The barrels shown were created by woodworker Dana Murphy. Photos courtesy of Dana Murphy.
Calais Bayer
InkFreeNews
Leesburg - A former mobile home worker, Dana Murphy used his technical experience and know-how to build his own woodworking shop.
Murphy grew up in the Milford area and graduated from Washi High School. He always tries to paint.
"I started with a pen and paper and now it's this. I learned a lot about carpentry from my grandfather," he said.
Shown is an element of the Dana Murphy wood stove, a family recipe with a cutting board carved into it. Murphy said he enjoys doing personal and passion projects.
While his grandfather taught him a lot of housework and carpentry, there are some areas in which Murphy is naturally gifted or self-taught.
About a year after leaving the recreational vehicle industry, he started his own business called Single Barrel Designs, LLC.
"I had to take a leap of faith to part with some of that money. I asked him several times if I should go back or continue to grow my business," Murphy said. He said it was a choice between sensuality and luxury and chose the former.
The losses incurred were one of the main reasons why Murphy chose to go into business instead of continuing with vans and slowly building up his clientele. "The fact that everything I do is handmade and individually made my work different from anything you can buy in a store, I had to take care of them [hands]," Murphy said.
Dana Murphy poses in front of the CNC machine he taught himself to use.
Murphy's original goal when he started his business was to create a "one-stop shop" where people could find unique, high-quality, custom items. He continues to strive to expand his skills and create a wide variety of artwork.
Murphy recently added a CNC machine and laser system to his shop and became a self-taught craftsman, opening the door to a variety of online projects. "The more projects I get, the more tools I can get," he said. I can do anything, at least I always try.
He is proud of the visual ease reflected in his pieces: "Handmade items are different, you can see the detail and the texture. It might take me days or weeks to make something, but whether it takes time or not , work. And I'm more into that 'wow' factor." ".
Murphy plans to expand his skills and expressed real excitement about where woodworking is going.
Below are just a few of the various projects Murphy has completed for local organizations.
