I’m Will, the maker behind Salt Shaker Woodworks in Seguin, Texas. My father taught me the basics when I was a boy, and a handful of mentors, plenty of practice, and encouragement from friends and family turned that early love into a lifelong craft. I’ve been at it since I was 10 years old, and at 74, I’m still learning and shaping wood every day.

Most of my work comes from reclaimed sources: trees I’ve dropped, dried, and milled myself; logs left on the curb headed for the chipper; and stock bought from other woodworkers passing along their stashes. I keep track of each story, because it matters where the wood comes from—like the customer who bought a board made from the very gym floor she once played volleyball on.

I build ready-made pieces, take custom orders, and skip cabinets altogether (that’s a story of its own). My philosophy is rooted in the Shakers: the beauty of a thing lies in its practical use. God already took care of the beauty in the wood. My job is to bring it forward in a way that’s useful, lasting, and true.

I hope the pieces I build become part of someone’s everyday life, and maybe even outlive me—something a great-grandchild will want, even if they don’t remember the name of the man who built it. That, to me, is legacy.

See my role in preserving the Battleship Texas.