About Flotsam
Flotsam was born from a desire to create something from furniture found on the streets of Boston, destined for the landfill. The wood I use in all my projects is "sourced" from the sidewalk, construction/demolition leftovers, woodworking shop scraps, and friendly neighbors. If you have some old wood furniture or wood scraps laying around that you'd like to get rid of (or better yet, if you'd like me turn to it into something specific), contact me with details. Paint and nails are fine, as long as it's solid wood in salvageable condition. Handling scrap wood brings a host of new problems to solve, which adds a fun, creative energy to the artistic process of woodworking.
I've been woodworking off and on my entire life, learning most of what I know from my father in Virginia. In Boston, I worked for a short while as a part-time assistant teacher at the Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, and more recently helped out at Cannon Hill in Egleston Square, where I still get scraps and occasionally lend a hand. In the spring of 2020 I stepped away from my ten-year career on oceangoing research vessels to focus my energy on woodworking. I am now renting shop space from Maple Hurst Builders and, in addition to custom work, selling my work at various local venues.
I've been woodworking off and on my entire life, learning most of what I know from my father in Virginia. In Boston, I worked for a short while as a part-time assistant teacher at the Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, and more recently helped out at Cannon Hill in Egleston Square, where I still get scraps and occasionally lend a hand. In the spring of 2020 I stepped away from my ten-year career on oceangoing research vessels to focus my energy on woodworking. I am now renting shop space from Maple Hurst Builders and, in addition to custom work, selling my work at various local venues.
The Workshop
Before moving in to a real shop space, I was operating out of a private two-car garage. Although my workspace has changed considerably, below are some pictures of my orignal shop setup.
