“Allison Woolbert —” Carpenter, Woodcrafter, Builder of Systems
Some people learn a trade.
Others are raised in it.
I began working with wood between the ages of five and seven, learning the craft the way it has always been taught — by watching, doing, and being trusted with real tools. I learned materials, machines, measurement, and the discipline required to make solid, lasting work.
From the beginning, the goal wasn’t speed. It was durability.
I learned to build furniture, cabinets, toys, and functional pieces meant to be used, handled, and lived with — not admired from a distance.
A Lifetime at the Bench
Now in my sixties, I’ve spent most of my life working with wood. I’ve done everything from harvesting trees to turning raw material into finished work, and eventually running my own woodworking company.
I’ve managed jobs, materials, schedules, and customers. I’ve felt the cost of mistakes and the pressure of delivering work that must hold up over time.
A Second Craft — Programming
In 1983, I began my career as a programmer in the United States Air Force. There, I learned systems thinking, discipline, and how small errors can create large failures.
After the Air Force, I founded and operated my own computer programming firm for more than 30 years, designing systems that had to function reliably, be maintained long-term, and support people doing real work.
Programming became another form of craftsmanship — clean structure, invisible joints, and systems that hold under pressure.
Where the Two Crafts Meet
Very few people live deeply in both worlds.
Carpentry teaches how work actually happens. Programming teaches how to organize complexity.
Woodshop Master exists at that intersection — built by a carpenter and woodcrafter who also spent decades building software systems.