Swartwout made the balusters for this stairway about 18 months ago when the owner wanted them to meet current building code requirements. They feature the same design as the originals, but are longer.

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SWARTWOUT from previous page

Web site up and running. Launched in 1998 the site has given him business in 16 different states and now accounts for 50 percent of his work

“I don’t know what would have happened if the Web didn’t come along. Was I going to fade out into oblivion? Maybe,” he said. “The biggest benefit might be that customers can browse the site, learn about what I do, and I don’t lose production time in the shop.”

Swartwout advertises in Dream Home magazine. He grosses about $100,000 a year, which amounts to an income of roughly $33,000. “Being a

 

In Northern Scotland doing things turning

“deiseil” (to us clockwise) or the way the sun goes across the sky when facing it is considered a blessing. It is usually done - even now-boats on leaving the shore turn clockwise, hosts greeting strangers move clockwise, and visiting a cairn involves turning clockwise. What does this mean about us in the US of A where we have a counterclockwise spiral staircase preference? What about a Scotsman in Australia who sees the sun going counterclockwise... do they change everything after their transcontinental move?

Office (207) 966-1039

Home (207) 966-2721 Fax (207) 966-1252

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Maine Spiral Staircase Corp.
7 Strawberry Ave.
Turner, ME 04282

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prudent Yankee, that can go a long way,” he said.

Staying solo

Though backlogs get heavy, Swartwout insists on working alone. He had two part-time employees in the late ’80s, who he had to let go in 1990 due to a lack of work. That incident made him realize he didn’t enjoy disappointing people who relied on him for income, so he decided to never rehire. Ever since, the wait time for clients has increased. Most are willing to wait up to six weeks, but any longer and they start looking elsewhere.

Richard D. Walston, owner of Walston Stair in Guilford, Conn., has been Swartwout’s customer for more than 25 years. He contracts turners because his employees don’t have the time and he doesn’t want to invest in necessary machinery. Because he likes Swartwout’s work, he manages the wait time.

“Richard’s workmanship is super. The only drawback is I have to give him plenty of advance notice because he’s a one-man shop,” Walston said. “Unfortunately, with these new CNC machines, they really start putting the hurt on the smaller guys.”

Swartwout is extremely skilled and can do just about everything, said Walston who particularly likes his sanding style.

“He sands in both directions to get a flawlessly turned piece of wood. The super-duper sophisticated machines can’t go backwards,” Walston said.

Without employees, it’s also hard to take any time off. Swartwout admits he has rarely given himself permission to go on vacation the whole time he’s been in business.

“My time off would be like a three-day weekend. I’d be afraid to go away,” he said. “It could be when that million-dollar phone call comes in.”

This spring Swartwout did manage a three-week historic trek with the 6th Connecticut Regiment, whose members take part in 18th-century reenactments.

“When I came back the shop was still standing; it hadn’t burnt down,” he said.

There have been some major commissions in the past, the largest being for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. He made components, including balusters, porch posts and corbels, for a new walkway added to the resort conference center.

Though nothing that major has come along in years, he appreciates his loyal clients like Henri P. Carrier, owner of Naugatuck Stair Co. in Naugatuck, Conn., who has requested various jobs for the past 15 years.

“He does a good job, the guy’s great. He takes care of us whenever we need the work,” Carrier said. “I’d recommend anybody to go with him.” n

 

Contact: New England Woodturners, P.O. Box 455, Andover, CT 06232-0455. Tel: 860-742-9843. www.newengland woodturners.com