My Dad owned and operated a Cabinet and specialty Millwork Shop for many years. He was well known in Northeastern Ohio for custom made cabinets, doors and windows and worked on several restoration projects in the area.  Ohio has many towns established in the early 1800’s and each has a courthouse, library or church that dates from that time. Because the 1800’s were the days before mass produced doors and windows, when these buildings were restored, each door and window had to be custom-made to fit the building. He also built custom kitchen cabinets before the market accepted the manufactured variety. I have included some Photos of a few of Dad's projects.

I grew up in the shop but had little interest, at the time, in carrying on in the business (I was into electronics and later computers). My interest in the shop was mainly limited to making wooden guns, airplanes and boats but I did develop some interest in wood turning and made a few wooden bowls and other items.  Dad had a small wood lathe in the shop, that he used for turning replacement legs for tables or chairs that his customers might bring in.  It was in back the corner of the shop, mostly unused. Its maximum turning diameter was only about 5 ½ inches.   

 As a teenager, working in the shop was sort of a requirement, and I built countless raised panel doors, louvered cupboard doors and shutters. I also worked with Dad running custom Millwork for several lumber-yards in the area. 

After high school, my ‘Uncle Sam’ invited me to work in Southeast Asia for a few years as an Electronics Technician with the US Navy. When I left the Navy, I went back to college and working in the shop was just not on my dance card. After college, I moved off to Texas.

Now, thirty years later, I find that I have missed the smell of hardwood shavings and working with good tools. There is something special about the smell of Black Walnut, Wild Cherry or Oak shavings that can’t be matched, and working with good sharp tools is a experience you just can’t get in cyberspace.

In 1992, Dad sold his equipment and retired. I acquired several machines and some of his other tools and brought it all home to Texas with the idea of some day setting up a small shop. When my position was eliminated by a staff reduction, it seemed the time was right. Legacy Hardwood Shop is the result.  The mission of Legacy Hardwood Shop is to carry on Dad's legacy of craftsmanship and quality.  We hope the things we create will become part of the legacy you pass on to the next generation of your family.  You'll find the label below burned into the bottom or back of many of the items.  This is my continuing tribute to Dad and the Legacy he left.

Although you'll find many photos of projects and other items of interest on this web site, no photos of the shop itself are available at this time.  The shop is currently so cramped, I frequently have to go outside to change my mind, and thinking out of the box is a necessity.

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Revised: 02/16/12 09:19:38 -0600.