About

About

TomProfile

My name is Tom Andreas
I  have created  Custom Cabinets, Mouldings & beautiful architectural detail
for distinctive homes in Rockland, Bergen, Orange and Westchester counties of New York and New Jersey, for over 30 years.

Sunrise Woodwork offers a growing selection of truly handmade items for home and office for purchase online.

I create special things that are a joy to have in your home and in your life, and that are made with care and attention to detail.
I have honed my craft for over 30 years and I love what I do.

My shop is in a 200 year old barn located in Orange County New York, which is about 1-1/2 hours north of Manhattan. It is a wonderful place where I am surrounded by old wood and large trees.

I love to create something new and polished out of raw, rough materials. Sometimes I take a large pile of lumber and plywood and make over a room, add a library, or a media wall, I may spend a hundred hours or more doing things that can transform a home.
And sometimes, I spend just  a part of a single hour to take a hunk of firewood and make the most wonderful little lidded box or bowl.

Starting only from an idea or a need  I make drawings and define the shape of things. I can see it, and begin to feel it take form.
Then I make it in wood. All the pieces are cut, sanded , assembled and brought to a polish.

For the making of cabinets and millwork I buy commercial lumber
(cherry, sepele mahogany, maple, and red &  white oaks) rough sawn.
For my lathe work I gather from local tress that have fallen or been trimmed, even my firewood.

There is a colonial era apple orchard very near my shop. I am able to walk its sunny hills and gather wood there. It is a great pleasure to cut into a gnarly, twisty piece of discarded apple branch and find treasure there. I get a thrill at that point  when I  put the finish on my work. For cabinetry this is usually lacquer, the turned pieces from the lathe are often finished only bees wax.
I watch the wood pop to life! It seems instantaneous, especially the lathe-work.

I feel I straddle the old and the new in my craft. I cut and shape wood with sharp steel, often in classical forms as has been done for centuries. But, I have CAD, and Photoshop and I am able to reach out and present what I have to offer  to the whole world here on my website.

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