Jacob Wood
Carpenter
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2015
Interview with Jacob Wood
What do you enjoy doing when not in the workshop?
Bird watching with my partner, I go locally but I’ve been bird watching all over the place from the Hebrides to the Scilly Isles.
What sort of music do you enjoy listening to?
I really like reggae and ska and also some older stuff like The Beatles and The Kinks.
Best thing about working at Carpenter Oak?
The people, everyone is great and the atmosphere here is really nice.
Biography
I started working for Carpenter Oak in 2015 after finishing 6th-form in Totnes. Since then I have been learning a lot about carpentry and worked on some amazing frames. The most interesting was on building I worked on with Ben which had a curved pitched roof like a segment of an amphitheatre which made for some complex geometry and carpentry.
I live near Stoke Gabriel with my wife Daisy and two little boys, Sollie and Casper. I like to spend time camping and being on the river with my family and friends. I also enjoy spending my out time looking for unusual birds and insects whilst out walking on the coast and moor.
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Iain Stevenson
Carpenter
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2018
At the age of 20 I went on a carpentry training course, allowing me to be self employed for 30 years before moving to Carpenter Oak in 2007.
Interview with Iain
What is the best project you have worked on and why?
Brixton Department Store – everything about the project was awesome and the end result was one of a kind.
When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?
Listening to music and cooking
If stranded on a desert island, which three people would you take and why?
Jack Dee for obvious reasons, myself to build shelter and Bear Grylls to do the hunting for food.
Which three people would be in your dream Carpentry team and why?
Jesus (he was a carpenter!) Noah (he built and ark so probably pretty good) and Tommy Walsh from Grand Force
What is the most embarrassing job you’ve ever had?
Delivery driver
What music do you listen to?
Rock, reggae and blues
What is the best comedy film ever made?
The Guard
What do you enjoy most about working with oak/wood?
Job satisfaction
Where is your favourite place in the world?
My garden
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Nikki Roorda
Carpenter
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2017
Interview with Nikki Roorda
Favourite project you’ve worked on and why?
Raising a frame on the Isle of Skye! Stunning location, great team to work with, lovely people to work for, interesting nicknames on site, daily invasion of Scottish sheep at our accommodation, sweet local beers and plenty of rain to keep the midges at bay! Totally worth the lengthy road trip from down south up north and back.
When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?
Going for walks and swims in places that feel like nature, making things (and occasionally breaking them), growing greenness, poetry – and many other things that I rarely find time for.
Biography
Originally from the Netherlands, but gone in various directions in this world doing a variety of things over the past decade or so. A longstanding wish to develop woodworking skills started taking shape more and more a few years ago when I got involved in a furniture-making project with lovely people working on a big order for green ashwood lathback chairs in Wales. Then a short informal apprenticeship in timber framing using proper old school hand tools. I knew the crafty master from before, when working on a building site in Spain where we were renovating old pheasant farm houses and living the off-grid life in the beautiful rugged mountains of the Pyrenees. From there things really got going and now I am here at Carpenter Oak!
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Will Aikman
Carpenter
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2014
Interview with Will Aikman
Favourite timber frame joint:
I’ve done some hips with dragon beams recently, which has been fun.
Best project you’ve worked on?
Moss – Great frame on an island on the Thames, with great weather and great clients.
What music are you listening to in the yard?
Tom K and I recently had an excellent 90s indie revival
When not in the yard what do you enjoy doing?
Surfing, triathlons, playing with my son.
Which three colleagues would you take to a desert island?
Assuming there’s great waves on this island I’d take Don to go surfing with, then Matt Q has got some pretty good outdoor survival skills so would come in handy. And Sarah to keep us in check and look after us all.
Which colleagues would be in your dream carpentry team?
That’s tough. Everyone’s great in different ways. Alan usually has biscuits with him so that’s always good.
What do you enjoy most about working with wood?
NOT leaving wood chips all over our house and getting in trouble with my wife
What is the best comedy film ever made?
Super Troopers
Where is your favourite place in the world?
Karijini, Western Australia
Biography
I was born in Perth in Western Australia but grew up in Cambridge. After studying Psychology at Swansea University I moved to North Devon in pursuit of waves. I worked as a surf instructor for seven years, allowing me to surf and travel all over the world. I began training and working as a carpenter in 2007. We lived in Australia for 4 years before returning to the UK to get married in 2013. While traveling in Canada I realised my passion for timber framing by completing a introductory training course. Upon our return I got in touch with Carpenter Oak and a month later we made the move from North to South Devon. We now live in beautiful Kingsbridge where we bought a house in 2016 and our son was born in 2017.
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