In the last 20 years, custom millwork has become a dying art. With the growth of do-it-yourself warehouses, fewer and fewer folks are exposed to the skill of—and results produced by—experienced craftsmen in a true lumber mill.

Linwood Wood has been in the Siewers Mill Shop for 20 years as of April 23. His father also worked at Siewers for many years.

Behind a set of swinging doors from the showroom, Siewers has a rare commodity: a 10,000 square foot shop with the tables, tools, machinery, and the team to create “just about anything” out of wood.

When the company began in 1884, Siewers was vertically integrated: they found the trees, cut and planed the lumber, milled any trimwork, and built not only the structure but any part of the building (such as cabinets, windows, moulding, trim, or blinds) that was needed. Although no longer in the construction trade, Siewers has seen a renewal in the types of products requested by customers.

“Back when my dad worked for Siewers, and when I started, the usual order was for doors and cabinets,” according to Linwood Wood, who leads the team of talented men in the mill. “Now, the jobs are more complicated and complex—lots of circle work, some of which is done on the shaper, some on the lathe, and special mouldings.”

Several sets of wooden blinds, made of redwood for durability, lined the wall on a recent visit to the shop.

Hundreds of knives line a wall of Siewers’ millshop. If you need custom moulding or are trying to match a specific profile, the experienced hands at Siewers can produce any style of trim in almost any type of wood.

Complexity doesn’t bother the guys at Siewers—they enjoy it. Although each man has a different specialty, they are all adept at working with wood. With a combined total of 125+ years of experience, the team has learned to depend on each other to get the best results. Charlie is the “door” man, Nick is the “window” wonder, Dug often mans the lathe, Emmett, Johnny (Sr.) and Nate do bill cutting, and Kenny runs the moulding machine. John (Emmett’s son) is helping out all over since he’s in the informal “apprenticeship” period.

Funny stories abound. Nick Pollok observed: “Many times I’ll be working on a project and Emmett will stop, look it over, and say: ‘I don’t care what anybody says, I think you do real good work!’ I’ll respond with ‘Thanks.’ Then I’ll pause, put on an expression of mock indignation, then add, ‘Hey, what does who say?’ We both laugh. Things like that make the day go by better.”

It’s that type of teamwork that leads to great results. When asked what the best thing about working in the mill was, Linwood Wood replied quickly: “The people. They’ve all helped me to learn, and when I started as a helper, I didn’t have any experience, but I’ve picked up a lot.”

To constantly improve productivity and quality is not easy, especially in a custom millwork environment. Mundane tasks, such as sweeping the floor and sharpening the cutters, are shared—the same as job orders and creating a beautiful, hand-crafted circle-top door.

If you want to see “real good work no matter what anybody says!” then ask to see Linwood Wood and all the guys in action…it’s fascinating! y

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Build your library with the largest local selection of specialized books. Siewers carries many items from Taunton Press, a company known for its comprehensive and well-written tomes on craftsmanship and wood-working.

One series of books contains reprints of articles from Fine Woodworking; topics include Proven Shop Tips, Bench Tools, Bending Wood, The Small Workshop,Wood and How to Dry It, and Making and Modifying Machines. Illustrated with drawings and photos, these article collections are a great resource for both novice and experienced woodworkers.

Since the spring weather isn’t quite here as yet, you may also want to pick up a copy of The Workshop Book by Scott Landis. It includes 20 full floor plans for every type of woodworking activity, as well as ideas and construction details for making many useful shop fixtures and accessories. The book also contains a whole chapter on location, and information about wiring, dust collection, lighting, and ways to make your shop safer and more enjoyable. Best of all, hundreds of photographs let you see what other woodworkers across the United States have created for their “dream” workshops. With a complete sourcebook in the back, this text is bound to be an inspiring 216 pages for most woodworkers.

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• Kitchens 47%
• Baths 46%
• Other Interior Work 41%
• Windows 39%
• Room Additions 35%
• Sunrooms 32%

—From the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)

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Nearly 24 million houses in the U.S. are between 16 and 25 years old—prime candidates for remodeling. More than 3 million homes change ownership annually. And, the NARI has found that most homeowners remodel within 18 months of purchase.

Employee anniversaries this quarter (10 or more years at Siewers):

Harry Gaines	13 years
Tim Green	10 years
Joe Grove	24 years
Johnny Herring Sr.	29 years
Nathaniel Reed	11 years
Wendell Scott	10 years

Thank you for your hard work!

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800 consumers were surveyed about large home improvement centers. They said:

1. Lines are too long at cash registers.
2. Stores are too big and confusing. Can’t find what they are looking for.
3. Takes too much time to get in and out of the store.
4. Can’t find advertised items.
5. Related items are not near each other.
6. Can’t find items I expect them to carry.
7. Not enough employees to help some of the time, particularly on weekends.
8. Advertised items are out of stock.
9. Returning a purchase takes too much time.
10. No one to help me get my purchases to my car.

—Reprinted courtesy of Virginia Building Material Association (VBMA) News, November 1997

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Unlike the “big boxes” described above, Siewers was built on service. You can ask questions—and get answers—from our experienced sales staff (the average length of service is 15 years!). If we don’t have what you need, we’ll help you find it—even if it means recommending a competitor. Always bring us your plans—we will assist you by providing quick and accurate millwork estimates.

Do you need to know exactly when your materials are going to arrive? Call Siewers at 358-2103 for on-time jobsite delivery in 24 hours. If you have an emergency, we can often deliver your order even faster. We’ll also be happy to put the materials where you want them. Our seasoned drivers always cover your order with a tarp to help protect your lumber… just another reason to continue to use Siewers. We know that quality is important—and we’re out to prove it.

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As late summer 1825 approached, David Douglas, a 27-year-old Scots naturalist, stood on the deck of the William and Ann and stared in amazement at the endless forest of evergreens that stretched inland from Oregon’s Pacific coast. Douglas went ashore on an exploring mission, and by September 26, 1825, he was in the vicinity of today’s town of Roseburg. His goal was to find samples of the giant sugar pine tree that grew so profusely in the area. About an hour out of camp, Douglas was met by an Indian who “strung his bow and placed on his left arm a sleeve of raccoon skin and stood ready on the defense.” The naturalist quickly assured the Indian that he was not hostile by laying his rifle on the ground in front of him. He then made a rough sketch of the pine cones he was after and the Indian pointed him in the right direction to find a grove of the pines. Douglas later became known as the namesake for the magnificent Douglas fir.

—reprinted courtesy of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association

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Attention CAD users! Siewers‘ Moulding Booklet is available on CD-ROM—just ask.

Defined in Webster’s as “a decorative recessed or relieved surface or curved strip used for ornamentation or finishing,” mouldings (or moldings) come in various profiles or shapes. First noticed in designs of the ancient Greeks, mouldings were often considered an architectural statement that defined the wealth of the builder. When the gilded Victorian era passed, the U.S. focused on the Great Depression and then World War II. Elegant mouldings were left behind.During the resurgence of restoration of period homes, mouldings have once again been recognized as an important part of recreating a room’s opulence. And in Richmond, numerous mouldings were originally created at Siewers.With over 200 profiles on display, Siewers has the most complete selection of mouldings in Central Virginia. In the free “Moulding Booklet,” you’ll find actual size profiles of crown, dentil, bed, cove, quarter round, panel, chair rail, mullion, beaded base, ranch base, 3 member base, base cap, sash bead, and colonial trim, just to name a few. Most mouldings are available in length from 4 ft. to 16 ft. If you don’t see what you need, Siewer’s custom millwork shop can create what you need—to fit your project perfectly.

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