Rhodes Ave. Woodsmith

                                  Handcrafted Wood Furniture and Custom Cabinets

Where to Buy This Furniture?  What is the Process?

Some of my items can be found on...

ETSY.COM.  My shop is "RhodesAveWoodsmith.ETSY.com".  Here is what's available for order.

And, of course, right here. 

As I state in my profile on ETSY.com...  There is a movement for furniture to be something that is more than just particleboard or MDF with paper glued to it to look like wood. This movement is for furniture that can be passed down to the next generation instead of passed to the trash. There is a movement for better, solid construction, and functional furniture that surpasses what the big brand discount store sell as "Cash & Carry". I can build furniture and cabinets that satisfies this movement.

My shop has been featured in Nov-Dec 2009 St. Louis At Home Magazine in their "Homefront" section. 

Here's a little bit of how I operate Rhodes Ave. Woodsmith.  (The process and the mission.)

When I started building furniture, it was a hobby and lots of what I've built has been for family, close friends, and for my Church as donations.  As time as gone by, I have done a few projects "For Hire" that were items I've built before or custom, "built-in" items.  All of the projects I've built are shown in the Gallery page.  There are some restorations and doors listed on the site, but I do those types of projects in limited numbers cause of the time required, custom measurements, and possible hiring of extra help.   

One of the points I emphasize is that right now this is a part-time operation.  My schedule is basically three evenings or more during weeknights with the possible one weekend day.  If hired, I will be dedicated to complete the project in a timely manner, but I cannot meet a "turn-a-round" time frame like full time shops with a staff.  When I am working on a project, it is to the satisfaction of the customer and constructed to last for many, many years... and that will take time to create.  Generally, four to six weeks has been about the average turn-around time for a project out of my shop.  Specialty or custom "built-in" items can take eight weeks or longer plus a few visits to the "job site" to insure proper fit before trim and/or the finish are applied. 

There is a perception that custom built items from a "One Man Shop" will cost less than those discount, "Big Box" stores.  Unfortunately that is not the case...  In fact, it's quite the opposite.  The reason is quality.  I use solid hardwood in my projects.  (If I state the item is solid Cherry, it's Solid Cherry.) If there is sheet stock in a piece or in a cabinet, it is Cabinet Grade A-1, hardwood skinned plywood.  (The best there is.)  High quality will lead to long use out of the cabinet or furniture items, and that will come at a higher price compared to discount stores that sell Veneered MDF and/or particleboard, "throw-away" furniture.  So where does my price range end up being?  Basically it's in line with a local, mid to high end Furniture Store's Retail Price.   

I use tried & true methods used for many years by other furniture makers that produce high quality products.  Mortise & Tenon joints, Dados and Rabbets, and smart use of the hardwoods are just a few of the methods I use to build long lasting furniture.  For example:  In the French Side Table pictured above, uses a Mortise & Tenon joints to connect the legs to the table.  There are also a few parts that make up the drawer frame as well as the sides and back of the drawer.  It would be a waste to make those parts out of Cherry that will rarely see the light of day.  So I do what some furniture companies do to keep the cost down.  I'll make those parts out of Poplar, a less expensive hardwood.  It does a great job for frames and drawer sides yet keeps the Cherry for where the Cherry will be seen.  That allows me to use the resources properly, and keep the cost reasonable.

If you are interested in an item shown on this website, please go to the Contact page and we'll discuss it.  I'm located in the St. Louis MO. metropolitan area. 

Photos property of Rhodes Ave. Woodsmith LLC

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