Miles Christy runs Nighthawk Woodworking out of his home in south Keizer. BELOW: Some of the smaller items Christy creates when between custom furniture orders.
Computer programming just wasn’t cutting it for Miles Christy. So, he turned to woodworking.
“When I was younger, my grandfather was a carpenter and I followed him and my dad around everywhere when they were working around the house. My interest in woodworking grew out of that,” said Christy, owner of Nighthawk Woodworking. “A few years ago, some friends started asking me if I could make some items for them and the business grew out of that.”
He launched the business as a full-time endeavor in 2019 and runs it out of his home in south Keizer. Prospective customers can view his handiwork at www.facebook.com/nighthawk.woodworking or at www.etsy.com/shop/NighthawkWoodworking. He’s also a drop-in vendor at Salem Public Market when spaces become available, he posts those notifications to the business Facebook page.
“Because of the pandemic, I’ve been working on a lot of smaller projects such as gift boxes and cutting boards,” Christy said. Key racks, which now pull double duty for face masks, are another popular item. “It’s fun to be able to knock out the smaller projects, but my real passion is in custom furniture.”
Christy takes on custom furniture projects ranging from smaller cabinets and bookshelves to headboards and coffee tables that are designed-to-suit.
“People can go to a furniture store to find something they like but it isn’t exactly the right size. My goal is to help them get the look they want that also fits exactly where they want it,” he said. “If somebody wants arts and crafts, I can do that. If they want something more modern with a live edge on hairpin legs, I can do those, too.”
Epoxy and resin work are the only thing he tries to avoid.
“I consult with customers and come up with a design before taking any money because I want to make sure they’ll be happy with the results,” Christy said. Conversations about custom projects can be started at either the Facebook or Etsy pages.
Even if he and the customer can’t find a way forward, he files the design in hope a future customer identifies it as the piece of their dreams.
“My main goal is just to provide that custom furniture at a more affordable price. For me, the joy is in having something I can see and hold in my hands at the end of the day,” Christy said. “It’s a long way from changing a couple of lines of code each day.”