Address
304 North Cardinal
St. Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Work Hours
Monday to Friday: 7AM - 7PM
Weekend: 10AM - 5PM
About Us
Small Shop,
Big Ideas
We’re a small woodworking and laser-engraving shop shaped by craftsmanship, resilience, and making more from less. I work with locally sourced and reclaimed hardwood, giving quality materials new life.
The name nods to the School of Hard Knocks, where I learned the craft and life lessons through my struggle with addiction in Chicago. The Chicago skyline in our logo honors the city that shaped my journey.
Hi! I’m Ben.
Woodturner, designer, and maker behind Shop of Hard Knots
Story
I spent the first half of my adult life as an architectural designer, planning buildings on paper. Somewhere along the way I wanted to make things I could hold. That led me into graphic design, then to the lathe and the laser engraver, and eventually to a shop in Princeton, Illinois, where I now do all of it.
How I Work
Everything here is made one piece at a time. On the lathe, that means bowls, trees, and snowmen turned from solid wood. At the laser, it means stocking tags, ornaments, and sound wave art engraved to order. My design background is in the details: proportions, finish, and how a piece feels in your hand or looks on a mantel.
Where the wood comes from
The wood I turn was headed for the firewood pile. It comes from trees removed by local cities and counties because of power line clearing, road work, disease, or storm damage. Instead of being burned, it becomes something that lasts.
Legacy Lumber
If you’ve had to take down a tree that meant something, I can turn it into keepsakes that carry its story forward.
Building something bigger
I believe in second chances, for wood and for people. I’m developing Kintsy, a marketplace for artisans with a justice-involved background, built on the idea that what’s been set aside can still hold real value. It’s still early, and I’d like to hear from anyone who’s interested.
Whether you’re looking for a gift, a custom piece, or just curious how something was made, I’d love to hear from you.
