About Tiny Texas WoodWorks & Machine

Hi there, and thank you for taking the time to view my work.

My name is James Powers, and I run a small fine woodworking shop, Tiny Texas WoodWorks & Machine, LLC. TM, in Houston, Texas. In addition to fine woodworking, my shop specializes in machine development, restoration, machining and metal fabrication.

I have more than 40 years of experience in fine woodworking and carpentry and have also spent a portion of my career working as a machinist, mechanic, fabricator and machinery developer.

For approximately 20 years of my woodworking life, I worked alongside my father in his custom interior trim, fine woodworking, staircase and hardwood flooring business. Much of our work was performed in multimillion-dollar custom homes, where architectural woodwork, cabinetry, stair systems and interior details were expected to be executed at an artisan level. Additionally, our family services were sought out (& still are to this day) for restoration work on historic antebellum and pre–Civil War homes, including ground up exterior and interior full structural and architectural restorations. I grew up working alongside my family and personally took part in this restoration work, learning traditional “old world” joinery and architectural woodworking, repair, preservation, and the careful reproduction of historic details. Those early experiences shaped the way I approach craftsmanship today and remain a major influence on my woodworking, restoration, machining, and fabrication work. The experiences above became a major foundation for the standards of craftsmanship, proportion, fit and finish that I carry into my work today.

Woodworking was my first passion and remains so today. I follow seven generations of fine woodworking craftsmen, with family roots extending throughout Europe, who embraced the trade both as a means of daily living and for the simple joy of the craft. I've had a hammer and chisel in my hands from early childhood to today, learning first alongside my father and grandfather and continuing that tradition throughout my life.

My formal education and “day profession” come from a very different but complementary world. I hold advanced degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics from Georgia Tech and have worked for approximately 30 years in the nuclear, industrial and petrochemical construction and engineering industries. That engineering and technical background naturally finds its way into my woodworking—from geometry, proportion and structural design to precision machining, fabrication and the development of unusual solutions for one-of-a-kind projects.

My roots are in the backwoods of Buckhead, Georgia and the foothills of Appalachia, where farming, hunting, and “limb hook” and “jug” catfishing on the river just a stone's throw from our small house in the woods were part of everyday life. And, of course, so was woodworking in our family wood working business and cabinet-furniture shops alongside my dad, granddad, and great granddad.

Woodworking, art, machinery, engineering and science are lifelong passions of mine. I particularly enjoy projects that allow those disciplines to intersect—whether creating a piece of fine furniture, restoring something made generations ago, developing an unusual mechanism, machining a component, working metal, or simply shaping a beautiful piece of wood by hand.

My goal with Tiny Texas WoodWorks is to share that passion and craft with the community by creating heirloom-quality fine woodworking intended to be enjoyed today and passed from one generation to the next. I have little interest in mass production. I enjoy creating individual pieces where the character of the wood, traditional craftsmanship, thoughtful design and the small details of handwork remain visible in the finished piece.

I also want my service to be an experience rather than simply a transaction. Throughout a custom project, I provide regular communication, progress photographs and opportunities for discussion so that the customer can follow the work as it develops and become part of the creative process rather than simply receiving the finished piece.

Every piece has its own story, and some of the most rewarding projects begin simply with an idea. I'd welcome you to take that journey with me and partner in creating something truly special.

Kind regards,
James Powers (Sole Owner and Operator)
Tiny Texas WoodWorks & Machine, LLC TM

Last note, I am a certified dealer at Etsy so feel free to check out my shop over there as well, here is URL: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TINYTEXASWOODWORKS