acknowledgment of personal flaws, but it's crucial to avoid bitterness and resentment.
  3. Maintaining a mindset of recognizing one's own faults helps prevent holding grudges and promotes self-awareness.

Board Feet BS

2455 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
  1. When buying wood, focus on the specific boards you need for your project instead of just calculating board feet.
  2. Selecting the right boards with suitable grains is more important than just buying a certain amount of board feet.
  3. For projects like building a chair, knowing the specific dimensions and grain requirements of the boards you need is crucial.

No Viable Upgrade Path

2235 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Craftsmanship Tools Woodworking Mentorship Quality
  1. Kale's story highlights the importance of having the right tools in woodworking that will last a lifetime without needing upgrades.
  2. Investing in high-quality, durable tools from the start can save time and money in the long run.
  3. Choosing tools based on functionality and quality over aesthetics or price can lead to better long-term satisfaction and efficiency in woodworking.

Foreword to ‘The American Peasant’

2715 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
  1. The book 'The American Peasant' explores woodworking beyond just the craft itself.
  2. Woodworking has a rich history that extends to different cultures worldwide.
  3. Encouragement for more woodworkers to appreciate the diversity of woodwork traditions.

Band Saw Upgrades – Some That are Questionable

2096 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
  1. Stick with the metal friction guides for your band saw, avoid upgrading to bearing guides.
  2. Skip the tension-release gizmos unless you have arthritis; they introduce complexity and can break.
  3. Upgrade throat plates to zero-clearance ones for better performance and minimize scrap getting jammed.

Hello Again, Peasants

2874 implied HN points • 26 Nov 23
  1. The author shares a personal experience with mushrooms that sparked creative ideas for furniture design.
  2. The author draws inspiration from Eastern European folk furniture and spells for his designs.
  3. The concept of 'peasant' is discussed in relation to growing inequality and societal structures.

Make Money Making Things

4092 implied HN points • 10 Sep 23
  1. Focus on one thing and let all your activities feed into it.
  2. If you want to sell your products, you need to enjoy the selling process.
  3. Ensure that all your activities are related to your main focus.

Earlywood: The Dirty Secret of Woodworking Publishing

1856 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
  1. Woodworking books that focus on building birdhouses are the most profitable.
  2. Books on beautiful furniture projects, skill-building, or wood properties are not top sellers in woodworking publishing.
  3. Creating unique and unconventional birdhouse designs can be an interesting and potentially profitable idea.

Earlywood: Thousands of Meals; Several Lessons

1716 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
  1. Trust antique designs in woodworking for sturdy results.
  2. Leaving appropriate toolmarks on furniture can add personal charm and enjoyment.
  3. Consider the thickness of breadboards in woodworking projects to ensure durability and function.

The Large Coffer & its Engravings

2695 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
  1. The writer is working on his last big project, a book involving building projects and writing, aiming to finish by Dec. 31.
  2. Engravings on a coffer represent the writer's life story from childhood to present, each decade captured with meaningful details.
  3. The vertical dimension on the coffer's legs signifies time, with hourglasses and distinct segments representing different stages of the writer's life.

From the Ground Up

3393 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
  1. The importance of relentless creativity and hard work ethic in shaping beautiful environments and objects.
  2. Lessons learned from observing a father's determination to create despite physical limitations.
  3. Creating a legacy of making the world more beautiful through craftsmanship and dedication.

Wheedling to Ruin

3134 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
  1. Sometimes, declining generous offers can have consequences.
  2. The author reflects on the dilemma of accepting gifts from those they write about.
  3. Maintaining journalistic integrity can be challenging but essential.

Three Rules to Avoid Regret

2715 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
  1. Buy amazing lumber when you find it and can afford it.
  2. Buy core tools that enchant you and consider having a backup tool for important ones.
  3. Buy woodworking books you love when they are first released as they can increase in value over time.

Earlywood: First Critique, Then Build

1377 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
  1. Critique designs before building them to improve and refine the final product
  2. Seek feedback from knowledgeable individuals to gain different perspectives and ideas
  3. Encourage and focus on positive aspects when critiquing finished pieces to motivate continued improvement

Earlywood: Yuppie Tools

2675 implied HN points • 26 Aug 23
  1. Making high-quality tools doesn't make you rich.
  2. Consider the value of your time when choosing between quality tools and cheap alternatives.
  3. Supporting makers of nice tools is supporting a challenging way to make a living.

Why Would Anyone Write a Book?

3034 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
  1. Authors often write books not just for money but to share their message with the world.
  2. Writing a book can be a way to express strong emotions or take a stand on important issues.
  3. Despite challenges like low royalties, some authors continue to write books out of passion and determination.

Shaker Fakers?

2794 implied HN points • 07 May 23
  1. Shakers and Amish are different religious sects with unique woodworking traditions.
  2. Amish craftsmanship varies and includes a wide range of furniture styles.
  3. Shakers were a celibate sect with a distinct furniture style rooted in British design.

The Jig Economy is a Scam

2814 implied HN points • 04 May 23
  1. Commercial woodworking jigs often promise shortcuts but can be frustrating and limit creativity in the long run.
  2. Using simple, handmade woodworking tools can be more versatile and cost-effective than investing in complex commercial jigs.
  3. New woodworkers should focus on developing their skills rather than relying heavily on expensive jigs that may not ultimately fulfill their needs.

Earlywood: Answer the Door

2735 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
  1. Always try to open the door when someone knocks, you might be surprised at who is there and how they can help you.
  2. Be kind and helpful to those in need, whether they are experiencing homelessness or not.
  3. Small acts of kindness, like opening your front door, can be reminders to stay human and connected to your community.

How to Design a Vernacular Chair

34 HN points • 09 Oct 23
  1. Design Rule No. 1: Work with the materials you have and exploit them fully.
  2. Design Rule No. 2: Create a mental encyclopedia of forms and details that inspire you.
  3. It's hard to train our eyes to see beautiful forms or remember gorgeous details.