Nico Laurent Team Leader Joined Carpenter Oak: 2005 Interview with Nico What is the best project you have worked on and why?

The Barn, a balcony curved in plan and elevation over two floors. I liked it because it was out of the ordinary and tricky to make When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?

Hill walking, rock climbing, riding my motorbike. If stranded on a desert island, which three people would you take and why?

My best pal Geatan for fun, Bear Grylls could be handy, Billy Connolly for entertainment What music do you listen to?

AC/DC, Captain Beefheart, The Clash What is the best comedy film ever made?

The Life of Brian What do you enjoy most about working with wood/oak?

The warmth of the material, the fact it’s renewable and that with basic tools and your hands you can transform it into something practical and beautiful. Do you have a favourite quote?

‘Theory is a treasure whose practice is key’ Where is your favourite place in the world?

Fairy Glen, Skye Biography

At the age of fifteen, influenced by my father, I decided to follow an apprenticeship as a timber framer in the Compagnons, a French trade school. I’ve been learning for the following eleven years, by travelling over France, changing yards every six months to see different ways of framing and taking evening and weekend training, doing models and drawings. Over this period, I went for a year in Sint Marteen in the Caribbean, to learn how to build storm-resistant structures. I had to stop framing for a year to serve in the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment where I did my time in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. In the last year of my training, motivated to learn English and through a friend who worked for Carpenter Oak, I came to Scotland, originally for a year’s experience, in 2005. I was offered to stay, so I’ve been working in Scotland ever since, enjoying the yard and the country. View profile

Dunstan Hodder Carpenter Joined Carpenter Oak: 2014 Interview with Dunstan Hodder If you had to pick one, which is your favourite Carpenter Oak project and why?

The Bus Shelter in East Portlemouth When not in the yard, what do you enjoy doing?

Making furniture, drinking beer and being out and about in the great outdoors If stranded on a desert island, which three people would you take and why?

My family What is the most embarrassing job you have ever had?

Turkey plucker What music do you listen to?

Both kinds: country and western Where is your favourite place in the world?

Home Biography

I moved down to Carpenter Oak from Bristol in 2014, just before my second little one was born. This is an amazing part of the world to live, work and raise a family. Carpenter Oak is a great place to work, there’s great people with tons of experience, who love what they do. View profile

Dan Strutt Glazing Joined Carpenter Oak: 2015 Interview with Dan Strutt Which is your favourite Carpenter Oak project?

The first frame I co-built and put up If stranded on a desert Island, which three people would you take and why?

Ryan Stoneman – the only person on the Carpenter Oak fishing trip to catch anything What is the best comedy film ever made?

Airplane!/Naked Gun – Comedy gold and the same bad jokes as me. What do you enjoy most about working at Carpenter Oak?

Being on a project from start to finish and then going to see what you have made get raised – very satisfying. Where is your favourite place in the world?

It would have to be at home with my family What do you enjoy doing when not in the yard?

Oil painting, especially seascapes and local places, surfing around Devon and Cornwall. I think my favourite thing though is going down the river Dart on my boat, lighting fires on the banks, fishing, camping with my family, being outdoors. What is the most embarrassing job you have ever had?

Not sure it’s embarrassing but the worst job I’ve had is when I was young and working in a milk factory. Everything smelt of milk, I smelt of milk the whole time, it was mind numbingly boring. Actually an embarrassing job is any concerning a uniform with a baseball cap because it makes my ears stick out. Woodlands had baseball caps. what sort of music do you enjoy listening to?

I have a very broad taste in music, everything from classic rock to classical. My wife has an ipod full of terrible pop music, which she sometimes leaves in the car. I quite enjoy listening to that too… Biography

I was born in New Zealand and lived in Nigeria before my family moved to Totnes in South Devon. I went to Dartington primary and then on to KEVICCs, and of course did the obligatory Totnes stint working at Woodlands. I’ve always enjoyed creating things, be it building or painting and I do think that generally people’s careers follow their instincts, for me that has been carpentry. I worked in the joinery shop of a company building motor caravans for 15 years, where I was part of the design, cut, and machine process. For years, Jono at Carpenter Oak had been saying I’d really enjoy it here and eventually when the time was right for a change there was a position available. I have now been at Carpenter Oak since 2015. My roles are carpentry and glazing, which we offer within the Devon and Cornwall area. It is a good balance doing both and is nice to have the variation, it keeps things fresh and interesting. View profile