I have been a woodworker for most of my adult life. It started practical and stayed that way. At some point, it became something I do whether I need to or not, and I stopped questioning it.

Vital Woodcraft grew out of that. Built by hand, designed for specific spaces, meant to last. I'll still take the right contract for the right client. That's not changing.

What changed is the business model. Point-to-point sales have a ceiling, and logistics end up eating up the time that should be in the shop. What I have that travels better than a shipping crate is what I've learned.

My grandfather, Howard Bridges, known to everyone as Bub, built furniture in Downeast Maine his whole life. Local materials, practical instinct, and a set of principles he never sat down to name. His pieces are still in our family. Not displayed. Used. I spent the last year documenting what he did and why it worked. The result is Maine Craftsman Style, a defined design tradition with five core principles, seven signature elements, and a finishing philosophy built around using what works.

The Maine Craftsman Style Field Guide, Volume 1, puts all of it in one place. Twenty-eight illustrated pages, three complete build plans, $24.

Get it at bubbuilt.com

The Finishing Guide is next. Volume 2 is in development. The shop is open for the right commissions.