Olaf Gradin

I'm a professional, father, friend, husband, and eccentric in an expanded community in northeast Georgia where I live, work, and play. Woodworking is but one of my hobbies, though probably the one I've put the most money into.

I worked with my step-dad into my late teens in his garage shop. He maintained his own woodworking business and was fairly successful in the venture. I cut my teeth on Red Oak because that was all he ever used.

From my experience as his apprentice, I have learned to have an unusual dislike for Red Oak, and I have realized that I like the process of the craft even better than the results.

I am a fan of the Arts & Crafts movement; especially so of the American artisans that popularized the movement here, and who's timeless designs still inspire craftsmen today. I have a fondness for hand tools, but also recognize where a machine tool is just smarter! Between Tage Frid's practical approach and the inefficient wonders that grace magazines such as Fine Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine, I am seeking to balance my designs with function, form, and frugality!

-- It takes a viking to raze a village. &mdash Blog'r: http://www.gradin.com