Tom has been making and designing commissioned custom furniture since 1990. After years of higher education in his twenties, he decided at 29 to pursue his love for fine furniture making full-time. His training launched forward when he entered a rare apprenticeship with master craftsman P.A. “Pug” Moore in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tom remained close to Pug, even after branching out on his own, which included returning to his native New England roots where he’s been making furniture since 1997.

At the same time, Epic Woodworking has established itself as a incredible place for students to take classes, both face-to-face and online. Tom’s classes most often focus building specific pieces of furniture, each of which entail a variety of skills to be learned or refined along the way. In the past few years, Tom has also developed a series of online courses that students can access on their own schedule. Each class includes a set of full-sized plans.

Most recently, Tom has become the host for Classic Woodworking , a TV and online show produced by WGBH Boston in association with Fine Woodworking Magazine. Classic Woodworking often highlights a guest on the show. For example, the first season included Mike Pekovich, Chris Becksvoort, David Lamb, Terry Moore, and John Ryan. In each show Tom highlights the building of a specific project in a manner that focuses on specific techniques and/or approaches. Funding and preparations for the second season of Classic Woodworking are currently underway.

Tom’s Friday evening lecture is titled Grain Graphics, which will focus on creating dramatic effects using wood grain. Tom will explore various ways of handling and thinking about wood grain in order to enhance the visual impact of any project. Photo examples and technique demonstrations will be included well considering creative directions using solid wood, Veneers, and finish treatments. This talk is free and open to the public. You can find more information about our meetings here.

Tom’s Saturday demonstration workshop will focus on his Round Center Table. This will include an introduction to working with veneers, creating a round sunburst pattern veneered table top, using vacuum bags for veneer pressing, applying the edging with iron-on technique, setting in a decorative binding, and adding decorative inlay. Free measurements for the center table will be provided. Full-size plans a number of projects from the first season of Classic Woodworking will be available for purchase at a discount.

More information about Tom and his work can be found on his website:

Lunch can be purchased at the door in the morning of the workshop (subs or pizza) for $10 or you can bring your own lunch.

The cost of this workshop is $55 (First year RWS membership free with registration for a national speaker workshop). The workshop location will be at CP Rochester, 3399 Winton Rd, Rochester, NY 14623.

Read more

Non-members are welcome to attend monthly meetings free of charge. Non-members receive a free membership when they register for their first workshop.

Our Friday meetings and lectures begin at 7:45 in Basil Hall on the St. John Fisher College campus. More information about the location of our meetings and directions are available here.

More general information about the nature and format of our meetings and lectures is available here.