Born and raised in Lancaster County, PA, I've seen Amish-made furniture and crafts all around me but never really appreciated the craftsmanship that went into them. Five years ago, my wife and I bought our first house. Before that time, I only had a hammer in my non-existent tool box. It was actually my wife's tool box kit that we used to put together the IKEA furniture. Soon after becoming a homeowner, I realize that I would either have to pay someone to do repairs and installations or I would do them myself. Being young, naive, and cheap, I decided to do the latter.

With the help of my father-in-law, we installed laminate flooring which was one of my opening projects into woodworking. He was the one to show me how to respect the router and its power. He also showed me different home projects like shelving and really got me into the hobby. I bought my first major power tool, a cheap Ryobi 10" table saw with a fence that was rarely straight, but it was a power toy nonetheless. After that, a power tool addict was born!

Since that time, I have been intrigued by the simple idea of creating something from nothing. I have always been encouraged by the sound of my mom saying, "You didn't make that!" The time spent designing, cutting, sanding, and finishing makes it all worth it to me when I see a piece that I've made in someone's home.