passing on the skills of woodworking

Working in wood is more than an avocation, it’s a calling, a passion. The true woodworker is naturally born with a curiosity for understanding how things are made and then making them. How are they cut, sanded, joined, and formed? Where does their strength come from? What are the tensions that work in concert to hold a piece together? What will make them spring apart again? Where did the designs evolve from, and where can they be taken next?

Pondering and seeking answers to these questions leads to ideas and techniques. The same ideas and techniques that inspired Tom Moser to work in wood have been fostered, nurtured, and instilled in countless others. Through Tom’s books, decades-long dedication to mentoring, and inspiring others, perhaps the greatest sum of these teachings is through the beauty of the furniture itself.

Thos. Moser has dedicated itself as a company, as a family of makers, to share the knowledge they have with others, lighting sparks and inspiring new makers who, in turn, will live, work, make, and ultimately share their own knowledge.

PARTNERING WITH STUDENTS

Photo: Students from St. Tim’s School helping build furniture that will grace their new dining hall.

Thos. Moser opens its doors to woodworking schools throughout the area, including the Maine School of Cabinetry, Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, and local community colleges. We are passionate about sharing our space with those who have expressed an interest in woodworking.

Through shop tours, job shadowing, and internship programs, we can help students navigate potential career paths in the woodworking trade, from building and manufacturing to sourcing and designing. We also highly emphasize cultivating young designers who embody the principles of craft that we at Moser hold dear. We have collaborated with several emerging young designers, including Fahmida Lam, designer of our Fahmida Chair, and provided a platform for sharing their work.

Designers, including Fahmida Lam, designer of our Fahmida Chair,  are provided a platform for sharing their work.

CUSTOMER IN RESIDeNCE

In the fall of 2007, we launched our first Customer in Residence (CIR) program, a week-long immersion into the Thos. Moser workshop. This program was inspired by Tom Moser’s friend, who wanted a handmade desk. Tom suggested he come into the workshop and learn how to make it himself. Working side-by-side with a master craftsman, he was able to take a design from start to finish all by himself. It was a great experience; he encouraged us to offer it to others.

Ten years later, what was once an ambitious idea has become a remarkably noteworthy program. Since its inception, we’ve had the honor of welcoming some 375 guests from 40 states and many countries – some with no prior experience, others with years of woodworking under their belt. Doctors, engineers, professional performers, and more are all joined by the desire to craft something out of wood with their own hands.

The CIR program provides our customers with an enriching life experience that touches upon all aspects of building—from wood selection to finishing.

CONTINUING THE LEGACY

Our craftspeople join us to learn, practice and pursue perfection. They become integral parts of a living legacy where their own experience is enhanced by techniques learned from their Moser peers and from countless cultures and movements that span continents, oceans, and centuries. The Thos. Moser team carries that legacy forward each and every day, sustaining both new and old traditions for generations to follow.

It is this rugged pursuit of beauty and timelessness that has always moved our hearts. We make and sell fine American furniture. This is our calling, our work, and this is what we sign our names to. Our devotion lives in the work we do and in our efforts to ensure the maker culture will continue to grow and thrive for generations to come.