Cedar boards, tools, and a laptop on a workshop bench

code / cedar / dirt / hardware

Things built until they work.

Software products, shop builds, custom cedar work, local services, and the notes left behind while turning half-formed ideas into usable things.

Memorial at sunset with light through cross

Gravestone Flower Holders

project

When my father-in-law Kevin passed away. I was privileged to build the flower holders that bolt onto his memorial. He was a good guy and thi...

weldingsteelmemorial
Finished fold-up table with storage cubbies

Fold-Up Table

project

In May 2020 I built a fold-up table with a flip-top panel and storage cubbies underneath. The idea was a compact dining table that could dou...

woodworkingfurniture
Stained bed frame assembled

Stained Bed Frame

project

In July 2020 I built a bed frame from dimensional lumber. Not the most exciting project, but it got the job done and it is still in use. !A...

woodworkingfurniture
Finished rocket stove painted black

Rocket Stove

project

In January 2018, the heat was out and I built a rocket mass heater from a repurposed water heater. Stick welding 1/4" steel tube into an L-s...

weldingheatingsteel
Gantry crane painted black with yellow hoist and propane tank

The Driveway Gantry Crane

project

When you're building a smoker from a 500-gallon propane tank, the first problem isn't welding — it's lifting. These tanks weigh about 1,000 ...

workshop:buildsweldingfabrication
Solar lumber kiln frame on dual-axle trailer

Building a Solar Lumber Kiln on a Trailer

project

When you mill your own lumber, you need a way to dry it. Air drying works but it's slow — a year per inch of thickness is the rule of thumb....

workshop:buildswoodworkingsawmill
Big Grey — finished hydraulic tilt fifth wheel flatbed trailer

Big Grey — Hydraulic Tilt Fifth Wheel Flatbed

project

I turned a rotting fifth wheel camper into a hydraulic tilt flatbed trailer. It sat in the yard for two years before I got around to it, the...

fabricationweldingworkshop:builds
Looking at the sawmill tractor for the first time

The Sawmill Tractor

project

Picked up a vintage Ford tractor — rusty, seized, and perfect. This is the power source for the sawmill operation. The Pickup Found this ...

woodworkingworkshop:buildstractor
Laser engraving the Sugared Sprig sign board

The Sugared Sprig — Laser Engraved Sign Board

project

A custom branded sign board for The Sugared Sprig — laser engraved logo on a butcher block panel, filled and finished by hand. Laser Engra...

woodworkinglaser-engravingworkshop:builds
Router sled flattening a pecan slab

Pecan Coffee Table — Router Sled Work

project

Building a coffee table from pecan slabs I milled myself. The wood came off my sawmill as rough-cut planks — getting them flat enough for a ...

woodworkingworkshop:builds
Massive oak log on flatbed trailer with kids sitting on top

The Oak Log

project

Brought home an oak log that barely fit on the trailer. This thing is going to produce some serious slabs once I get the saw mill set up. ...

woodworkingworkshop:builds
Truck loaded with black cherry logs at the gas station

Black Cherry Haul

article

Picked up a massive haul of black cherry — truck and trailer both loaded down. The rounds were so big the kids used them as furniture. The...

woodworkingworkshop:builds
Completed 250-gallon propane tank smoker on trailer

Building a Smoker from a 250-Gallon Propane Tank

project

I built a smoker out of a propane tank. A big one — the kind you'd find behind a rural gas station, not the little backyard grill variety. T...

workshop:buildsweldingfabrication
The Hackberry Bench — finished live edge bench with steel legs

The Hackberry Bench

project

I cut down this hackberry tree myself. Brought the trunk home on a trailer — and this is what came off of it. <Video src="/media/hackberry-...

woodworkingworkshop:buildsfurniture
Solar water heater collector

Solar Water Heater

article

The Idea My water heating bill was running about $40/month in a house where I was the only occupant. A passive solar collector seemed like...

workshopworkshop:builds
Service

Automation & Custom Software

service

What I Build Most of the friction in small business operations is repetitive: the same data entered in three places, the same report pulle...

servicesservices:automation
DataRook Command Center login screen

DataRook

project

DataRook — SaaS Operations Platform DataRook is the engine behind everything I build. It is a centralized platform that handles AI routing...

project
Store

Cedar Picket Planter Boxes

product

Custom Cedar Picket Planter Boxes Hand-built cedar picket planter boxes, made to order in any size. Choose your dimensions, finish, and pi...

storestore:plantersworkshop
Loading the skid steer with a forklift

Skid Steer Adventures

article

I bought a Gehl 5635 SXT Series II skid steer needing an engine rebuild. The plan: use it for moving slabs, loading the solar kiln, hauling ...

workshop:buildsservices:earthworkworkshop:equipment
Service

Earthwork & Land Clearing

service

Earthwork & Land Clearing Services Got land that needs clearing, grading, or prep work? I have the equipment and the experience to handle ...

servicesservices:earthwork
Project

YourMove

project

YourMove — Remote Physical Experience Marketplace YourMove connects people with real-world physical experiences they can join remotely. Th...

project
The Kung Fu Bench - finished oak bench with laser engraved logo

The Kung Fu Bench

project

Every project has a story. This one starts with an oak tree and ends as a bench at the Luohan Wushu Kung Fu Center. Chapter I: The Source ...

workshopwoodworkingfurniture
The float tank

Sensory Deprivation Float Tank

article

The Build This is the personal project I am most excited about. A sensory deprivation float tank, built from scratch in my garage. The ta...

workshopworkshop:builds

commission lane

Need something useful built?

From custom cedar planter boxes to automation software, the useful work lives between shop dust and terminal output.