Barn Owl Woodworking

Barn Owl Woodworking We use re-purposed materials along with new wood to develop unique pieces of furniture. His inspiration comes from these broken pieces.

Drawn in by the texture and depth of wood, Matthew Huber (chief rabble-rouser of Barn Owl Woodworking) found himself joining his father turning tables and crafts in the basement workshop of their Wisconsin home. Building furniture that is sculptural rather than functional in design, from a travelling workshop of hand tools and small power tools, Matthew begins the process by finding material and t

hen discovering from the wood itself what can be made. The western world is cluttered with discarded wood; pallets, old furniture, or green waste. By using reclaimed and repurposed material, it is a story of redemption the wood is telling. There is spiritual value in shaping something broken, discarded and forgotten for a new purpose. His designs are often limited to the material at hand. The limitations suggest a more difficult labor, but they simply allow for more creativity. Matthew prefers to work with hand tools, allowing him to work alongside others and enjoy a conversation through the work. Made of durable materials like wood, steel and brass, a selection of his tools are nearly 100 years old. They have history and memory, allowing his work to fit within a longer story. Matthew has received no formal training outside of the basement workshop sessions with his father. He was a non-resident artist of the Arts Incubator of Kansas City, Missouri where he exhibited a reclaimed maple and scrap-wood bed bench and initial pieces from his two-year-long project, The Piano Wall. His work – including the Piano Wall – is on display in Kansas City. Originally from the United States, Matthew currently lives in Dublin, Ireland with his wife and three children.

I'm working on a wider version of my chair.
11/06/2019

I'm working on a wider version of my chair.

I finished up some Adirondack chairs this week. The chairs are made from shipping pallets. I love reusing something that...
26/05/2019

I finished up some Adirondack chairs this week. The chairs are made from shipping pallets. I love reusing something that would otherwise be thrown away.

28/10/2017

I'm thinking about running a "Viking Sword and Shield" workshop in November or early December. Who's interested?

I'm working on a chimney cupboard and a side board made from from reclaimed cabinets and reclaimed pallet wood.
01/06/2017

I'm working on a chimney cupboard and a side board made from from reclaimed cabinets and reclaimed pallet wood.

I'm starting a new table. Reclaimed pine and a steel base. It will have a bit of an industrial look. 78cm x 310cm (2'7" ...
27/04/2017

I'm starting a new table. Reclaimed pine and a steel base. It will have a bit of an industrial look. 78cm x 310cm (2'7" x 10'2").

I finally finished this bookshelf. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Reclaimed Douglas fir with oil finish
21/11/2016

I finally finished this bookshelf. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Reclaimed Douglas fir with oil finish

I really like using a machinist vise. But I need it to be more versitle so I decided to build a swivel mount for it. The...
12/11/2016

I really like using a machinist vise. But I need it to be more versitle so I decided to build a swivel mount for it. The "bearings" are 1/2 in thick solid aluminum rod.

I had to build a new workbench for my space at Block T. Its mostly done, only needs the leg vise.
12/11/2016

I had to build a new workbench for my space at Block T. Its mostly done, only needs the leg vise.

I'm working on prototypes for an adirondak chair made from pallets for a class I'm teaching next month at Block T.
05/09/2016

I'm working on prototypes for an adirondak chair made from pallets for a class I'm teaching next month at Block T.

14/08/2016

In October I'm going to be teaching a class on making an Adirondack chair out of pallets. I need to workshop some different designs. Is anyone interested in making a few chairs? No experience necessary. I'll supply tools and pallets. Depending on availability it would be Thursday or Friday evening.

Last week I finished up a pallet furniture workshop at Block T. The students were very enthusiastic and built some great...
31/07/2016

Last week I finished up a pallet furniture workshop at Block T. The students were very enthusiastic and built some great pieces.

Getting a few things done last week in the barn. Glueing up the second section for a bookshelf. 4 more to go. And planin...
14/03/2016

Getting a few things done last week in the barn. Glueing up the second section for a bookshelf. 4 more to go. And planing some oak (formerly floor boards) shelf brackets for some wall shelves.

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Dublin

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