I have been working on the north side of Chicago lately and I've been wanting to visit Old Master Crafters. This morning, I finally took the time to do so.
I thought others might like to hear about this experience. I met John and a few of the employees and got a quick tour.
It was a bit of sensory overload because there is no showroom, just a production building and a small office. There were tools and wood everywhere. John showed me stacks of wood, staves, glass, carbon (and a lot of saw dust).
I came away with an amazing sense of his concern for quality. I saw stacks of wood that I think most people would not hesitate to use, but for one reason or another (too porous, too close to a check, swirling grain, etc.), John won't ship.
The wuality of the wood OMC has makes the stuff in the local lumber yards look like
I picked up 6 bamboo backings to take home with me (sitting in O'Hare as I write this).
(Note: I didn't get a discount or any sort of request to post this. I just think it's good to reassure anyone who's worrying about ordering.)
-Brett