Howdy ladies and gentlemen. It's time for our monthly series,13 Questions. Each person gets the opportunity to answer 13 random questions by me. Some of the questions are woodworking related, some are not, and some are off the wall.
Some of the questions will be the same for everyone and some will not, I have an ever-growing list of questions I will pick from.
I want to thank everyone that has already taken the time to reply to my private conversations about this and replied with their answers.
So let's get this shindig started!!
........................................................................................................................
13 Questions with @Big Ry (November 2026)
Q-1- Where do you get your inspiration for what you build?
A- I definitely don't just draw from one source. A lot of times its others' work that inspires me. Other times it might be the wood that directs me, especially if there is a singular piece that is the focal point. Since virtually all of my projects are gifts for friends and loved ones, I often draw inspiration from the recipient. For example, I have made my wife several items using purpleheart, because purple is her favorite color. I made my in-laws an Irish flag themed serving board and matching bottle opener, because they are Irish. Similarly, I made my parents a German flag themed bottle opener. I made my dad bookends with the Virginia state flag, because my parents live in Virginia and my father is a civil engineer working in the state. I have several more themed projects planned for the future.
Q-2- What project in the near future, are you most excited about starting?
A- There are two that I have been planning for what feels like forever. First is a segmented bowl (possibly with a matching segmented tray) that is made out of fruit wood species that are commonly eaten in the American diet. I have been sourcing this wood for over a year, and I am specifically looking for fruits that you would eat raw, such as common peach, pear, apple, apricot, mango, etc. Many WB members have helped me source some of these woods, which I am greatly appreciative of. Second, I am planning a wedding present for my best friend and his wife. They got married last November, so I am up against the 1 year deadline for giving the gift (Its OK, I still gave them cash the day of ha ha). When I asked my buddy what his wife's favorite colors were, he told me "black and rose gold" :-| So basically, I'm planning one of the most expensive projects Ive ever built, which will incorporate pink ivory and gaboon ebony at a minimum. I haven't finalized the design, but I am looking at possibly using asian satinwood, malaysian blackwood, and pau rosa. To complicate things more, his wife contacted me directly to ask if I could make her an epoxy board with flowers in it, since her father is in hospice and she's struggling with everything. So I am not sure how I am going to work that in or if I'll leave that for a separate project. Anyway, this will be my most financially risky undertaking to date ha ha
Q-3- Sweet & sour or hot & spicy?
A- Sweet & sour for sure. Being from Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, I have a massive sweet tooth!
Q-4- What are your favorite kinds of projects to do/make?
A- In terms of a category, I'd say kitchen stuff hands down. Most of what I have build is some kind of cutting board, serving board, utensil, bottle opener, etc. I love to play with colors and patterns in board-making. Frankly, anything with utility is very satisfying to make in general.
Q-5- You’ve most likely produced many finished pieces over the years, Are there any that stand out for you?
A- Ive only been at this for 2 years, so I have a few dozen under my belt. Probably my 2 favorites are the Irish flag themed serving board I made for my in-laws and the kitchen step-stool that I made for my daughters. The serving board was very technically challenging. I made it using Argentine Lignum Vitae, American Holly, and Argentine Osage Orange (all new species to me at the time). I glued up in strips running width wise since the flag stripes are oriented that way, and out of an abundance of caution I used dowels in those joints. Due to risk of oil bleeding into the pure white Holly, I had to shape and finish each color separately, then glue them up in the end. This actually worked out shockingly well. Finishing was a challenge due to (a) high resin content in Argentine Lignum, which required a shellac seal coat first, and (b) wanting to preserve the pure white in the Holly, which led me to use water poly on that wood. Overall it was just a crazy complicated project, and there's even more I didn't get into. The step stool for my daughters was a standout, because I completely designed it myself in CAD, and it ended up coming out great. It is also the biggest woodworking project Ive ever done. My toddler uses it multiple times a day every single day, and I hope it can be passed on to their kids later.
Q-6-Can you share a moment when you felt a deep sense of awe or wonder at the world around you?
A- I could probably go a few different ways with this. From a literal perspective, some of the sights I've seen while hiking the Smokies are pretty awe-inspiring. For a more morbid take, I have visited the town of Centralia, PA 3 times since I went to college only 30min away. For those unfamiliar, the town is a former coal-mining town, and a fire started in the mine (in the 70s?) and has been burning ever since. Its far too large to extinguish. Ive heard that it is expected to burn for 1,000 years, though I don't know how official that number is. The ground is sinking in and plumes of steam can be seen coming out. The town was abandoned long ago, but a few hold-outs were still living there until very recently. Its a really crazy sight to see.
Q-7- What is the best and worst thing about woodworking?
A- The best thing is gifting a project and seeing it put to use. From the actual process, I'd say the best part is species selection. The worst part is the sawdust. I feel like that's a given lol. Tear out is pretty frustrating though too.
