Blog

30 Years and Counting

This year Sandy and I are celebrating thirty years of
marriage as well as thirty years of making a living together as
Bradford Woodworking. We’ve come a long way since starting
in six hundred unheated square feet above the cows in my dad’s
barn. In those early days, we made a line of kitchen utensils.
We’re still making some of those items thirty years later.

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.

Hand Drawn

I often work with client to design a piece of furniture specific to their needs. It usually begins with a piece from my portfolio that catches their eye. The next step is to determine what dimensions they need and what functionality they require. Once those specifics are figured out, we will discuss the types of “Bradford” details that they like. When I have all of that information I can work up a drawing. Below is an example of a recent drawing for an armoire. Once approved by the client, the fun part begins!

Honored

Much to my surprise, I turned around in my booth at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore on Friday afternoon to find a large group of people listening to Josephine Shea and Jane Milosch speaking about my furniture and presenting me with an Award of Excellence.

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).

The Standard Stool

The Standard Stool is my new stool design. I’ve been wanting to make a stool that has simple, clean lines with the same quality and craftsmanship as my Ax Handle Stools.

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.

The Big Contest

Win your very own Bradford Woodworking stool! We’re holding a little contest to find the name of our newly designed stool.

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