Workmanship and Mastery In Motion – Get Inspired With Three Woodworker Stories

• Accuride has been a leading provider of woodworking movement solutions for over 60 years.
• Carpenters rely on trusted solutions like the 3832 Light-Duty & Full-Extension Slide for quality movement in their creations.
• Accuride has profiled some of these builders as part of its Customer Stories.

Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in
the wind. – Johannes Brahms

Here at Accuride, we’re committed to engineering the best in motion hardware to make installation practically intuitive and the end-user experience perfectly seamless. This is why we take special pride in offering quality off-the-shelf solutions for professional woodworkers in any niche.

Carpentry employment has been on the rise since 2016, and projected to rise through 2025.

Since 2016, carpentry employment has been on the rise with new jobs projected to steadily increase through 2025. With the exponential growth of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, it’s become easier than ever for DIY craftsmen and craftswomen to showcase their latest projects and body of work to a digital audience.

At Accuride, our community of carpenters spans all fifty states and remains diverse among all types of woodworking specialties including kitchen designers, DIY’ers, established family businesses, cabinet and furniture makers, and more. Globally engineered for the local builder, Accuride solutions serve unique projects of any scope–accommodating both the builder and end-user.

Without further ado, here are three woodworkers who put their trust in Accuride sliding hardware for providing high-caliber movement and special features that add ease and dependability to custom designs. Like these skilled carpenters, we believe a wooden fixture or piece of furniture should last a lifetime–and then some.

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For more details about Accuride motion hardware specially geared towards the world of woodworkers and cabinet makers, head over to our market page!

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Passion Meets Purpose

Creating distinct wooden art and custom furniture that’s cost-effective and locally made is at the heart of Polish & Power Tools’ mission. A one-woman show founded by Claire Baldwin in Nashville, Tennessee, Polish & Power Tools is a passion project turned stunning side hustle–all with the help of Claire’s shop dog, Millie.

Claire is the personality behind Polish & Power Tools, the popular Instagram channel dedicated to woodworking creations.

Claire was bit by the carpentry bug back in college while on the hunt for a chic yet an affordable coffee table. Unable to find exactly what she was looking for, Claire decided to try her hand at woodworking with a simple design she found online. The rest is history. From dressers, console tables, serving trays, beautiful wall decor, and more coffee tables to Claire’s latest accomplishment–a commissioned bed porch swing–Polish and Power Tools continues to grow as an entity in its own right.

In recognition of #ShopDogSaturday recently, Claire also announced a few upcoming projects, including more wall art, a nursery sign, and a baby crib made from white oak. With these new projects looming on the horizon for Polish & Power Tools, along with Claire’s recent attendance at the Workbench Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s clear that this one-woman shop is a force to be reckoned with and isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

The Accuride 3832ETR includes a “touch-release” feature that eliminates the need for handles or knobs. This makes it ideal for minimalist or concealed drawers.

Impressive craftsmanship and flawless function are a perfect match. With this in mind, Claire chooses Accuride sliding hardware for any design that incorporates moving compartments. In particular, Polish & Power Tools utilizes our 3832ETR model for its simple install, lever disconnect, precise vertical adjustment, and patented Touch-Release function. A classic drawer slide within the Accuride catalog, the 3832ETR remains a go-to for fixtures and furniture around any home, adding safety and ease to boot.

Accuride is proud to keep Polish & Power Tools moving effortlessly forward. Claire was even a proud Accuride guest at 2018’s International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta. Stay privy to Claire’s woodworking journey and Polish & Power Tools’ impressive trajectory on their Instagram page! You can also browse a gallery of completed projects here.

Savvy + City Chic

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Vlad Fine Craft settles for nothing less than excellence on custom woodworking commissions throughout the Big Apple. With a wide array of work that includes modern furniture, fabrication, decks, and rooftop planters, Vladimir Nikabadze has asserted himself as a top-notch craftsman in one of the most bustling cities in the world.

Vlad has been a mainstay of Brooklyn’s woodworking scene for over a decade.

Vlad began his woodworking journey as a kid helping out and learning the trade at a shop in his home country. When he moved to the United States as an adult, Vladimir decided to start his own woodworking business, which has steadily grown over the last 15 years. When Vlad is not working in the shop, he fosters and adopts rescued kittens.

When running a small, private woodworking enterprise, Vladimir understands that reputation and quality are of the utmost importance–for customer satisfaction and also reaching new clients. This is why Vlad Fine Craft exclusively uses Accuride premium motion hardware for projects that involve drawers or other sliding materials.

Like Claire of Polish & Power Tools, the 3832 line of slides remains an easy go-to for Vlad Fine Craft. Vladimir utilizes the 3832EC specifically to add extra ease to his designs with drawers that close softly and gently every single time. Slamming and rattling hardware are obsolete for even the most classic Accuride slides with standard specs.

The 3160EC conceals its hardware from view, while providing soft-close and support for ultra-wide drawers.

