Welcome to Red Raven Woodworking
ABOUT The Woodworker
Brian Evans
How did I get here?!
For longer than I can remember I have been fascinated with the beauty of a handcrafted piece of furniture; the joinery of decades-old boxes or drawers; and the mere process of taking wood, milling it down and making something amazing and functional from it.
How or why I became enamored with woodworking is a mystery. None of my immediate family or relatives, save a twice removed cousin who lived a distance away, was a woodworker. So, roughly 20 years or so ago I decided woodworking was to be my avocation in retirement. I had a few tools, but nothing of substance. I didn’t even have a space in which to work on anything. But, in 2008, I bought a house in northern Utah with a deep lot. Part of the reason of purchasing the property was, by design, to one day build a woodworking shop on it. Then I started purchasing equipment to furnish the yet-to-be-built shop. A Delta table saw with router end in Ogden; an old Oliver jointer in Salt Lake City; a Nova 1644 lathe and a couple of miter saws from a woodworker in Mendon; A Rigid 13″ planer from a guy in Hyrum; and a band saw from a woman in Logan. Most of these purchases were stored in a garage, or shed, and even outside (covered of course). Then I took a cabinet making class (thrice) from the local Vocational College. It wasn’t just about making cabinets – students could and did make a variety of things. This helped in understanding all the many facets of taking an idea through all the phases to completion of a piece.
In 2019 I was fortunate to take early retirement from my ‘professional’ career, and I immediately embarked on the shop build. I obtained the necessary permits and laid out the 550 square foot footprint for the shop. Long story short, I tucked into YouTube University and educated myself on framing and building. Aside from some of the excavation, pouring the concrete slab, rafter insulation, and shingles… I built the entire structure myself and with help from some friends. It was a labor of love. Due to Covid and that electricians’ availability (or interest?) being non-existent, I even ran and connected all the wiring to the building. Again, YouTube University was invaluable for this.
Final county inspection in 2020 and I was in business (so to speak)! I moved the tools and equipment in and positioned them where it made most sense. Of course, my first builds were a table saw outfeed/tool storage table as well as a miter saw station, along with a rack for wood. I also have a stick welder based in the shop, which was used to make the wood rack.
Since becoming operational, I have made or refinished a variety of pieces, most of which can be seen on this site. Many I make out of functional necessity; others out of whimsy; and others yet for friends who have requested particular pieces. It’s not a business, but perhaps more than a hobby? I’ll just call it a passion and continue to tell people, when they ask what I do in retirement, and that is, “I make sawdust”.
