Prototypes and Workshop Solutions: When a Need Becomes a Timber Project

Not every build from the workshop fits into a rigid category or an off-the-shelf production run. Often, a piece takes shape simply to solve an everyday problem left unaddressed by mass-produced items: tidying the unruly tangle of ribbons in a race medal collection, properly housing thick watch cases too bulky for standard boxes, or building a sturdy cat tree from massive natural tree trunks that blends seamlessly into the living space.

This space documents the experimental and one-off pieces where calibrated joinery, routed guides, concealed hardware, and natural timber come together for ergonomic, practical function.

The Modular Medal Display

Sliding tile grid with concealed ribbon recesses

Conventional race medal displays share a familiar flaw: ribbons either hang in an untidy cluster or all medals must be mounted at once, leaving awkward empty voids while awaiting future events.

24-compartment grid: The perimeter case in dark-stained, open-pore solid timber is shaped with manual rebates and encloses a CNC-machined geometric lattice.
Concealed slide-out faceplates: Each cubby is covered by a laser-cut removable tile with a stepped retaining lip. Until a race is run, the plain white faceplate stays in place, preserving an orderly, geometric chequerboard pattern.
Clean mounting without visible knots: Once a medal is earned, the plate is removed: a CNC-routed top rebate secures the ribbon loop neatly out of sight behind the frame, displaying only the perfectly centered medal flush with the front.

Wall-mounted solid wood sports medal display case with a modular grid of sliding faceplates

Custom Watch Box

Glazed solid wood display chest for oversized cases

Commercial watch cases are typically dimensioned for dress watches, featuring cramped slots that pinch oversized bezels and distort rigid resin straps. This project reverses that compromise to give tool watches—such as the Casio G-Shock line—the protection and space they warrant.

Frame and 45-degree mitred joints: Built at the bench in laminated solid fir, treated with a larch-tinted open-pore finish, featuring 45-degree corner joints and rebated edges to mount mineral glass flush with the timber surface.
Integrated hardware and neodymium magnets: Rear metal hinges are concealed beneath colour-matched timber blocks machined from the solid, while the lid closure relies on neodymium magnets flush-mounted directly into the frame lip.
Contoured dividers for oversize cases: The internal grid features cobalt-blue trim and neutral watch cushions spaced to keep crowns, pushers, and cases from rubbing, keeping the collection dust-free and presented with workshop pedigree.

Handmade solid fir wood watch display box with flush-mounted glass lid and visible mitred joinery, holding Casio G-Shock watches

Custom solid wood glazed display case designed for oversized tool watches and G-Shock timepieces

Open solid wood watch box showing spacious compartments with cobalt-blue trim and cushions tailored for oversized sports watches

The Perch (Il Trespolo)

Sculptural cat scratching tree crafted from solid natural timber with live bark

A sturdy alternative to mass-market cat trees made of pressed cardboard and synthetic faux fur, which fray quickly and clash with home interiors. The Perch is built around a heavy, structural whole tree trunk, retaining the raw character of the natural material.

Cleaned live bark: The solid trunk undergoes selective debarking and protective treatment, preserving the rough natural texture essential for climbing and stretching.
CNC-contoured cantilever steps: A series of curved, smooth pale-wood shelves are arrayed spirally up the trunk, anchored using concealed workshop brackets to provide safe access to the top lookout berth.
Jute rope binding: Along high-traffic climbing sections, thick natural jute rope is wound tightly under tension, creating a durable scratching zone that withstands daily use.

Handcrafted cat scratching tree made from a natural tree trunk with live bark, featuring solid wood platforms and a sleeping cat resting on top

Bespoke Builds and Custom Prototyping

The range of these builds demonstrates that the workbench and digital fabrication tools can adapt to ever-changing technical requirements. If you need tailored dimensions for an unusual piece, a custom rack for your workshop tools, or want to test an idea in wood before producing it, get in touch. We can work out the dimensions in CAD, select the right timber, and build the prototype together at the bench.