Shop Notes & Rambles
The Rambles are the stories lived and learned over decades — the moments, the lessons, and the shop life that shaped the craft. They accumulate here, sorted by publish date. If you want the curated version, explore the Workshop Library.
The Value of Wood
Wood built the fur trade. Winter logging, frozen muskeg crossings, river transport, and hand‑built York boats formed the timber economy that kept Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company posts alive. This story traces how wood powered York Factory in 1817 — and why the material that meant survival then still matters every time we pick up a board today.
Hardwood vs Softwood
Hardwood vs softwood isn’t just a difference in leaves or needles — it’s the story of how trees survived fire, drought, extinction, and time itself. This piece traces the rise of the two great families of wood, from ancient barren landscapes to the forests we work with today, revealing how evolution shaped every board in the shop and every species in the Wood Archive.