JIm Barbour

JIm Barbour

ShopDog Turnery

Elon, NC
Member since: 2013
4.9
157 Maker Reviews
  • Long-time member

    A Maker who has been a valued part of this community for several years.

  • Fast shipper

    Customers say that this Maker ships promptly after completing a project.

  • Great service

    This Maker has consistently demonstrated excellence in craftsmanship and customer service.

I have been making from wood for as long as I can remember. I take a great deal of pride in my work and will not accept a commission if I am not entirely sure I can complete it to your satisfaction. ShopDog Turnery is a one-person, one-dog operation making all sorts of custom items, primarily lathe based. This includes bottle-stoppers, wine glasses (with glass or wooden bowls), platters and plates, bowls, boxes, and whatever else springs to mind.

In addition to lathe work I make various flat pieces; tables, specialty boxes, cutting boards and, again, whatever else springs to mind.

I make for the joy of the making, using sustainably harvested and reclaimed or historical woods exclusively.

Molly was the ShopDog, but is no longer with us. She did all the "RUFF" work in the turnery.

What people are saying

4.9
(157)
  • KB

    Kenneth Barnes

    For End-Grain White Oak Cutting Board With A Walnut Accent (Butcher Style)
    5.0

    I am very happy with finished project. I would use the maker again

  • RL

    Rosemary Lauter

    For Dark wood personalized
    5.0

    Working with Jim Barbour was a very positive experience. I especially liked Mr. Barbour's prompt communications with me about my custom, personalized cutting board project and I was promptly informed of the status of my project along the way. I highly recommend this craftsman.

  • LR

    Linda Rupp

    For Conductor's Batons
    5.0

    Jim was great to work with. He offered wonderful ideas to make the project more personable. I would definitely work with him again/recommend him highly to someone looking for a good turner.

  • BG

    b g

    For End-Grain White Oak Bread Board In A Rainbow Pattern
    5.0

    Communication was excellent.The project is beautiful. Quality exceptional. And it arrived in time for me to use on Thanksgiving. I will be ordering again from this shop. Highly recommend for exceptional gifts.

  • FR

    Fred Robbins

    For Zebrawood End Grain Cutting Board
    5.0

    Jim Barbour was an absolute joy to work with! He is extremely knowledgeable, insightful, and is a highly skilled craftsman. He guided me through the wood selection process and explained how my cutting board would be made. He was extremely patient with my many questions. The finished piece is absolutely gorgeous! It is now one of my prized possessions! I will enjoy showing it off to friends! Jim would receive my absolute highest recommendation on any project involving wood.

  • MR

    Mike Rossner

    For Shifter Knob Walking Cane
    5.0

    Beautiful piece. Solid construction. Exactly what I was looking for. Very pleased with the work and with the ease of the transaction.

  • MW

    Matthew Weiss

    For Slider Puzzles
    5.0

    Jim was very responsive via the online chat and made sure I got my piece in time for when I needed it. The quality of the work was excellent.

  • MR

    Meaghan Ruddy

    For Support Canes
    5.0

  • JH

    Judy Hiers

    For End-Grain Tigerwood (Goncalo Alves) And Walnut Cutting Board (Butcher Style)
    5.0

    Absolutely beautiful - a work of art! You can tell love goes in to his work. I’m glad to have something that I know I’m going to keep forever. Jim was a pleasure to do business with. Great at communication throughout the whole process. I can’t thank you enough!!

  • ES

    Eileen Smyth

    For Wooden Bocci Ball Set
    5.0

    The bocci ball set is absolutely beautifully well made. I am extremely satisfied with the product. Even though Jim had to take care of some personal family matters, he came through with a completed product delivered in time for Christmas. I will most definitely use his services again. Eileen Smyth

  • RH

    Rick Honeycutt

    For Stain gun grips
    5.0

    Great working with Jim.I had a special project I wanted help with and he knocked it out of the park.I Definitely want to work with him aging soon.

