Our exceptionally skilled carpenters handcraft our timber frames. Here at Carpenter Oak, we have one quiet and reserved carpenter who moves about his day maintaining and fixing our high-quality tools.
Jono’s first experience of Carpenter Oak involved him voluntarily planting new hedgerows with some friends located at our Devon yard. Drawn in by our friendly team of people, family ethos and a rumour that the carpentry team was expanding, Jono was quick to rustle up a CV and joined the team.
As with all new carpenters, Jono was handed through the senior carpenters to learn their extensive knowledge. Interested in unusual machinery since childhood and having studied engineering, Jono naturally found himself repairing and maintaining tools while carrying out his carpentry. With the growth of the company, Jono spent more time repairing and maintaining and eventually his role evolved into full-time fixer of all things.
Carpenter Oak’s investment in expensive, high quality, infinitely repairable tools has meant that with Jono’s help, they have lasted 30 years and will continue to last for years to come. Providing our carpenters with well-constructed tools helps to minimise our carbon footprint while best equipping them for the job.
Putting to work his interest and home study of Forensic Investigation enables Jono to discover the failings of the tools, be that misuse or general wear and tear. His findings educate our carpenters, ensuring their safety and the longevity of the tools.
Over the years a stock of spares has been collected, based on Jono’s experience of tools that need to be maintained regularly or have particular failings. With knowledge built over a lifetime of deconstructing things and putting them back together, even taking things apart that are designed not to be, and fixing them anyway, Jono’s work keeps our carpenters safe and our production on time, he is an integral part of our team.
The fixing of things helps to promote a more sustainable lifestyle. With high consumerism and products that are cheaper to replace than fix, the art of repair has become somewhat forgotten. With a need to re-address how and what we consume there is a move towards maintaining products we have invested in.
Pop up repair cafes are promoting the repair revolution. Run by volunteers, they hold regular events where, for a small donation, you can learn the skills to fix your things. Alternatively, if you’re not that practical, you can commission someone there to do it for you. With over 1,600 repair cafes in 33 countries and on every continent, there should be one near you. Alternatively, there are internet sites such as iFixit ‘The free repair guide for everything, written by everyone.’
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