A Little About Me

  Good Morning,      
          New to the blogging community, I felt it appropriate to tell you a little about myself with some self promotion from the start. My background has a long history spanning approximately thirty five years in the trade. As a teenager I always had that urge to tinker in my parent's garage or basement. I was building and fixing bicycles, go-carts and creating hand carved wood projects in my spare time.
          In my high school years I geared myself up for a career in drafting, putting my thoughts and designs on paper with an array of pencil leads and triangles. That led to college studies in the Civil Engineering curriculum. Unfortunately pencil and paper were quickly being replaced by huge computers and CAD programs. Help wanted ads looking for draftsmen disappeared from the local newspapers. Growing frustrated sitting in classes all day and working in a delicatessen at night, I needed to get away for a while. I was interested in physically creating all those lines I put to vellum in my studies. I dropped out against my parent's wishes, but felt a break was necessary.
          Wanting to serve my country, I found a group within the United States Navy called the Seabees and researched all they did. What a gig for a twenty year old! Travel around the world applying my skills in my chosen field and getting paid for all the fun. For the next five years as a US Navy Builder I honed those skills on interior rehab projects, ground up construction, concrete and masonry work. There was nothing in the construction trades I didn't try. I even got to fire automatic rifles, grenade launchers and learned to bathe out of a combat helmet. What a life! I actually enjoyed the work, the places I travelled to and most of all the friends I acquired along the way. After five years and an honorable discharge, it was time for my next adventure.
          After working a few jobs in home improvement and commercial construction, I found myself back working for the government with the US Department of Transportation with the title of Woodcrafter. I was assigned to the Carpenter Shop at an agency's Public Works Department filled with an array of wood shop machinery. I thought this was a dream come true. A place to fine tune my wood working skills for the benefit of the agency. Presently, after twenty-six years, I'm still working for the same agency. As with any job, restlessness sets in and I started thinking about venturing into ideas of creating something I could call my own. I took on many side projects after hours to enhance my income while servicing a growing list of clientele. The money was great but it was time away from home, late hours and busy weekends. After the birth of my daughter things changed.
          While speaking with my brother's boss at a local Pet Cemetery, I was asked if I would be interested in fabricating pet caskets for their clientele. I decided to give it a go. After all, I was a Woodcrafter and basically what they needed were decorative wooden boxes with a simple interior lining. Soon the family was involved in my business! I fabricated and finished the boxes, someone else made the linings and yet another made pillows for the dearly departed. As the income increased, I started to build my shop with the equipment I needed to make working comfortable for me. Soon people were more interested in cremating their pets and we added a line of cremation urns to our product list. And it doesn't stop there...
          Still fabricating pet caskets, I now wanted to offer something unique for our new product line. I stumbled across an advertisement in one of my many wood working magazines introducing new laser engraving technology. What doors could be opened with one of these? After a quick demonstration by the sales representative, I was hooked. The possibilities were endless. Instead of the run-of-the-mill cremation urns with a small picture frame affixed to them, I was now able to scan a picture of the beloved pet into my computer and laser engrave the image right on the urn itself, complete with dates and a poem engraved on the top. I lost count of how many urns we produced for clients with this technology. Life was good. The work was enjoyable and our clients overwhelmed. It was now time to incorporate the business coming up with the fitting name WoodBin Creations, Inc.
          The laser technology led to many other ventures growing our list of satisfied customers. We displayed at craft fairs, goods such as ornaments, plaques, photo albums, scrap books and engraved knick knacks. We got into the corporate awards and recognition aspect with the engraving and have many repeat customers satisfied with what we offer. Unfortunately with the closing of the Pet Cemetery, we no longer produce the amount of pet caskets we were accustomed to making. But without that start, I might not be where I am today. I even managed to go back to school during this time, finally obtaining my Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management and Engineering Technology. Another milestone I wanted to achieve!
           That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Please visit my website for a look at some of the things WoodBin creates at www.woodbincreations.com. Have a great day!