How to Become an Apprentice, Part 2

My first trip to our local lumberyard with Chris and Megan. November 2023.

Kale Vogt
February 26, 2025

I didn’t intend to piggyback on Chris’s Anarchist’s Apprentice post this week, but when I read it, I couldn’t help myself – mostly because “How do/did I/you become an apprentice?” is a question I hear often from my peers.

Usually when I hear this question I jokingly answer with, “Well, step one, work at a bakery.” (For those who don’t know the story, I was working at a local bakery when I met Chris and Megan, both of whom were regulars.) Silly, but not helpful.

I agree with Chris in that the first step to becoming an apprentice is to show up. For me, though, when we were building my first chair together, showing up was a given - no way was I going to pass on this opportunity. The habits I stayed true to early in my apprenticeship are also what I believe helped me along my journey.

And not to sound like my father here, but being respectful goes a long way. When I was growing up, the phrase “leave it better than you found it” was pounded into me by my parents.

Baby’s first woodworking injury. December, 2023.

When building that first chair with Chris, I didn’t have a single tool to call my own. Every tool Chris lent me was his. At the end of each day of building together, I’d clean off his tools and set them in a orderly fashion on his bench.

It wasn’t until months into my employment that I learned that he noticed and appreciated my respect for his tools. I was only doing what I was taught to do, but I believe this helped my case in becoming an apprentice.

And perhaps even more than having respect for tools, having respect for your instructors’ time is also important. (I really am my father.) When I was invited to go to the lumberyard with Chris and Megan for the first time, I made sure I showed up a little early. On the days I wasn’t able to build with Chris, I’d let him know in advance.

In other words, don’t be a butt wipe and maybe someone will want to teach you what they know.

Aside from being respectful, adopting a student mindset also helped cushion my apprenticeship journey. Luckily, I’m not much of a prideful person. I (like to think, at least) am quite comfortable with admitting if I did something wrong. And I’m getting better at asking for help. If there is such a thing as an egotistical apprentice, I don’t want to know them.

It was easy for me to accept my ignorance early on. I believe my decision to lean into the learning mindset helped me in the long run. Embracing being a student again kept my mind open and made it feel safe to ask questions.

Keeping a “big picture” perspective has also been helpful for me. Although I’d love to, I don’t woodwork every day. Often, I’m packing books at Anthe or am tied to my desk editing videos. Sure, maybe I’m not perfecting any woodworking techniques by doing these tasks, but I’m still learning.

My first undercarriage glue-up. January 2024.

All of these seemingly irrelevant duties show me the realities of what it’s like to run a successful business, which is something I’m interested in nowadays. Being a chairmaker in today’s world requires one to have their hands in many pots.

Becoming an apprentice looks different for everybody, but I believe some themes of apprenticeships are universal. And hey, if all else fails, you can try working at a bakery.

In other news, I’ve decided to sell my most recent chair build. It’s a seven-stick comb-back, built alongside one of Chris’s chair classes several months ago. I had intended to keep this one but in light of tax season, I’ve decided to let it go.

You’ll be able to read more about this chair later on the Lost Art Press blog. I plan to sell it for a flat rate, shipping included. For now, here’s a few pics to hopefully generate some buzz.