  • E

    Erin

    For Emperor’s Club Movie Shutruk Nahunte Plaque
    4.8

    The finished project is gorgeous and extremely high quality. I had very specific requests and he worked with me patiently and communicated clearly. It’s everything I was hoping for and I would absolutely trust him with future projects.

  • VM

    Vincent Morella

    For Custom Floating Shelves
    4.8

    Jim's craftsmanship is phenomenal. The shelves he built for us are very high quality. We couldn't be happier!

  • PD

    Pan Darius

    For Pan's Cutting Board
    4.7

    This is probably the most beautiful cutting board I've ever owned. Quality is absolutely the best and I'm sure I saved hundreds compared to purchasing anything similar retail. I will be returning to this same artist should I ever need anything else (such as a chess board, which I am considering) and I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs wordwork or wood kitchen gear.

  • DC

    Dean Cama

    For Bao Board - An African Game Similar To Mancala
    5.0

    It was great to work with Jim. In my opinion, he expert craftsmanship is matched by his professionalism. He was very accommodating and was attentive to every last detail and the final piece exceeded my expectations. I would recommend him to everyone and I hope to work with him again in the future.

  • AR

    Ann Russo

    For Pork Only Please
    5.0

    Love, love , love my extra large cutting board. Exactly what I described, we communicated and sent pictures so I could get color and style exactly right. I am ordering two more, beautifully crafted and an amazing value. Thanks for a gorgeous piece that I will love for a very long time.

  • TB

    Traci Berg

    For Breakfast Caddy / Tray In Black Walnut
    5.0

    The final product looks AWESOME!!! I can't wait to give it to our family members who we made it for.

  • AS

    Anya Slepyan

    For Custom Shaped Cutting Board
    5.0

    Jim was fantastic! He was very flexible and willing to make the project more affordable for me, and was clear about all the different stages. I also really appreciated his attention to detail. The final product was beautiful and the recipients really loved it! Thank you, Jim!

  • BV

    Brittany Van Buskirk

    For Brittany's Display box for dried rose
    4.2

    I was looking for a custom made box to display a dried rose and Jim had fantastic ideas to make the box absolutely perfect. His advice for wood type and color of flocking complemented the rose colors perfectly and he suggested a plexiglass slide top that looked very sleek. I asked for the project on too-short notice for Christmas but Jim said he would try to get it done in time anyway. I ended up getting it in the first week of February and didn't get updates on the timeline until I asked. When it was finished, shipping was fast and it was packed very well so there was no damage on the way. I would buy from Jim again for another project but I would make sure that I had at least 2 months before I planned to have it in my hands.

  • DF

    Dave Frischkorn

    For Chef's Pastry Board
    5.0

    I highly recommend Jim. He was easy to work with, very responsive, timely and the finished product was outstanding.

  • CR

    Carrie Rich

    For Carrie's Cutting Board
    5.0

    @shopdogturnery did a FABULOUS job on my cutting board! His professionalism, communication and product was all top notch!

  • PC

    Peter Cardel

    For Walnut Cutting Board End Grain Butcher Block Charcuterie Board
    5.0

    It was a true pleasure working with Jim on this project. He made a spectacular walnut cutting board which I gave as a gift to friends. They loved it!

  • Arlene WildenbergAW

    Arlene Wildenberg

    For Walnut Napkin Holder
    5.0

    Today I received my napkin holder and I love it!! It looks wonderful on my lazy Susan. Jim was very easy to communicate with when I had questions about the project. The results are very professional looking and I will cherish it always. I would highly recommend Jim for any of your custom made projects. Thank you Jim. Arlene

  • LS

    Lonnie Secrist

    For Personalized Man Cave Sign Jmc
    3.7

    Did a great job making the 12 inch x 24 inch sign I ordered but it took 3 months to get it. Unacceptable

  • WB

    Wendy Bennett

    For End-Grain Black Walnut Cutting Board (Butcher Style)
    5.0

    This is artisan-quality work and the communications along the way were pure professional. We gave cutting / charcuterie boards as Christmas gifts and they were received with delight. Next year we'll give one to ourselves! THANKS JIM!!!

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