The Turning Point Woodworks Inc.

The Turning Point Woodworks Inc. I do architectural replication as well as other custom woodworking, and custom woodturning . I have been in business since 1986.

Thewww.theturningpointwoodworks.com

Got these 3 orders done this week. Working on a few more too.
05/21/2026

Got these 3 orders done this week.
Working on a few more too.

Finials are exactly 6” long, wood blank is exactly 12” long. This is how it’s done.
05/20/2026

Finials are exactly 6” long, wood blank is exactly 12” long. This is how it’s done.

Now I know why I didn’t sell my ladders this winter. (I tried too), was because, of course, í had to paint Susan’s house...
05/16/2026

Now I know why I didn’t sell my ladders this winter. (I tried too), was because, of course, í had to paint Susan’s house. That’s right, I thought I gave up painting houses years ago, but Susan wants me and only me to restore her house, and why not? I first painted and rebuilt her porch back in 2003, then rebuilt her porch two years ago. Now it’s time again to do the whole house one last time.
Oh and her house is across the street from a famous apartment building. See last photo.

Not too often í get an order to make knife handles. Client wants me to use the wood from burls he cut off of trees in hi...
10/26/2025

Not too often í get an order to make knife handles. Client wants me to use the wood from burls he cut off of trees in his yard, and it is indeed beautiful wood. This one should not only be fun, but perhaps another item to add to my list of what I can sell.

My last deck job. Been awhile since I built one. This one was fun. I have to admit I enjoyed it. It paid pretty good too...
10/25/2025

My last deck job. Been awhile since I built one. This one was fun. I have to admit I enjoyed it. It paid pretty good too. Glad it’s over.

10 shop orders to get through, as well as building this porch. Lots of parts to make for the porch, all in redwood. The ...
08/01/2024

10 shop orders to get through, as well as building this porch. Lots of parts to make for the porch, all in redwood. The new porch railing system (and post boxes) is 35% old growth redwood 15% treated and 50% (spindles) in mahogany. Almost done with this one which was started last fall.

First job for this client was transforming her fireplace with a nice walnut mantle. Then she had me do the wainscot in h...
04/15/2024

First job for this client was transforming her fireplace with a nice walnut mantle. Then she had me do the wainscot in her dining room. Now I’m building a beam for her cathedral ceiling.

Incredible find at a twin city architectural salvage place. 7 Redwood boards 13’ feet long x 11” x a true 3/4. Now I can...
04/12/2024

Incredible find at a twin city architectural salvage place. 7 Redwood boards 13’ feet long x 11” x a true 3/4. Now I can make a few bottom rails for a job. See the railing profile sample.
I use reclaimed redwood as much as possible mainly because it will outlast most other woods that are available today. I can also get it for a good price if it has sat there for awhile. (It isn’t always easy selling this stuff). This was part of a big square column at one time, and it has a few layers of paint on one side.
I love this stuff, and the price I got it at. 🤩

03/25/2024

So I get this call from a contractor in the UP . They have a large house up there that’s being “restored”. Supposedly there was a fire and it ruined the woodwork.
Predominantly wainscot through the whole house.
Everything was taken down to the studs. Then they sent me the before pictures and I see the wainscot was 6’ high, beautiful old growth white oak, most likely quarter sawn with an ammonia stain.
The ceilings were coffered, doors were 8 paneled.

They would like me to match the old.
They even ripped out all the hardwood floors.

I asked what they did with all the old woodwork and they informed me it all went into a dumpster. I asked why, and they said there was a fire and it was all smoke damaged.
😮😳🙄

Somehow I find this very hard to believe, that a fire would warrant that everything gets tossed. More likely it’s the contractors not wanting to deal with restoring any of the wood, wanting open walls to run their electric, plumbing and insulation.

Your typical Midwest American contractor can’t deal with restoring old wood, can’t deal with snaking electric and plumbing lines in older walls, can’t deal with patching cracked plaster, can’t deal with restoring old windows, and won’t mess with rehanging old doors.

You typical Midwest contractor is great at talking the client into replacing everything though, telling the client it’s all junk and can’t be restored, saying it’ll be more cost effective to replace.

So now they want me to wave my magic wand and replicate everything the way it was.

I’m sorry, but I don’t tolerate this bs.
They had it all there, and then like complete dumb asses they threw the historical character of the whole house into the trash, not saving anything. I asked them “what about the windows? “ to which I was told they would be replaced too. I asked “copied with the fancy sash designs?” For which they said “we have something close enough”,

Forget it, they’ll have to find some other sucker. I’m not gonna do it.
I don’t care what the pay is. They are stupid. You can’t get that wood anymore, nor can you make it the way it was made with mortise and tenon joints, floating panels. You certainly can’t do the ammonia whole house stain job. Good luck finding those floors too. You will never match those doors or windows in looks or quality.

I’m so sick of this happening in every Midwest city. American contractors know absolutely nothing about restoration, but think they are “restoring” a house by replacing everything, and then when it’s all done, they’ll be honored by the preservation groups with plaques and awards. The house will be showcased in the main paper as being restored when in reality everything but it’s bones were replaced.

Get this, will all this new work last as long as the original? Probably not. Windows will need to be exchanged out again after 30 years m. Laminate floors will certainly need replacing. Woodworking will have cracks and nails popping. It will never travel time like the original woodwork, and neither will the rest of it.

A colossal waste of money due to contractors not knowing how to preserve and restore.

Well, well, well. My pipe box is becoming well known all of sudden, being displayed complete with a blue ribbon at the G...
08/28/2023

Well, well, well. My pipe box is becoming well known all of sudden, being displayed complete with a blue ribbon at the Great MN. Get Together!

Address

1270 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN
55105

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 8:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8:30pm
Friday 9am - 3pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm
Sunday 9am - 12pm

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