Our Story
I live and work in Owego, NY, west of Binghamton and south of Ithaca. I have been designing and building functional woodwork since 1990, and am self-taught.
My basic approach to woodworking is to choose premium materials, and execute simple designs with strong joinery. Since 1991 I have completed a wide variety of work, from custom furniture to commercial installations. Currently my main focus is jewelry chests and armoires.
Sometimes I have some completed pieces ready to ship; usually, however, I am taking orders for a few months out. Contact me for details. If you have a custom project in mind, feel free to call to call and discuss. Please keep in mind that large pieces require a good deal of time to design and execute, so your patience is appreciated.
About the Work
Solid hardwood is my basic material and the one with which I am most familiar. It is versatile, strong, and beautiful. Many furniture makers use veneer, dyes, and various composites as a matter of course. This has its place; it's just not what I do. I prefer solid wood, exposed construction, simple finishes, and little or no decoration. Ideally, the piece acquires character through it's proportions, materials, and joinery. Form should follow function.
I primarily use locally sourced curly cherry, walnut, and curly maple, bought in “log sets” from local mills. All the exterior parts from any given piece are made from the same log for color and figure consistency. Rosewood, wenge and other exotics are used for accents. Drawer bottoms are Baltic birch, a unique cabinet grade multi-ply from northern Europe. Interiors parts are solid sugar maple.
Exterior surfaces are sealed with shellac and topcoated with satin acrylic lacquer. This produces a surface which is very durable and resistant. Interior parts are finished with shellac. I use no dyes or stains, except very rarely at a customer’s request. Unless specified otherwise, everything you see on this site is the natural color of the wood.
About the Materials
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Sugar Maple (acer saccarum), also known as hard maple, is a common member of the maple family. It is a familiar sight in lawns and streets throughout it’s range in the northeast United Sates and southeast Canada. It occurs with many figure variations, such as curly, fiddleback, and quilted. Extremely hard and fairly heavy. Common throughout it’s range.
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Eastern Black Walnut (juglans nigra) is the rarest and most desired native hardwood of the east. It is part of the walnut family, which includes hickories and walnuts, and is found throughout the mid-Atlantic states, from Texas to the Dakotas eastward. No other native tree compares to the rich and complex tones of walnut, which may run from purple and brown to near black, with hints of reds and greens. Slow growing and virtually extinct in the wild.
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Black Cherry (prunus serotina) is a member of the rose family. It is native east of the Mississippi from Nova Scotia to Florida, but the vast majority of the trees and those which produce the finest lumber are found in Pennsylvania. It is an ideal cabinet wood. It is not particularly rare, but it is only a dominant tree in the forests of Pennsylvania.
A Word From Our Customers
The Studio
Frequently Asked Questions
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For regular items on the website, 25% deposit is required to place an order. The balance is due at time of shipping. I make the Mitered Chests about three times a year. Typically, the ordering time is 6-8 months.
For Armoires and cabinets, 1/3 deposit is required. Balance is due at time of shipping.
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Generally, if you need to cancel an order for a regular item in a standard size and species before it is shipped, it’s not a problem. Any such regular item may be returned at customer expense for a full refund within 30 days.
Custom orders and armoires are not returnable unless they are defective.
I strive to do the best work possible and to provide excellent service and support. Please let me know if there are any issues with your purchase or with the service.
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Regular sized jewelry chests are shipped UPS insured ground, unless you request otherwise. I’ve been using UPS for over 30 years and they are extremely reliable. Items are packed with 2” of cardboard honeycomb.
Jewelry cabinets, armoires and other larger items that are too big for UPS are shipped by regular LTL freight. The driver will contact you ahead of time to arrange delivery. Standard delivery includes the driver bringing it to your doorstep.
White glove service for larger items includes the driver bringing the cabinet into your house, setting it up, and removing the packing materials. This service is available in most locations for an additional charge.