Our growth into furniture has been challenging and
exciting. What started out as a design for a single stool grew into an
entire line of chairs, stools, benches, beds and more. During the years
of working to grow the business, we also were able to watch the growth
of our two children, both of which have chosen careers in the arts. Our
son Adam is a sculptor and painter, and our daughter Lydia is a textile
artist. We’ve been blessed in life to be able to make a living doing what
we love.

We are grateful to all of our many friends and clients who
have supported us through our first thirty years. We’re looking forward
to our future and many more years of being able to design and build
furniture on our farm home.

Six recipients receive the award based on the overall quality of their work and two for “Best Booth Design.” The Jurors of the 2010 American Craft Council Show in Baltimore were Josephine Shea, curator of the Edsle and Eleanor Ford House, a historic museum outside of Detroit, and Jane Milosch, curator of contemporary craft and decorative arts at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Renwick Gallery).

My Standard Stool has tapered ash legs with a subtle texture. The texture is from being made on one of my century-old lathes as the lathe cuts a continuous spiral down the length of the wood blank. These legs are then sanded by hand and cut to length. They are then attached to the solid cherry seat by a through tenon fastened with a solid walnut wedge. The seat is sanded to a smooth contour that everybody would find comfortable. Your feet can find a home on the solid steel footrest.

Available in kitchen counter and bar heights. Custom heights are available.

Congratulations to Stella Singleton of Chandler, Arizona! She won the Name The Stool contest. She will be receiving the very first Standard Stool.

Entries have been closed

Wikipedia has a nice article about the Goodrich-Ramus Barn. I suspect that history of the barn here in Pennsylvania is very similar. "The barn was built in 1942 from materials made by Rilco (Rock Island Lumber Company), a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser located in Albert Lea, Minnesota. The company had a number of premanufactured barn patterns available from a catalog. This method of barn construction became popular in the late 1930s. The roof has a Gothic arch shape formed from laminated timber rafters. The glued, laminated timber rafters had been developed in Europe and introduced to the United States in 1934. The United States Department of Agriculture issued a technical bulletin in 1939 on the use of these rafters, and Rilco was founded in Saint Paul, Minnesota that same year. Rilco’s marketing literature at the time promoted the rafters as being “factory-fabricated and engineered”, and the rafters were shipped predrilled and ready for assembly with all hardware included."

Transporting the rafters with our small truck presented it’s own small challenge. The truck has been a work-horse around the farm. After constructing a rack to hold the rafters secure, we got as many rafters as we could back to the shop.

Over the past few years, Brad has managed to find several uses for the rafters. A Rafter Bed, a few versions of a Rafter Bench, a Rafter Table, and even putting them back to use in a building that we affectionately call The Toaster.

Rafter Bed

The Rafter Bed, shown here at our 2005 Studio Open House. The spindles on this bed are tool handles.

Rafter Bench Version One

This Rafter Bench used found metal parts for legs and recycled pitchforks in the back support.

Rafter Dining Table

The Rafter Dining Table used a recycled steel plate set into a frame from arched rafters.

The Toaster

In the summer of 2006, we used some of the rafters to create a movable storage shed.

The Toaster is built on large skids. We can move it into position with the tractor. We use is mostly for wood storage and sawdust storage.

Rafter Bench

In late 2006 and 2007 Brad began making this version of the Rafter Bench.
We just made one more this year that can be seen here.

We need to thank several people that made this year’s show possible. It was great to have Michael O’Neill and Carol Lee Heisler join us as our guest artists and of course our partner in this show, Royce Yoder.

This was the first year for a few things at the open house. We were very happy to have two local companies that helped supply delicious food and coffee. Tru-Brew Coffee Service generously provided our coffee and brewing equipment for the show. Please be sure to check them out if you need coffee in your business or office!

www.trubrew.com.

Ristorante Toscano and Vermella’s Market delivered a great selection of italian meats, cheeses, and delicious cookies to us on Saturday. I can’t forget the fantastic hoagies too!
Ristorate Toscano is a B.Y.O.B located at 213 N. Broad Street in Lansdale, PA.
They’re open for lunch and dinner. For more information about them visit www.toscanolansdale.com

James Lauchmen played live music in the studio on Sunday. He was a great addition open house. James lives in Sellersville, PA plays around the area. You can learn more about him on his MySpace page.

This was also the first year that we used our Facebook page and our Twitter page to share up to the minute images and news about the Studio Open House. You can always find up-to-date news and a behind the scenes look at Bradford Woodworking on those pages. Check them out!

Thanks again to all those that joined us! We hope to see you all again next year!

Royce Yoder, Carol Heisler and Michael O’Neill will be joining us in the studio. We’re also very happy to have coffee provided by Tru-Brew Coffee. Tru-Brew Coffee Service is a family-owned, local coffee company which has faithfully served the Delaware Valley since 1972 with quality products, professional service and reliable equipment.

The Open House is located at 3120 Fisher Road, Worcester, PA 19490
Directions

We hope you can come by and join us!