Kenneth Lipowski

Kenneth Lipowski

Puddle Town Woodworking

Sandy, OR
Member since: 2011
4.9
39 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 started my business Puddle Town Woodworking over 20 years ago, specializing in one of kind creations.

Frustrated with the quality and craftsmanship of imported furnishings at a low cost, I feel that America has been "conditioned" for lack of a better term, to trade-off quality over lower prices. My furniture is completely the opposite as much time and heart goes into each piece I make. I "over engineer" each piece to last a lifetime and make the piece to be handed down or repurposed, hopefully avoiding the landfill. This simply can't be done with the imported particle board items which have been made with recycled materials already.

The beautiful thing is I get to make your “dream a reality” I enjoy the process of working with consumers as well as professional designers in making their vision come to life! Just like the author J.K Rowling whom created a series of books from a simple concept written on a napkin, I’ve created pieces from similar simple drawings or ideas.

Your project in connection with my experience will create beautiful pieces!

On a personal note: I'm a married family man with 2 daughters, one going into her third year of college and the youngest entering her second year of college. We live in the country and I wouldn't change that for the world! I also enjoy music and playing guitar especially sitting around with my girls and all playing music together! In my “off” time, I volunteer for an organization that provides services to low-income elderly homeowners who may need modifications such as a ramp built for their wheelchair or grab bars installed in their shower. It’s moments like those that make life worth while!

God Bless,
Kenny

SHOP RATES/ FEES:

I assess each individual project based on firstly time, complexity and then materials. My labor rate is $35hr. What a customer receives for this rate is "personal" attention and clarity for the end product. This rate also maintains the shop equipment, pays the electricity and the many other ancillary items, (blade sharpening/ replacement, adhesives, fasteners, finishing supplies, fuel to pick up materials and a myriad of other things that is involved in running a one-man woodworking shop.

CustomMade.com also receives a 12.7% commission for acceptance of any proposals accepted on this site. In comparison to what a consumer MAY be able to purchase from a furniture store, and the pricing associated, isn't realistic comparatively to having a piece custom tailored to their space and requirements. Heirloom sustainable quality is what you will receive.

DISCLAIMER:

Wood as a product of nature is what is known as hydroscopic. What this means is that for example, if you had a handful of drinking straws, the moisture that the tree receives as it's growing would be through these straws. When the tree is cut and milled these straws will be exposed to the environment and the moisture that was once in the tree slowly evaporates mostly through these 'straws'. However evaporation can also happen through the wall of the straw. For hardwood like maple, oak, cherry etc. the wood usually goes through a 'kiln drying' process where the wood is exposed to heat and humidity, which is slowly reduced over a period of time down to a relative moisture content of 6 - 8%. This prevents or minimizes cracking which can happen due to stress that the tree may have been exposed to as it was growing.

Now that the wood has been dried, one has to keep in mind that those 'straws' are still there and are somewhat hollow, with the ends exposed to the temperature and relative humidity around it. With this exposure, the wood will acclimate to it's environment, taking in moisture and expelling moisture associated with it's ambient surroundings. What this process does is allow the wood to expand and contract ever so slightly over the course of the four seasons which is dependent upon where in the USA the furniture will reside. Although this movement is minimal and the wood has been 'worked' within the acceptable moisture content of 6 - 8%, one may see or more likely feel a slight distortion where two pieces of wood have been joined together. This is considered normal and acceptable as there is little that can be done to stop this process. However adding a good quality finish will slow the process, but stopping it altogether is almost impossible.

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More from this maker

55 products

What people are saying

4.9
(39)
  • T

    Tabitha

    For Fritz Hansen Essay Dining Table
    5.0

    This was my first time working through Custom Made and with Puddle Town Woodworking. I selected Kenny based on his reviews and the quality / complexity of the projects he has worked on.

    Kenny was absolutely perfect to work with. He communicated timely and frequently, and was very patient with me on questions I had regarding the Custom Made process. I'm very particular, and he was great a listening and collaborating with me on the materials and design of our dining table.

    The results are spectacular - Kenny was asked to create a replica of a $$$$ designer table and he created a beauty. It is exactly as we discussed, and beautifully crafted. Delivery was a dream - blanket wrapped, on time, and well cared for during the journey.

    I look forward to having Kenny work on other projects in the future.

  • CP

    Cindy Perry

    For Barstool
    5.0

    I am very pleased with the final product.I've also received many compliments and inquiries about my new stools. I found the experience of working with Puddle Town Woodworking very satisfying. This maker was extremely helpful and patient with me as I learned how to navigate this process. He was willing to answer questions, send explanations, and guide me every step of the way! I still can't believe I saw a picture of what I wanted and now I look out at my kitchen island and there it is, kind of amazing! Thank you Kenny Lipowski from a very satisfied customer.

  • Tess CychoszTC

    Tess Cychosz

    For Table
    4.5

    Kenny is certainly a master woodworker! CustomMade commissioned him for our community table and it is amazing. Kenny was great at balancing our vision and making his own recommendations to create a beautiful end product. Since he knew this table was going to get a lot of use, it is ROCK SOLID and we're pretty sure if a bomb was dropped on Boston this table would remain! My only qualm was it took him a while to get going on the project, but when you have skills like his, I can see why his time is in demand. Thanks Kenny - CustomMade loves our new table and we'll be using it for many years to come.

  • M

    Marty

    For Wine Room
    5.0

    Kenny was wonderful to work with and was considerate with our timing and the many changes we made along the way. We are pleased with his craftsmanship and quality. We will assuredly use him again.

  • JS

    Jeff Schaal

    For Jeff Schaal's Simple pedestal desk with drawers
    4.8

    The custom cherry desk I ordered from Kenny resulted in a beautiful piece of furniture that fits perfectly in my small condo. The fit, form, and construction quality were excellent. His attention to detail is great. I would definitely work with Kenny again.

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