Builder Profile: Grant-Noren

“In Scandinavia, craftsmen imitated exotic stones and wood on furniture and throughout building interiors. Perfect representation was less important than showing artistic craftsmanship. We go forward from this thread of tradition with a fresh instinct on our contemporary works. We aim to expand and excite the definition of furniture.”

— Grant-Noren

Hi Daniel, how are you today? Can you tell me a little about yourself and what got you into woodworking?

I'm 70. My dad had a shop and I made a couple soap box derbies there in the 60's in California.

After receiving a degree in Philosophy I started remodelling homes. Fast forward, I moved to NYC in '83 and remodelled homes there and sculpted stone.

In '86 I spent 4 months carving marble in Italy where I met Ingela Noren. We moved out of NYC to Westtown, NY, where we are now.

We started our current business in '93, Grant-Noren AKA grant-noren.com.

Do you use Roarockit products in the making of your work? How did you find out about us?

I got a Roarockit vacuum press around 2005 to make 2.5" thick boards from 1.25" boards and have used it for many things since. I still use the original mastic to close the bag, amazingly, it's a self healing adhesive. I put a board under the sealing edge and roll a short piece of thick dowel back and forth to seal it.

I found an old vacuum cleaner being given away at a yard sale that removes most of the air and then I use the hand pump. The bag has never punctured or had any issues. Old glue just falls off and out of the vinyl bag. The nozzle, even though it gets the most abuse from the hand pumping, has had no issues. I'm amazed i haven't torn it off yet!

The hand pump still works but I just purchased Roarockit's latest pump as the older pump seems to be aging a bit, though it still works. The Super Pump will be more quick and powerful I think. I originally found Roarockit through searching vacuum pumps on the internet.