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A renowned woodworker who has been in business for 30 years recently moved to East Lewis County.
Bill Cornwell, of The Shaker Craftsman in Randle, is a highly experienced furniture maker who was once nominated for the Smithsonian for his woodworking ability. He has customers across the United States and the world.
Cornwell uses traditional joinery methods while carefully selecting wood from historic structures.
Last October, the Cornwells moved to Randle from Yakima, where they had a shop for the past 15 years.
Originally from a small town in Virginia, Cornwell said Randle reminded him of home.
“We have been driving by our current location for years, and the area has always appealed to me,” Cornwell said.
The Shaker Craftsman’s former building in Yakima went up for sale, and the Cornwells decided against purchasing it due to the increasing crime rate and a desire to be closer to the west side.
The showroom is up and running in Randle, where people can visit and take a look at Cornwell’s farm tables, beds, dressers and even historic, hand-hewn beams used for fireplace mantles. Cornwell gets wood from historic structures across the U.S., some dating back to the late-1600s.
The company’s Douglas fir comes from Oregon structures dated 1925 and older.
“We are very picky about our wood here,” Cornwell said. “Our structures must be dated 1925 and older to obtain the first-generation Doug fir lumber we use for our furniture. The wood is denser than today’s fir, making it harder and having lots of character from years of use. Our shop also carries two wood species that have been deemed extinct: heartpine, the original source of turpentine, and American chestnut that was wiped out by a historic blight.”
“I like the uniqueness of the wood, new or old,” Cornwell said. “I can see a stack of wood and see an opportunity to make something unique and one of a kind that I know will stand the test of time. I am very picky about the construction, and I expect these pieces to be around for tomorrow’s antiques.”
Cornwell’s dad was a mechanic as he grew up in Arkansas, and the craftsman always thought he would follow in his father’s footsteps. The Cornwells married at a very early age, and Bill went to work sweeping floors in a cabinet shop. They gradually gave him more projects to do, and he realized he had a knack for woodworking.
The Cornwells started their family, and Bill continued to work for a cabinet shop but was constantly being laid off during certain times of the year. After being laid off one time, a lady from their church had a barn that needed to come down. The owner said that Cornwell could have the lumber to sell or do whatever he wanted to do with it. Cornwell started building birdhouses and then advanced to chimney cabinets and tables.
Cornwell taught himself the old joinery skills passed down for centuries. These techniques were more enjoyable to him than the mass-produced style of cabinetry.
“Our furniture is more like a one-of-a-kind art piece, highly functional but nothing like what your neighbor has,” Cornwell said.
He uses new wood such as maple, black cherry, black walnut, mahogany, and other wood species, but the old wood appeals to him more.
“Just knowing that George Washington stood on the boards in my table is incredible. We spend hours researching the structures that we purchase, and we pass all of that history on to our customers,” Cornwell said. “Many structures have incredible histories that time has forgotten. The barns and houses have been forgotten, but we can pass that history on through our furniture to be enjoyed again and more memories made.”
Cornwell uses hand-cut dovetails, spline joints, mortise and tenon joints, just to name a few.
“All of my pieces are hand-planned,” Cornwell said. “The tops rarely see a planer. Our furniture does not come apart, and all joints are pegged.”
A lot of joints seen in modern furniture are screwed together, and a peg covers that. Cornwell said his furniture is made with no screws or nails.
Over a short period of time, Cornwell’s work has garnered praise and attention. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Log Home Living, and Country Living magazine, just to name a few. Cornwell also said two American presidents own his furniture, and he has several other influential customers.
In 2003, the Cornwells moved their shop to Yakima.
“It was surprising in a way to us how many people did not know what Shaker-style furniture was,” he said.
In today’s age of mass-produced furniture, Cornwell said it is easy to forget the work that went into what are now considered antiques. Knowledge of the techniques that created them is disappearing.
Cornwell’s furniture is more expensive than mass-produced furniture, but the Cornwells guarantee it will last a lifetime with proper care.
The average price range for a table is around $1,000.00, depending on the size and wood. While Cornwell prefers old wood, he can construct high-end, museum-quality pieces.
“I like for everyone to be able to afford my furniture,” Cornwell said.
Since there is historical significance in Cornwell's work, each piece is signed, numbered and dated, and histories are included.
Every day is a new challenge for Bill; each board has to be looked at for the grain pattern or character of the wood.
“Some wood that looks good for other furniture builders is discarded because it does not have that certain look that it needs for whatever piece I am currently working on,” Cornwell said, adding that this becomes a unique challenge. “I love a piece that has multiple joints that come together simultaneously, like dressers; it all fits together like a big puzzle.”
Cornwell’s favorite part is seeing the expression on a customer's faces when they see their furniture for the first time. They are often ecstatic about the quality and appreciate the hard work and time it took to make their special piece.
“I like well-made joints, and I like to make that visible,” Cornwell said. “People can see how it’s all put together, and they can understand and appreciate it more.”
The business is located at 263 Silverbrook Road in Randle.
More information about The Shaker Craftsman can be found at www.theshakercraftsman.com.
