Housewrights,
Woodwrights,
Masons, and such...

The Woodwright's Shop
Measure twice, then measure again.
Premade and mass production rarely goes hand-in-hand with historic restoration. Before standardized building methods, every house was a “custom home”. The finishing details would be unique to that particular structure. Window trim, baseboards, and doors were often of non-standardized measurements. In order to accomplish a restoration true to the original, such items must be custom made. Properly done, it is often a time-consuming task requiring resource management that the uninitiated would rarely foresee if
ever.
Unique profiles and required thicknesses of woods used in replication requires special consideration when working. High speed kiln-dried wood will only be so dry. Moisture trapped within the center fibers, once exposed to open air, will escape rapidly causing distortion, warpage, and bowing, effectively ruining that particular piece of the puzzle. This experience is purchased dearly by those who have made the error of not letting your wood “rest” in your shop before starting on your project. Not just skill but skill built upon personal experience is a foundational element of this type of work.
To date I have made everything from custom chests, entryways, mortise & tenon floating twin panel doors, windows and even historical fencing. Clients have ranged from the Tennessee State Parks to the National Park Service. From historical private homes to historical churches to a special one-off custom work for a well-known client from corporate America. I've even made custom pieces designed for a movie making prop department outside Atlanta, Georgia. All done by hand mostly using primarily hand tools.
If you are one of the fortunate few that are in possession of a vintage home, or have the custodial care of a historical structure such as a church, or are a manager at a historic state or national park, and have a historical restoration or unique creative project in mind, contact me and I'll be glad to discuss your project with you and see if we can determine the best way forward to achieve your desired results.
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