My interest in woodworking began around 2012. I was a junior in High School. Though I distinctly remember cutting pieces of wood with a hand saw in Pre-Kindergarten. Maybe the seed was planted then. However! In my junior year of high school I had a mentor, my U.S. History Teacher. He asked me to give up my biggest time sink for Lent(which was video games, I was a high schooler, give me a break).

I had to find something to fill my time! I thought I should choose a productive hobby, make something with my hands. Woodworking seemed cool. I bought some terrible X-acto carving chisels from an art supply, grabbed some 2x4 bits from the shed, and started making shavings. To be honest I did not really make anything. I could picture objects in the block, but lacked the skills to reveal them. It didn’t take long to realize I needed some power tools. Dad’s terrifying old chop saw, a small $20 garage sale Craftsman Bandsaw, and an old drill got me going.

Skip a bit brother.

I learned what I could with those tools, made what I could, then found what I wanted to make next, and found what one tool or technique I would need for it. Rinse, repeat. Like a snowball rolling downhill I amassed a serious workshop.

In 2015, I took my first proper woodworking courses at Orange Coast Community College. My then girlfriend, now wife, Hallie came up with the name Melde Made when I wanted to start selling some little craft faire things. I started building more serious projects for clients off and on while working towards my History Bachelor’s Degree and my Social Science Teaching Credential. 2020 rolls around, yadda, yadda, yadda, a story for a different time(bad time to become a teacher).

In the middle of 2021 I left teaching behind and began wood working full time. This is where Melde Made stands today. Just me, trying to grow this business and put some beauty into the world, hopefully for generations to come.