Q-8- What's one thing you hope people remember about you when they think of you?
A- In general? I hope they remember me as being funny. I often joke and use sarcasm as a means of communication (maybe not as much on here, because it isn't well-conveyed in written text). Regarding my projects, I hope they remember the thought and attention to detail that I put into every project. I really try to put a lot of effort into all of my projects, from planning through execution.
Q-9- What snack can you just not get enough of?
A- How much time you got? ha ha I struggle with sweets, and have been known to eat an entire box of Oreos in 1 sitting in college. Also, peanutbutter filled pretzels. I love them. In fact, I have a container right here next to me!
Q-10- What sort of influence do you think your projects have had on people?
A- This is a difficult question for me to answer. I never really considered how a project might influence someone. I suppose I would just hope that they would recognize the care and effort I put in and maybe that would inspire them to do something similar in their own way for someone else. For those who know the depths I've gone in both woodworking and wood collecting in only 2 short years, I would hope they might look at that as motivation to learn something new on their own. I put great value on education and continually expanding one's knowledge.
Q-11- What's one trait or quality you admire most in others, and why?
A- I greatly admire those who have excellent artistic vision. I feel like this is a trait that very few possess, myself included. That's not to say that I can't visualize a unique and creative project, but those who can mesh together all the details from colors, grain patterns, grain orientation, 2D & 3D geometry, and chatoyance in a single project that comes together in a perfectly cohesive manner are the types of people I am most intrigued by. It just fascinates me how someone could put all that together in their head. There is a box maker I follow on Facebook named Kevin Kirkpatrick who has this kind of eye for design. His boxes are absolutely beautiful.
Q-12- What is one question you would like to ask me?
A- If you could only work with 1 species for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Q-13- How did you hear about Woodbarter, and What keeps you coming back?
A- I discovered WB while trying to research a certain wood species for my first woodworking project (can't recall what the species was). I made a serving board for my wife for our 5yr wedding anniversary in November 2024, and that is the project that got me into woodworking and ultimately into wood collecting as well. Funny enough it didn't actually end up being my first woodworking project, because I obsessed over the details for months. I ended up kicking out some coasters for my dad's birthday before ever finishing the serving board for the wife ha ha. The reason I stayed was because everyone here is so nice and welcoming. Contrast that to the multitude of woodworking groups I'm in on Facebook, where tons of people are just huge A-holes. I've always felt that the nature of a forum or message board kept out a lot of the riffraff. I used to frequent forums like this for all sorts of topics, but they have mostly fallen out of favor since social media became a thing.
Some of the questions will be the same for everyone and some will not, I have an ever-growing list of questions I will pick from.
I want to thank everyone that has already taken the time to reply to my private conversations about this and replied with their answers.
So let's get this shindig started!!
........................................................................................................................
13 Questions with @Big Ry (November 2026)
Q-1- Where do you get your inspiration for what you build?
A- I definitely don't just draw from one source. A lot of times its others' work that inspires me. Other times it might be the wood that directs me, especially if there is a singular piece that is the focal point. Since virtually all of my projects are gifts for friends and loved ones, I often draw inspiration from the recipient. For example, I have made my wife several items using purpleheart, because purple is her favorite color. I made my in-laws an Irish flag themed serving board and matching bottle opener, because they are Irish. Similarly, I made my parents a German flag themed bottle opener. I made my dad bookends with the Virginia state flag, because my parents live in Virginia and my father is a civil engineer working in the state. I have several more themed projects planned for the future.
Q-2- What project in the near future, are you most excited about starting?
A- There are two that I have been planning for what feels like forever. First is a segmented bowl (possibly with a matching segmented tray) that is made out of fruit wood species that are commonly eaten in the American diet. I have been sourcing this wood for over a year, and I am specifically looking for fruits that you would eat raw, such as common peach, pear, apple, apricot, mango, etc. Many WB members have helped me source some of these woods, which I am greatly appreciative of. Second, I am planning a wedding present for my best friend and his wife. They got married last November, so I am up against the 1 year deadline for giving the gift (Its OK, I still gave them cash the day of ha ha). When I asked my buddy what his wife's favorite colors were, he told me "black and rose gold" :-| So basically, I'm planning one of the most expensive projects Ive ever built, which will incorporate pink ivory and gaboon ebony at a minimum. I haven't finalized the design, but I am looking at possibly using asian satinwood, malaysian blackwood, and pau rosa. To complicate things more, his wife contacted me directly to ask if I could make her an epoxy board with flowers in it, since her father is in hospice and she's struggling with everything. So I am not sure how I am going to work that in or if I'll leave that for a separate project. Anyway, this will be my most financially risky undertaking to date ha ha
Q-3- Sweet & sour or hot & spicy?
A- Sweet & sour for sure. Being from Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, I have a massive sweet tooth!
Q-4- What are your favorite kinds of projects to do/make?
