Post by Stacey Walker. Stacey mostly works behind the scenes for Walker Woodworking, managing day to day operations, and marketing. Stacey has helped many clients create their dream space.

Wood and Technology

Traditionally, woodworking is seen as a hands on skill. It is also one of the oldest as man took the strength of his hands and paired it with his wisdom to transform ordinary pieces of wood into usable items for family and friends. Over the years woodworkers have continued this artisan craft but many have seen the benefits of combining their skill with the power of machinery. More can be created but the quality is still monitored to ensure that the results remain true to the craft’s standard. Founded nearly 25 years ago by Travis Walker who has always been driven by his main goal of customer satisfaction. This dedication to quality cabinets is the reason Walker Woodworking is what it is today and will continue to produce stunning projects. Though much of the building process is still done by hand and always under constant supervision, Travis also recognized the value in technology.

The value of technology

As Travis began to expand his business into what it is today he realized how certain tools and technology could help him craft a better cabinet. This is one reason why he spends time researching and staying up to date on what new machinery and methods are available that will allow us to efficiently craft our cabinets while meeting his standard of quality. Another motivation for Travis is to make sure that the services we provide are the best and can be tailor made for each project. Over the years, certain tools were added to the shop when a particular aspect of a cabinet was needed to make particular custom features possible. Even though cabinet making has been a hands on skill, Travis was quick to realize how much machinery could accomplish when blended correctly. Incorporating technology and machinery into our design and building process has not diminished human involvement at all as we still have the human touch throughout the construction. Our team monitors each aspect of the process that involves a machine guaranteeing every piece of cabinetry is exactly to our specifications. Our number one priority will always be creating exceptional custom cabinets and we look to technology to simply enhance the outcome.

Some shop favorites

Since moving from our 10,000 square foot shop to now over 70,000 square feet, there has been room to expand and explore new machines. The shop team has enjoyed learning and implementing new equipment plus the increased amount we are able to accomplish has been a big benefit. Recently, Travis purchased a sander with capabilities of various grits making it easier to get more boards completed according to the project specs. Larger saw tables and planers are woven into the process enabling our team to accomplish several more pieces than before. Out of all the machines in the shop, our number one favorite would be the CNC machine. CNC stands for computer numerical control and has opened up a wide range of possibilities in the cabinet design world. Now we can directly transfer designs from our engineer’s computer to the CNC which then cuts, shapes and engraves the wood perfectly. Another perk is less waste since this machine makes the most of each sheet of wood placed on it. Our production time is also faster because of the precision of the CNC machine we can accurately reproduce multiple cabinet pieces. Each one meets our high standard of quality, our top priority, and allows us to produce beautiful projects every time.

Still a human touch

There are some wood shops that are hesitant to embrace or even consider implementing some technology into their build process because it may mean a sacrifice in quality or reduce the human touch. In our experience that has not been the case and our projects validate it. Each custom cabinet that goes out of our shop has been carefully inspected by one of our team members to confirm it is up to our standards. We are a family owned business and to Travis this means that every project we take on is personal. While we have increased the presence of machines in our shop they are carefully monitored by our experienced team members. Weaving hand made with machines is only meant to enhance both and provide us with the ability to enhance our production of beautiful and durable cabinets. At Walker Woodworking we brand each cabinet that leaves our shop because we stand behind our product.

Working with wood and technology

From start to finish our goal will always be to craft the very best cabinet possible which is why our president and founder, Travis Walker has made it a point to stay up to date on all the best and brightest machines and methods available on the market. We remain dedicated to our process which is why each project we take on is overseen by our skilled team every step of the way.