Thanks to Stephen Parsons for this trip report
On Saturday April 22, 2017, a contingent of AWA members took the opportunity to visit the factory workshops and studio of Expressions of Wood, a furniture manufacturer in Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia.
The owner, Steve LeBlanc, greeted the group with coffee and donuts and spent a little time outlining the history of the operation. Steve started Expressions of Wood in 2000 after purchasing some equipment from his then employer. At that time, he had been building furniture full-time for six years and was ready to strike out on his own.
For a time, Steve had a very busy, full shop with not much downtime. Unfortunately, after a major retail client closed down a few years back, business slowed substantially and he was forced to reduce his staff to the current complement of six or seven full and part-time people. The company serves several interior designers and retail clients but most of their work is now direct to client.
The current company location has had an interesting history as a clothing factory, canning plant, and other industrial settings. It is well laid out for the purposes of the woodworking that the company does now, although it is capable of handling a bigger scale than the current workload. As a result of reduced production, the company is downsizing and selling several pieces of equipment including a number of shapers and planers.
When you enter the workspace, the first device that captures your eye is the large multi-station clamp carrier, a device that simultaneously clamps and dries large volumes of laminated wood assemblies like benchtops and cutting boards. As you can see it is presently tasked with clamping and drying some side-grain cutting boards.
Also found in this area are the wood stores where numerous species and sizes of wood stock are held until ready. Steve builds almost entirely with solid wood and his stores include a good supply of pine, mahogany, walnut, cherry, birch and oak.
The upstairs section of the factory is focused on the basic functions of furniture making, primarily cutting and sanding. There is also a finishing booth and drying area separate from the main shop (to control dust). The industrial sanding unit shown here can handle a large headboard or tabletop with just a few passes.
Downstairs, we found some of the more esoteric equipment including lathes, shapers, and special duplicating and joinery machines. While much of the equipment here is smaller and more specialized, it is obviously a large part of the capital investment in this space. Steve took some time to talk about the capabilities of the company and the challenges of scaling up and down to meet fluctuating demand. He also suggested that experienced builders have been able to rent out the equipment and space for special projects that can use the scale of industrial equipment he has in his inventory.
Asked about the most unusual project he has undertaken, Steve described a project with Casino Nova Scotia to recreate in full detail the Grand Staircase from the RMS Titanic. Over and above the tremendous skill and workmanship that was needed to build the replica to accurate scale and detail, Steve actually had to tear out part of the floor in the main level to accommodate the height of the staircase in construction. There are some great pictures of this spectacular project on their website.
Some of the members found a few small treasures of off-cuts and smaller pieces to purchase for their own projects. Steve was happy to do a little business with us, and as a bonus had a walk-in (on what normally would have been a non-open day) that resulted in a very lucrative custom furniture project. In appreciation of hosting our visit, we have given Steve and a member of his staff an honorary one-year membership in the association. We hope to have them join us at our upcoming meetings.
After the tour, most of the group converged on a new pub in Fall River – the Turtleback Tap & Grill – and enjoyed some camaraderie, stories, reflections on our tour, and delicious food and drink from their unique menu and local microbrewery offerings.
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