A- In terms of a category, I'd say kitchen stuff hands down. Most of what I have build is some kind of cutting board, serving board, utensil, bottle opener, etc. I love to play with colors and patterns in board-making. Frankly, anything with utility is very satisfying to make in general.
Q-5- You’ve most likely produced many finished pieces over the years, Are there any that stand out for you?
A- Ive only been at this for 2 years, so I have a few dozen under my belt. Probably my 2 favorites are the Irish flag themed serving board I made for my in-laws and the kitchen step-stool that I made for my daughters. The serving board was very technically challenging. I made it using Argentine Lignum Vitae, American Holly, and Argentine Osage Orange (all new species to me at the time). I glued up in strips running width wise since the flag stripes are oriented that way, and out of an abundance of caution I used dowels in those joints. Due to risk of oil bleeding into the pure white Holly, I had to shape and finish each color separately, then glue them up in the end. This actually worked out shockingly well. Finishing was a challenge due to (a) high resin content in Argentine Lignum, which required a shellac seal coat first, and (b) wanting to preserve the pure white in the Holly, which led me to use water poly on that wood. Overall it was just a crazy complicated project, and there's even more I didn't get into. The step stool for my daughters was a standout, because I completely designed it myself in CAD, and it ended up coming out great. It is also the biggest woodworking project Ive ever done. My toddler uses it multiple times a day every single day, and I hope it can be passed on to their kids later.
Q-6-Can you share a moment when you felt a deep sense of awe or wonder at the world around you?
A- I could probably go a few different ways with this. From a literal perspective, some of the sights I've seen while hiking the Smokies are pretty awe-inspiring. For a more morbid take, I have visited the town of Centralia, PA 3 times since I went to college only 30min away. For those unfamiliar, the town is a former coal-mining town, and a fire started in the mine (in the 70s?) and has been burning ever since. Its far too large to extinguish. Ive heard that it is expected to burn for 1,000 years, though I don't know how official that number is. The ground is sinking in and plumes of steam can be seen coming out. The town was abandoned long ago, but a few hold-outs were still living there until very recently. Its a really crazy sight to see.
Q-7- What is the best and worst thing about woodworking?
A- The best thing is gifting a project and seeing it put to use. From the actual process, I'd say the best part is species selection. The worst part is the sawdust. I feel like that's a given lol. Tear out is pretty frustrating though too.
Q-8- What's one thing you hope people remember about you when they think of you?
A- In general? I hope they remember me as being funny. I often joke and use sarcasm as a means of communication (maybe not as much on here, because it isn't well-conveyed in written text). Regarding my projects, I hope they remember the thought and attention to detail that I put into every project. I really try to put a lot of effort into all of my projects, from planning through execution.
Q-9- What snack can you just not get enough of?
A- How much time you got? ha ha I struggle with sweets, and have been known to eat an entire box of Oreos in 1 sitting in college. Also, peanutbutter filled pretzels. I love them. In fact, I have a container right here next to me!
Q-10- What sort of influence do you think your projects have had on people?
A- This is a difficult question for me to answer. I never really considered how a project might influence someone. I suppose I would just hope that they would recognize the care and effort I put in and maybe that would inspire them to do something similar in their own way for someone else. For those who know the depths I've gone in both woodworking and wood collecting in only 2 short years, I would hope they might look at that as motivation to learn something new on their own. I put great value on education and continually expanding one's knowledge.
Q-11- What's one trait or quality you admire most in others, and why?
A- I greatly admire those who have excellent artistic vision. I feel like this is a trait that very few possess, myself included. That's not to say that I can't visualize a unique and creative project, but those who can mesh together all the details from colors, grain patterns, grain orientation, 2D & 3D geometry, and chatoyance in a single project that comes together in a perfectly cohesive manner are the types of people I am most intrigued by. It just fascinates me how someone could put all that together in their head. There is a box maker I follow on Facebook named Kevin Kirkpatrick who has this kind of eye for design. His boxes are absolutely beautiful.
Q-12- What is one question you would like to ask me?
A- If you could only work with 1 species for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Q-13- How did you hear about Woodbarter, and What keeps you coming back?
A- I discovered WB while trying to research a certain wood species for my first woodworking project (can't recall what the species was). I made a serving board for my wife for our 5yr wedding anniversary in November 2024, and that is the project that got me into woodworking and ultimately into wood collecting as well. Funny enough it didn't actually end up being my first woodworking project, because I obsessed over the details for months. I ended up kicking out some coasters for my dad's birthday before ever finishing the serving board for the wife ha ha. The reason I stayed was because everyone here is so nice and welcoming. Contrast that to the multitude of woodworking groups I'm in on Facebook, where tons of people are just huge A-holes. I've always felt that the nature of a forum or message board kept out a lot of the riffraff. I used to frequent forums like this for all sorts of topics, but they have mostly fallen out of favor since social media became a thing.
