Barn Board "Beware" Plaque

After a successful careers as an Electrical Contractor and an Office Manager, some life changing events forced us to find an alternative line of work. So we decided to buy a little equipment and start working with something we both love. Wood! So begins our adventure as Northfork Knotworks!

Northfork Knotworks is a small Mom and Pop wood shop that specializes in handmade custom wood products. Our shop is located in West Central Wisconsin on the North Fork of the Eau Claire River. This property is a homestead that housed five generations so we are deeply rooted in this area.

All of our items are made with locally harvested trees. Each tree is hand selected environmentally based on age, size and location. With single-tree selection, the forest continuously produces timber and constantly has new seedlings emerging to take the place of harvested trees. Single-tree selection maintains a late succession forest that benefits many wildlife species such as squirrels, deer, rabbits grouse and song birds. In forest management, trees are harvested for a variety of reasons including improving the health of the forest; controlling the types of trees that grow on the site. Every tree that is harvested is used for logs for milling and the remainder is cut for firewood to heat our shop, house and our maple syrup operation. Our family owns approximately 135 acres in three locations that are managed in this manner.

After the tree are harvested, they are taken to a small local mill where they are sawed into boards. The owner personally goes when the wood is being milled to ensure he gets the most creative cuts. Then they are loaded into a kiln and dried until they are ready to be crafted into our many items.

In 2018, we added a laser engraving machine. We are expanding our inventory to include engraved and custom signs, small furniture and outdoor furniture.