Driftless Hardwoods

10/14/2026

“Looks dry enough” is a pretty expensive lumber-testing method. 😂

Beautiful grain gets your attention. Proper drying helps that lumber become something worth keeping.

Here’s a peek at the process behind the boards at Driftless Hardwoods—because the work starts long before you make your first cut.

What’s your next project? Message us and let’s find the wood for it.

10/08/2026

Watching resin flow into beautiful white oak is incredibly satisfying… until you remember how expensive this stuff is and how many ways you can screw it up. 😬🥃

Microbubbles. Overheating from the exothermic reaction. An improper mix that never fully hardens. Hours of work—and expensive epoxy—can turn into hours of fixing it.

But when it comes together? Just look at these.

Brother Tom has about a dozen custom live-edge white oak boards in the works, featuring bourbon-colored mica resin or clear pours holding nostalgic fishing lures and family photographs.

Bourbon board? Charcuterie board? That depends on whether you’re bringing the bottle or the cheese. 😂

Every one is different. Every one can tell a story.

What can we make for YOU? Message us with your favorite colors, meaningful keepsakes, or an idea, and let’s create your own custom piece of Driftless Hardwoods.

The best part of this reel? No Brother Tom’s old wrinkly face, no gray hair, and no annoying voice. Just the pretty stuff. 😂

10/07/2026

Old shop teacher. New machine. Still learning. 🪵🎣

I was taught never to run wood across the grain on a jointer. A few weeks with this Rikon 16-inch jointer/planer and its helical cutterhead have given me plenty to talk about.

Today’s project: a Driftless Hardwoods white oak bourbon board with antique fishing lures preserved in clear resin. Sharing my results here—follow your machine’s instructions, which still call for feeding with the grain.

So far, I’m impressed with the cutting results. My one gripe? The cast iron tables don’t feel as smooth as my old Delta. Sliding this 14-inch-wide oak board takes some persuasion—and Dad’s elbows aren’t getting younger. 😂

What’s your go-to for smoother feeding: paste wax, a dry glide coating, or something else?

10/06/2026

Victoria asked the difference between a charcuterie board and a bourbon board. Dad’s answer? “You put expensive crap on both.” 😂🥃🧀

Thankfully, Brother Tom’s woodworking is better than his explanation!

I’m making my first batch for sale with beautiful Driftless Hardwoods walnut and white oak. Order yours with resin colored to match your bourbon, cheese, or décor—or clear resin to showcase nostalgic golf, fishing, or hunting keepsakes. Want to keep it totally natural? A darn good plain live-edge board works, too!

Message us to talk designs and pricing. Your expensive crap deserves a beautiful board. 😉

10/05/2026

What’s the difference between a charcuterie board and a bourbon board? One holds aged cheese. The other makes “product testing” Dad’s favorite part of woodworking. 🥃😂

Victoria thinks Tom’s been stirring resin forever. After his paddle mixer created thousands of microbubbles last time, he’s taking the scenic route. 🤦‍♂️

These bourbon boards will have recessed spots for wh***ey glasses and a place to showcase the bottle. Some feature copper mica; others preserve nostalgic antique fishing lures. 🎣

Two approaches:
🥃 Deep-pour epoxy for the copper boards. Tom poured 1¾″ in one shot—but check your exact product’s depth, volume and temperature limits before copying him!

🎣 Tabletop epoxy in multiple thin layers lets Tom suspend lures at different heights for a 3D effect. TotalBoat TableTop calls for ¼″ layers for castings over 6 fluid ounces.

Beginner takeaway: TotalBoat says to hand-mix TableTop slowly, scrape the sides and bottom, then transfer to a clean cup and mix again. ThickSet also calls for slow mixing; Fathom permits a drill for larger batches. Follow your specific kit’s instructions!

Tom’s learning, Victoria’s supervising, and ChatGPT wrote the bad dad jokes. Neither Tom nor ChatGPT should pursue comedy. 😂

10/04/2026

10/03/2026

Brother Tom went fishing for a beautiful resin pour… and caught a limit of microbubbles. 🎣🤦‍♂️

Seven white oak bourbon boards filled with antique fishing lures. Four came out beautifully clear. Three look like somebody poured them in lake water.

The mistake? Skipping the tabletop epoxy instructions and going full throttle with a paddle mixer. Turns out we were making bourbon boards, not whipping up a milkshake.

These aren’t just random old lures. There are memories tucked into these boards—and a reason Tom REALLY wanted to get them right. More on that another day.

For now, we’re figuring out what can be saved. Brother Tim may never let Tom live this one down.

Ever had a project go sideways with something you couldn’t replace?

10/02/2026

Brother Tim has no clue when it comes to style… at least when he’s getting dressed. Work boots, camouflage shorts, and a white Hanes tee aren’t exactly a fashion statement. 😂

But when it comes to quality, beautiful hardwoods? That’s where he shines.

Earlier this summer, Tim was cutting this 110-year-old bur oak from Grant County, Wisconsin. At 25-plus inches across, this massive cant is yielding beautifully clear slabs about 3 inches thick—future kitchen countertops with some serious character.

That tree spent 110 years growing. Now we’ll give these slabs about two to three more years to dry before they’re ready for their next chapter.

Patience is a virtue. Brother Tom would already be picking out the sink. 😂

Tim knows timeless wood. We’re still explaining timeless fashion.