Sawdust and smiles, that is what sets this father-daughter duo apart.
Over the past 10 years Doug McGregor and Rachel Hogan have been transforming everything from felled trees to old church pews into handmade homewares.
While both trained as teachers, Mr McGregor and Ms Hogan spend their spare time in their workshop nestled in the Warby Ranges of north-east Victoria.
Just a few steps away lies Mr McGregor’s timber trove.
“I’ve been collecting wood for decades with a view to using it in retirement,” he said.
“So I’ve got — pardon the pun — quite a backlog of timber.”
Trash to treasure
But Mr McGregor said it was not your average woodpile.
“Our timber comes from trees which might be off a council road or from people’s backyards,” he said.
“Another good source of timber is recycled furniture.
“Take this old church pew, for example. It looks like rubbish but is New Zealand kauri wood which you can’t buy because it’s a threatened species.”
With some gluing, sawing, and sanding, Mr McGregor will turn this into a cheese or chopping board to be sold at their farmers market stall.
Doug McGregor uses wood from things like old church pews to create handmade timber products. (ABC Rural: Faith Tabalujan)
Ms Hogan said the trash-to-treasure ethos was at the heart of their business.
“For me it’s important we’re not chopping trees down … so our business model is based on using up what we’ve got,” she said.
“Even with all the scraps, we might glue them together for another use, put them in the wood fire, or scatter them in the chook yard.”
But Mr McGregor said sustainability was not always a priority.
“In the early days I just wanted cheap timber because you can’t turn commercial wood into a product and sell it at any sort of profit,” he said.
“When Rachel and I decided to go into business together, she was the one who said ‘let’s market the narrative of using salvaged wood’.”
More than a hobby
Ms Hogan said she came up with the idea after looking around her lounge room.
“I’d been wanting new timber products for my house, and also felt timber was going through a bit of a resurgence,” she said.
“So I figured it was time to re-energise the pens and children’s toys my dad was making and focus on products which would both sell and last long.
“So I gave a mini Shark Tank pitch to my dad with the marketing plan, logo, and product ideas, and we went from there.”
In his ten years as a woodworker, Adam Markowitz has seen more young people and women pick up the craft. (Supplied: Ben Clement)
According to Victorian Woodworkers Association (VWA) vice-president Adam Markowitz they are among a growing number of woodworkers selling their products for profit.
“People are picking up woodworking, both professionally and as a hobby,” he said.
“We’ve previously had difficulty filling our VWA classes, but now they’re booking out well in advance and we’re struggling to keep up.”
Tackling fast furniture
Mr Markowitz said job dissatisfaction could be one reason.
“In woodworking the only thing between your idea and a finished product is your own two hands,” he said.
“So it’s much more rewarding than pushing paper in an office.”
He said sustainability was also a major drawcard.
“There’s a growing frustration with our throwaway society where things like fast fashion and fast furniture aren’t made to last,” he said.
“Craftspeople have the opposite view — that if you make things properly they should outlast you.”
Interest in woodworking as both a profession and hobby is growing. (Supplied: Ben Clement)
Ms Hogan said there were multiple benefits of using salvaged wood.
“The beauty is you end up with a whole variety of timbers you can’t buy commercially, so we’ve got specimen trees like Chinese elm, walnut, chestnut, et cetera,” she said.
“And people like seeing all their different colours and textures.”
Handcrafted items, particularly those made from salvaged materials, take more time and money to produce.
But Mr Markowitz said it was more about connecting the consumer with the craft.
“Woodworkers are more concerned about making things properly, not making lots of money, so it can be challenging to get people to understand what their work is worth,” he said.
“When you engage with a local craftsperson to commission a piece of furniture you have a relationship with both the material and the maker.
“There’s a value in that which you can’t just get off a shelf.”
Like father, like daughter
Mr McGregor said he was glad they shifted towards sustainability.
“Rachel knew what would sell and what was worth making, and she stopped me from making things nobody wanted,” he said.
“And it just works because I beaver myself up in the shed while Rachel gets the product out in front of people.”
Ms Hogan said that had not always been smooth sailing.
“My dad and I are both quite stubborn and assertive so we’ve had a few arguments, but have come out the other side much stronger,” she said.
Rachel Hogan and Doug McGregor sell their handcrafted products under their Warby Wood brand. (ABC Rural: Faith Tabalujan)
Mr McGregor agreed, but said he would not have it any other way.
“If we’d been strangers or just business partners we probably would’ve offended each other and that would’ve been the end of it,” he said.
“But any father would feel blessed to work alongside his daughter, and that’s the way I feel too.”