Another one of Vladimir’s choice slides for designs with wider drawers and seamless cabinet frames is the 3160EC. This solution utilizes Accuride’s patented Easy-Close technology along with a Cable System and Wide Drawer Stabilizer Kit to deliver unerring smooth movement to drawers up to 60” wide–not to mention a chic, concealed undermount that gives fixtures and furniture that extra, commercial-grade touch.

From architecture and furniture to emerging landscape projects, keep up to date on Vladimir’s woodworking adventures by following his Instagram page. You can also view a well-curated portfolio on the Vlad Fine Craft website!

Fine Craftsmanship + Philanthropy

For over forty years, Louis Lopez has dedicated his career and free leisure time to the art of woodworking. This committed craftsman has called the city of La Mirada home for the last 28 years–just a stone’s throw away from Accuride’s headquarters in Santa Fe Springs. As a kid, Lopez built model airplanes and cars just for fun and started taking his craftsmanship seriously in a woodshop class as a high school senior.

Louis may be retired, but that doesn’t stop him from crafting fine woodwork for prestigious clients.

The rest is history. Lopez’s first job straight out of high school involved making wooden prototypes for various companies at a model shop, and he studied architecture at East L.A. college to inform his skills and techniques as a woodworker. Then, Lopez moved onto working as a model maker for engineering companies–before the age of computer graphics when prototypes were handmade to scale! Lopez designed precise models for over 13 years at the global, industry-leading company for construction and engineering, Bechtel.

These days, Lopez spends his retirement days creating custom furniture and artisan clocks from the shop he has assembled in his La Mirada home. In fact, most of the furniture and cabinetry inside Louis’ house has been built and handcrafted by himself. Over the years, Lopez has built four complete sets of furniture for his own private den, incorporating fine materials such as cherry lumber, red oak, white pine, and Brazilian rosewood–which is no longer available in the U.S.

When asked, “Why woodworking?” Louis simply answers, “Because it’s fun!” Given a tour of all his work, one can see pure enjoyment at the heart of his craftsmanship. With a draftsman’s keen sense for measurement, Lopez not only redefines designs from magazines to fit his own specifications as if it’s second nature, but he also experiments with new techniques like tiletop, parquet, and butterfly joints. Louis has even taken a class on creating stained glass, which he incorporates into his personal woodworking projects.

While operating his own one-man custom furniture shop under the moniker Wooden Nickel, Louis also serves as Vice President of the Woodworkers of Whittier, a group of 30-35 retired woodworkers committed to craftsmanship and giving back to their community. Every year for Christmas, WoW whittles small cars and toy blocks for local charities–reclaiming 20 tons of wood from landfills in the process!

Speaking of charity, this spring, Lopez plans on donating three wooden framed stained glass pieces to an auction fundraiser, Casino Night, at his nephew’s Catholic school. Last year, Louis donated two custom pieces, and the entire auction raised over $12,000, which is directly used for student resources and scholarships. From his community involvement to repairing wooden furniture and cabinetry for neighbors, Louis shares his skill and craftsmanship with those around him.

The 3135EC is a popular go-to for woodworkers seeking an uninterrupted look to their creations. Its undermount design conceals hardware, while its soft-close feature makes closing a drawer an elegant action in itself.

The 3135EC is a popular go-to for woodworkers seeking an uninterrupted look to their creations. Its undermount design conceals hardware, while its soft-close feature makes closing a drawer an elegant action in itself.

Demonstrating his giving spirit even further, Louis’ latest finished project is a chest of drawers for his wife, a fine piece of furniture for storing silverware and linen. For this particular design, Lopez selected Accuride’s 3135EC Eclipse Easy-Close Undermount motion hardware for the drawers rather than a side mount slide. He and his wife enjoyed the quality of this hardware so much that Lopez plans on incorporating this specialty slide in future projects.

Light-duty undermount motion hardware like Accuride’s 3135EC sustains a minimal, no-fuss aesthetic for modern, rustic furniture and fixtures, keeping drawer slides completely concealed within a frame. The 3135EC remains easy-to-install for woodworkers and includes our Easy-Close feature, an added benefit for customers.

For designs with pocket and flipper doors like armoires and entertainment centers, Accuride has a solution for that too. Hardware like 1332 is specially engineered to support tall, heavy doors. Using our Anti-Rak Cable System, this particular slide eliminates any chance of hardware failure–providing consistent strength for long-term use in homes and offices alike.

Accuride is honored to be a part of Louis Lopez’s lively woodworking journey and charitable efforts through the Woodworkers of Whittier. To learn more about the club’s history and their latest happenings, visit their website and follow them on Facebook!

Are you a woodworker, furniture maker, or cabinet builder in need of off-the-shelf motion hardware? The smallest, quality detail can make a huge difference. Have a look at some impressive designs using Accuride slides on our Instagram page.

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