Nico Laurent
Team Leader
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2005
Interview with Nico
What is the best project you have worked on and why?
The Barn, a balcony curved in plan and elevation over two floors. I liked it because it was out of the ordinary and tricky to make
When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?
Hill walking, rock climbing, riding my motorbike.
If stranded on a desert island, which three people would you take and why?
My best pal Geatan for fun, Bear Grylls could be handy, Billy Connolly for entertainment
What music do you listen to?
AC/DC, Captain Beefheart, The Clash
What is the best comedy film ever made?
The Life of Brian
What do you enjoy most about working with wood/oak?
The warmth of the material, the fact it’s renewable and that with basic tools and your hands you can transform it into something practical and beautiful.
Do you have a favourite quote?
‘Theory is a treasure whose practice is key’
Where is your favourite place in the world?
Fairy Glen, Skye
Biography
At the age of fifteen, influenced by my father, I decided to follow an apprenticeship as a timber framer in the Compagnons, a French trade school. I’ve been learning for the following eleven years, by travelling over France, changing yards every six months to see different ways of framing and taking evening and weekend training, doing models and drawings. Over this period, I went for a year in Sint Marteen in the Caribbean, to learn how to build storm-resistant structures. I had to stop framing for a year to serve in the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment where I did my time in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. In the last year of my training, motivated to learn English and through a friend who worked for Carpenter Oak, I came to Scotland, originally for a year’s experience, in 2005. I was offered to stay, so I’ve been working in Scotland ever since, enjoying the yard and the country.
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Dunstan Hodder
Carpenter
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2014
Interview with Dunstan Hodder
If you had to pick one, which is your favourite Carpenter Oak project and why?
The Bus Shelter in East Portlemouth
When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?
Making furniture, drinking beer and being out and about in the great outdoors
If stranded on a desert island, which three people would you take and why?
My family
What is the most embarrassing job you have ever had?
Turkey plucker
What music do you listen to?
Both kinds: country and western
Where is your favourite place in the world?
Home
Biography
I moved down to Carpenter Oak from Bristol in 2014, just before my second little one was born. This is an amazing part of the world to live, work and raise a family. Carpenter Oak is a great place to work, there’s great people with tons of experience, who love what they do.
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Dan Strutt
Glazing
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2015
Interview with Dan Strutt
Which is your favourite Carpenter Oak project?
The first frame I co-built and put up
If stranded on a desert Island, which three people would you take and why?
Ryan Stoneman – the only person on the Carpenter Oak fishing trip to catch anything
What is the best comedy film ever made?
Airplane!/Naked Gun – Comedy gold and the same bad jokes as me.
What do you enjoy most about working at Carpenter Oak?
Being on a project from start to finish and then going to see what you have made get raised – very satisfying.
Where is your favourite place in the world?
It would have to be at home with my family
What do you enjoy doing when not in the yard?
Oil painting, especially seascapes and local places, surfing around Devon and Cornwall. I think my favourite thing though is going down the river Dart on my boat, lighting fires on the banks, fishing, camping with my family, being outdoors.
What is the most embarrassing job you have ever had?
Not sure it’s embarrassing but the worst job I’ve had is when I was young and working in a milk factory. Everything smelt of milk, I smelt of milk the whole time, it was mind numbingly boring. Actually an embarrassing job is any concerning a uniform with a baseball cap because it makes my ears stick out. Woodlands had baseball caps.
what sort of music do you enjoy listening to?
I have a very broad taste in music, everything from classic rock to classical. My wife has an ipod full of terrible pop music, which she sometimes leaves in the car. I quite enjoy listening to that too…
Biography
I was born in New Zealand and lived in Nigeria before my family moved to Totnes in South Devon. I went to Dartington primary and then on to KEVICCs, and of course did the obligatory Totnes stint working at Woodlands. I’ve always enjoyed creating things, be it building or painting and I do think that generally people’s careers follow their instincts, for me that has been carpentry. I worked in the joinery shop of a company building motor caravans for 15 years, where I was part of the design, cut, and machine process. For years, Jono at Carpenter Oak had been saying I’d really enjoy it here and eventually when the time was right for a change there was a position available. I have now been at Carpenter Oak since 2015. My roles are carpentry and glazing, which we offer within the Devon and Cornwall area. It is a good balance doing both and is nice to have the variation, it keeps things fresh and interesting.
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Matt Ralph
Carpenter
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2015
Interview with Matt Ralph
Which is your favourite Carpenter Oak project?
Husabost/Bennett – built an interesting roundall roof, great site location on the Isle of Skye with some ace clients
Do you have a favourite quote?
‘Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen’ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Biography
Surrounded by timber framed buildings as a child growing up on my parent’s farm in the Weald of Kent made a lasting impression on me. Moving into timber framing seemed like a natural choice aert completing a City and Guilds qualification in 2014. Great people, interesting work – I feel lucky to have found Carpenter Oak.
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Tristan Appleby
Project Manager
Joined Carpenter Oak: 2007
Interview with Tristan
What is the best project you have worked on and why?
Bachelor. I built the frame and the spiral stairs. It took almost a year of my life but it is an amazing house.
When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?
Reading, snooker, socialising, fishing (I have a boat) and did I mention I have a boat?
If stranded on a desert island which three people would you take and why?
Bill Bailey to keep me amused, Keith Floyd to keep me well fed and amused and Ray Mears (Someone has to find the food!!!)
Which three people would be in your dream carpentry team and why?
Salvador Dali for design, John Brown who is an amazing chair maker (so good with wood) and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, lets see how good you are with wood!
Biography
I am here in Devon working for Carpenter Oak as a conscious life style choice, having lived in the south east for ten years working as a carpenter, and later a framer. When the chance came up to re-locate and work for Carpenter Oak I jumped at it, the opportunity to build really good structures (there are frames and then there are Frames!) to live so close to the coast, the river Dart, Dartmoor and the more relaxed approach to life we have here in Devon was too good to miss. The thing I like most about the company is the amazing amount of knowledge and experience contained within it which has both allowed me to grow and flourish as a framer. As I said before I am still loving the life!
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