Woodworking has been a hobby of mine for awhile. Like most hobbies, it requires much time, patience, and money. The amount of equipment available for woodworking is endless and there are just as many specializations in the craft.
I became serious about woodworking when we were building our house in 2002. I wanted to have nice architectural oak trim throughout the house that complemented the Mission style of the house. Once I priced stain grade oak trim, I soon discovered that it was well beyond our finishing budget to purchase.
In typical McClung fashion, I decided to buy a sawmill, mill my own wood, and build a wood shop so I could make my own trim. I guess in hindsight I probably could have purchased the trim for cheaper than the money invested in all of the equipment over the last eleven years. I do, however, have a hobby I love (still haven’t finished the trim yet – which does not go over well with the wife).
The exciting aspect of woodworking for me is taking a tree, one of God’s fascinating creations, and turning it into a piece of furniture. There is so much to learn about wood and the skill of shaping it. Every tree is unique. When we mill a log, it is much like Christmas as we make that first pass with the blade and peal back the flitch to reveal the grain. The grain tells the story of the tree from its first days as a sapling to its final days as a log on our mill.
The sawmill is now owned by my brother. We realized several years ago we could combine our efforts. He has the sawmill and the kiln on his farm and we have the wood shop. We share each equally with one another. His close proximity to our farm makes this very convenient for both of us.
Below is a gallery of some of my work over the years. If you see something you like or have questions, feel free to contact me for more information. I do build furniture and other items upon request and sometimes have pieces in stock for sale.