Dad’s Garage

A question was received this week that took me back to the days of my Dad’s garage.  We all know about the “man cave” the “man space” sometimes more commonly called the garage, the place where the guys can leave sawdust on the garage floor and leave their work bench in disarray without fear that we ladies will redecorate, paint, modernize and change the décor.  I know this all too well as my dad had his sanctuary, the garage where no woman was allowed.  It was full of lumber, work benches, saws, yard sticks, tape measurers, cutting tools of every size and design and everything imaginable and in between.  It was the hardware store on the street.  Whenever any of the neighbors needed anything built or wanted to have lumber cut, or we kids needed anything fixed, Dad’s garage was the welcoming place for fixing and building and gluing.  With sawdust flying Dad was always cutting wood and churning wood into anything a home would need or fabricating wood into toys and bird houses, cutting boards, wooden spoons and so much more. Mom would always make Dad come into the house through the back door, to shake the sawdust from his hair and empty his pant cuffs.

My wife and I just moved to Prescott and we did some downsizing.  I was a very avid garage guy with a garage equipped with many accessories for wood working and cutting.  Unfortunately the downsizing took place with my garage and accessories.  I did not relinquish my collection of wood and want to know if there is anyplace locally that will cut wood and make it possible for me to continue fiddling and building and crafting in my garage.  

After calling both Home Depots, Lowes, Foxworth, Sunstate Lumber and Truss and ProBuild I was told the same answer.  Unfortunately none of these facilities are staffed for a cutting center; they do not do any precision cutting.  They will however “whack” or “wallop” only any purchased lumber products from their store into half or thirds or relatively easy quick cuts.  No cutting with exactitude or meticulousness.

ProBuild told me to call Woodlife.  Woodlife I ask?  Who, what, where?  Our community is in luck.  Joe is the go to guy.  Woodlife is housed in a historic old building near downtown Prescott on EZ Street and they provide so many specialized services such as precision cutting, moldings, stair rails, wood mantels, corbels, architectural millwork.  Woodlife has been doing business in Arizona for over 30 years and they use nothing but recycled and reclaimed wood, culls, and cleanup from local resources.  They have on site a 42” band saw, wide-belt sander and a lathe that handles 10-foot or longer lengths.  You can bring in your own wood or timber and they will cut it for you.  Precision cutting at its best!

Joe and his team can fabricate beautiful mantels in rustic, traditional and antique styles, doors, gates and shutters and so much more.  I am calling Woodlife our very own Prescott wood mill.  They serve contractors, individual homeowners and have customers nationwide.  They do not do any millwork on chemically treated lumber such as railroad ties or pressure-treated landscaping lumber and they are not a cabinet shop.  You can reach Woodlife at (928) 778-5566.

Ed, I would tell you to take your lumber for precision cutting to my Dad’s garage; however it is now empty of his tools and treasurers.  My brother has his saws and wood and everything else that Dad loved from the garage.  I have the cutting board and the bread box and the wood cooking utensils and so many other things made from precision cutting at its best.  Love from Dad’s garage.