My name is Luke Cushman and I am a woodworker from Old Town, Maine. I specialize in custom furniture and cabinetry, staircases, and architectural trimwork. My pieces are built to last many generations using traditional techniques intermixed with innovative technology, keeping quality in all aspects as my priority. Aside from some casework and architectural pieces where engineered wood may benefit, all of my work is completed using solid hard and softwoods, most of which is harvested locally or from sustainable forests.My products are built in sync with the early American craftsmen: they are crafted, assembled and finished by myself, and personally delivered (within driving distance) to the customer if built in the shop. Components of large projects such as architectural facades are fabricated in the shop, then assembled on site.
Finishes can be specified by the customer; on my furniture I normally use a boiled linseed oil/wax/varnish combination to bring out the beauty of the wood and place a durable and renewable finish on the piece. With staircases and architectural trimwork, a client may have someone in mind to put finish on my work. This is normally fine, but I will always suggest some of my own contacts whose work complements mine. Many times, as in staircases or balustrades, I can pre-finish parts in the shop before delivery to the site.
Quality and craftsmanship are my goals with every piece I complete. I use traditional hand- and machine-cut joinery techniques in furniture and cases to strengthen places that often fail in store-bought pieces. Much of the joinery is allowed to be seen in the wood, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but gives a sense of structure to the piece. My standards for strength and durability will allow my work to sustain the conditions of everyday use.Every single piece built is unique from the last, custom made to the individuals’ preferences, and built in harmony with the environment it is intended. Every part of my work is set apart from the mass-production of so much woodwork today. It is an investment in tradition and quality that can be appreciated by those who are looking for something different. It is a choice to own a product that will last for many lifetimes.
