ORLAND PARK, Ill. — Orlando Parker native Brandon Mahoney knew nothing about woodworking six months ago. But he knew that he had a lot of free time, and these hands could not sit still.
Mahoney, who now lives in Green Bay, Wis., realized more than a year ago that he needed to make big changes in his life: his drinking was out of control and the stakes were high. Mahoney, 30, decided not to get drunk, and that led to his hobby of carpentry, which he hoped to eventually turn into his full-time business.
One day, Mahoney, a graduate of Carl Sandburg High School and District 135, looks at a piece of paper and sets himself the task of writing down everything that alcohol brings to life in a positive way.
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He could not
"I can't think of anything," Mahoney told Patch. "It was all negative. I've lost money, I've put my life in danger, I've ruined relationships with other people, I've ruined my work ethic.'
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"The problem with an alcoholic is that I don't drink beer, I drink them all."
After high school, Mahoney pursued a variety of careers. He was a prison officer in Indiana and Colorado. He is a postman. He works in a logistics warehouse. He eventually became an electrician and moved to Wisconsin. The move marked the beginning of a lifestyle independent of him, he said. He was unhappy with his job, which also affected his downtime.
"I killed my body," Mahoney said. "My health was bad, I was overweight. I just drank, life revolved around it."
"I drink at home from work to bedtime."
Mahoney drank a case of 24 pints of beer in one night. He went into a bar and got lost. He does not remember the nights and days spent in drunken misery. Weekdays and weekends blend together, often having to recover from the night before to start all over again. His personal life also began to suffer.
"I ruined relationships with people," Mahoney said. “It got out of control. Somehow I avoided a DUI.
However, his decisions were not accepted.
"I started doing reckless things," he said. “I took a ticket at the bar because I refused to go, I don't remember that night. I woke up with a $400 bill."
- I got out of control.
A little over a month before he decided not to get drunk, he lost his apartment after complaining about noise. Since he didn't have an apartment, he contacted a woman who offered him a garage and asked if he could store his things there. On the way, he slept in the car for two weeks.
It was noted that from July 7, 2022, it is necessary to stop drinking alcohol.
He turned to a teacher he was still in touch with and talked to him about sobriety. This prompts Mahoney to act.
"I just quit," he said. "It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but it's very rewarding."
Mahoney is recovering from drinking and is also happy with his job at a steel company. Her 12-hour, three-day-a-week schedule also leaves her with some free time. Knowing how fragile her peace is, she looks for a hobby. Woodworking, he said, seemed like something he could do.
He began experimenting in early 2023. A woman renting a room sees money for her first appliance. He promised to work on it. He was engaged in gardening, snow removal and other minor work. One tool becomes many, and Mahoney needs a place to store it in the garage.
Mahoney, who comes from a family of mostly unskilled businessmen, has found something that satisfies him. He called it "The Sober Cut of Woodworking" and began to popularize it.
His works are made to order. Works with clients to turn their vision or idea into reality. Men who never did carpentry now make custom furniture and tables - including epoxy tables - as well as patios and railings. Today it also offers custom engraving and CNC plates.
He was a quick learner and enjoyed every minute of it.
"A woman asked me to build a patio and I told her I didn't know how," Mahoney said with a laugh. "The next thing you know, he's creating decks and codes."
His work often brought him to Illinois - he had special projects planned in Tinley Park and Frankfort - as did his family, who lived in Orland Park and Mokena. He advises clients on their ideas and accompanies them step by step throughout the process - right down to the stain - to ensure their satisfaction.
He is a great communicator, he says. His goal is to build enough of a foundation to consider this passion project a full-time job. He is expanding the space he is renting and recently moved into a larger space.
"I really, really enjoyed it," Mahoney said. "I love creating new things, customizing things, and collaborating with clients."
Prices for his work are calculated according to the project. Visit the Sober Cuts Woodworking page for more information.
It started as a way to keep himself informed in his early sobriety and became more than just a side business. However, he says that he never forgets where he was a year ago. He says his inbox is always open because "most people don't want to talk about addiction."
"It's a constant struggle to stay sober," Mahoney says. "You have to remember, 'I've got a long way to go.'"
You can reach Mahoney at Sober Cuts Woodworking via Facebook, email him at Brandon.Mahoney7@gmail.com or call him at (708) 603-9283.
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