Criminal Profile - Pete

Founding bossman Pete started Common wood over 8 years ago in a grimey rented garage building chopping board after chopping board. Some say he's the best boss on earth. Second to none. But he also wrote this so you can take what you want from that. Just don't park over the driveway.

Name - Pete

How long have you worked at Common Wood  

8 and a bit years - Since day one

What's your favourite type of timber to work with — and why?

Hard to pick… Gotta be Spotted Gum. It is a punish to work with but always gets the best result in finishing

What is your favourite part of woodworking?

Two things:

• Delivery day. All the hard work culminates in a happy customer.

• Finally finding a solution to a problem that has been bugging you.

Which project are you most proud of so far?

It is a dead heat with the Bondi wine cellar or the Blackwood desk that we built earlier this year. 

Blackwood desk

What’s the biggest stuff-up you’ve made on a job, and what did you learn from it?

The list is so long I wouldn’t know where to start. As an old boss used to say “it’s knowing how to un-fuck yourself” 

What’s your favourite tool in the workshop?

Probably our panel saw. 

If you could build anything, with no budget or time limits, what would it be?

Probably a tiny home with masses of solid timber joinery, lots of sneaky storage spots and a hidden room.

Favourite sporting team?

THE MIGHTY NORTH SYDNEY BEARS

What Music or Podcast do you listen to while you’re working? 

Podcast during the week then I’ll run music on Saturdays when I’m here. A few poddy’s are Matt & Shane’s, Underworld pod, War Mode, Tim Dillon, Stories from Sydney. Music - Anything from country to metal. Gimme anything that is good.

What advice would you give someone just starting out in woodworking?

Don’t think, just get started. Your first pieces will be terrible. But you will get better. Make mistakes. 

What do you enjoy most about being part of Common Wood?

Probably a happy customer at the end of build. We will have spoken sometimes at length about what they want out of a piece and to see them stoked with the result is what it is all about.