About
I remember the moment I stepped into his shop like it was yesterday. Hundreds of furniture patterns lined the walls, classic machinery arranged all around, well worn hand tools laying beside artsy furniture parts on workbenches, and ahhh, the wonderful fragrance of antiquity. At the center of it all was the talented and gracious, then 73 yr old master craftsman Preston “Pug” Moore.
The story of Epic Woodworking began that day. My wife Kris and I had recently moved to North Carolina so I could apprentice as a woodworker. We weren’t exactly sure how it was all going to work out, but the first time I stepped into Pug’s cabinet shop in 1990, I knew I had indeed discovered what I was made to do.
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The story of Epic Woodworking began that day. My wife Kris and I had recently moved to North Carolina so I could apprentice as a woodworker. We weren’t exactly how it was all going to work out, but the first time I stepped into Pug’s cabinet shop in 1990, I knew I had indeed discovered what I was made to do.
What followed were three years of the most enjoyable days I would know in a workshop. Out of the passion of his big heart, and 55 years of experience, Mr. Moore taught me to appreciate the wonder of traditional furniture design and construction, along with countless life lessons.
My skills and love for the craft flourished over the next several years. I relished the privilege of make many pieces for clients working off the foundation I learned from Mr. Moore. Having a mentor like Pug moved me forward so much further and faster than I could have gone alone — and sharing the experience together was also a lot more fun.
Some 10 years after my time with Pug, and following a move back to our native New England in late 1997, I began to crave the opportunity to share with other woodworkers something of the rich experience I had known in my apprenticeship. It’s in that spirit that we started hosting classes at our shop, and since 2016, via live Online Courses as well.
Our most recent addition is a weekly livestream called Shop Night Live. My wife Kris and I (aka The Camera Lady) streamed the first episode in March 2019 and it’s still going strong. You can catch us there every Thursday at 8 pm EST. Each week the live link is provided at epicwoodworking.com/SNL. If you can’t join us live, all the episodes are archived. at our Epic Woodworking YouTube channel.
Through Epic Woodworking I open my shop doors to people who like me, simply love woodworking, particularly making furniture. Step in for a while — whether onsite or online — take your place at a workbench, and share some creative moments, as together we take to heart crafting a story in wood.
As you’ll see highlighted throughout our site, my aim is not to simply teach you to make furniture, but to reveal and inspire the artist inside of you.
Glad you’re here,
Tom
Bio
Tom has been making and designing commissioned custom furniture since 1990. After years of higher education in his twenties, he decided at 29 to pursue his love for fine furniture making full-time. His training launched forward when he e
ntered a rare apprenticeship with master craftsman P.A. “Pug” Moore in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tom remained close to Pug, even after branching out on his own, which included returning to his native New England roots where he’s been making furniture and teaching since 1997.
Credentials include:
- Host of PBS TV’s Classic Woodworking, also available on Amazon Prime.
- Offering instruction since 1998
- Member and former Chairman of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters since 1998
- Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine number of times.
- Featured in articles in numerous newspapers, magazines, and woodworking journals
Click on the images at right to view Tom’s Portfolio, career Timeline, and presence In the Media, as well as read student Testimonials over the years.
“Furnituremaking is a calling, a way of life. No one gets into it as a means toward getting rich. I can’t believe I get to do this every day. I love being in the shop, breathing the spicy aromas of freshly sawn wood, absorbed in the process and filled with anticipation as raw materials are shaped into useful form.” ~ Tom McLaughlin, 2001