I was 9 years old the first time I stepped into the shop with my dad. I didn’t know it then, but those early days — sweeping floors, learning the names of tools, watching him shape raw wood into something beautiful — were the beginning of everything for me. He didn’t just teach me how to build cabinets. He taught me patience, pride, and the value of doing things the right way.

By the time I was 14, he trusted me with my first full cabinet set to build and install on my own. I still remember the weight of that responsibility — the nerves, the excitement, the moment I realized this wasn’t just a skill… it was a calling. From that day on, I poured myself into the craft. I learned new styles, studied European techniques, and kept up with every new piece of hardware that hit the market. I wanted to be better — not for recognition, but because building felt like home.

At 20 years old, something unexpected changed my life again. I met my first Deaf friend.

He asked me to teach him how to build cabinets, and that simple question opened a door I didn’t even know was there. I started learning sign language so I could teach him, and as someone who is legally Deaf, I discovered something powerful — ASL wasn’t just a language I was learning. It was the language I had been missing. It felt natural. It felt right. It felt like me.

Teaching him led to teaching others. One Deaf craftsman became two, then three, and before long, I realized I wasn’t just building cabinets anymore — I was building a community. A place where Deaf workers could thrive, communicate freely, and take pride in a craft that rewards patience, precision, and visual skill.

Over the last 25 years, many of the Deaf craftsmen I’ve trained have gone on to different paths — new jobs, new cities, new opportunities. But they leave with something no one can take from them: a skill they carry for life. Knowing that this craft, this shop, and this shared language gave them something permanent… that’s one of the things I’m most proud of.

Today, our shop is full of Deaf craftsmen. We work with our hands, our eyes, and our hearts. We communicate in a language that connects us. And we build with a level of focus and pride that comes from truly loving what we do.

Erwin Custom Woodworks isn’t just a business. It’s the story of a father and son. It’s the story of a Deaf craftsman finding his voice through his hands. It’s the story of a community built one cabinet at a time.

And I’m proud — deeply proud — of every piece that leaves our shop.