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.
Knotty Dave’s Fine Woodworking
“A woodworking story about design, intention, and the long arc of craft — paired with a gallery that shows the real work behind every table. Rough turning, solid‑wood glue‑ups, bent laminations, veneer layouts, and the finished pieces they become. From sawdust to polish, this page brings together the process, the discipline, and the tables that define Knotty Dave’s Fine Woodworking.”
Knotty Dave
I come from a line of makers — a cabinetmaker who survived his own storms, and a watchmaker who carved out a life with grit and charm. My father showed me what independence really looks like. Knotty Dave wasn’t born in a boardroom; it came from real work, real people, and a football field where a parent named me before I named myself. This is the story of the craft I inherited, the brand I built, and the world I’m shaping one honest cut at a time.
CABINETRY
Cabinetry is the part of the craft most people never think about — the structure behind the stories, the bones that make every room behave. This collection isn’t a sales pitch; it’s a look inside the work. The boxes, the reveals, the hinge lines, the geometry, the discipline. Kitchens, cottages, commercial counters, architectural rooms — all photographed honestly, exactly as they live in the world. Sixteen builds that show the quiet side of woodworking: the engineering, the problem‑solving, the precision, and the moments of craft that only appear when you’re standing at the bench. If you want to understand how the work actually happens, this story is the foundation.
HEIRLOOM FURNITURE BUILDS
Heirloom furniture is where the craft gets personal. These pieces aren’t products — they’re stories told in hardwood. Walnut, maple, elm, red oak, white oak… each chosen with intention, each photographed in real light, each built the way furniture should be built. This collection follows the long‑form side of the shop: the milling, the joinery, the grain decisions, the turning, the finishing, the delivery. Every photo is a chapter. Every detail is a promise. If Cabinetry shows the bones, this story shows the heart — the solid‑wood and high‑grade veneers, builds that define rooms, carry memories, and remind you why the craft matters.