Today we’d like to introduce you to Dillon Rust.
Hi Dillon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always had a fascination with woodworking, tools, and the artistic side of the craft. I remember when I was around 11 years old, I asked my dad for a wood-burning iron from Hobby Lobby. I had no clue what I was doing, but I would take pieces of scrap wood from the garage and sit by the fireplace and burn away. I made my mom a few small gifts with the iron, and continued to just have fun with it.
When I was 12 years old, we moved from St. Louis, Missouri, to Esko, Minnesota. It was here that I wanted to have my own workshop of some sort. However, I had no tools and little-to-no skill. Shortly after we moved, I went with my mom to Hobby Lobby. It was here I asked her for the money to buy a cheap little wood carving kit. She ended up buying it for me, and I was super excited to crack it open and start carving. The kit came with a set of carving tools, a coarse sharpening stone, and a rectangular piece of bass wood. I completely wasted the piece of wood, but the desire to learn more about the craft only grew from there.
When I was 13 and 14, I started to make little projects for my friends, such as shotgun shell boxes for hunting and little plaques as gifts. It was that year where I started to take shop class in middle school and high school. Shop class is where I got to learn how to use the larger pieces of machinery and learn how to make basic projects. This cemented my interested and passion for the craft. The only problem was I did not have any money to start a shop of my own.
When I was 15 years old, I got a job working for a local cabinetmaker that was about a mile away from my house. Because I had taken shop class, I felt pretty confident in working for this guy. I was quickly humbled the first few weeks of work, as I did not know anything about cabinetmaking. He quickly realized I was not as experienced as he thought I was, but he saw I was willing to learn. I truly grateful that he chose to take on the role of teacher and help me grow my skills in woodworking. I worked for him for 3 1/2 years which allowed my skills to takeoff.
During my last year of working for the local cabinetmaker, I started to take on commission jobs from clients of my own. I was nervous at designing and producing projects of my own. However, the more my skills progressed and the more I worked with clients, the less nervous I became when meeting with clients and designing their custom pieces. I am always learning, and I love to take on new, challenging projects. I am excited for what the future holds!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Becoming a craftsman was the fun part. The hardest part of the early years of my business was meeting with clients. I had full confidence in my skills, but what caused me to be a bit anxious was that fact that I had a stutter. I was concerned that new clients would judge me based on how I sounded instead of on my skills and professionalism. Speaking on the phone was especially hard. My stutter is something I have to work through on a daily basis, but I am grateful that my clients see me for who I am as a person and a craftsman.
As you know, we’re big fans of Dilly-Bird Woodworks LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Dilly-Bird Woodworks LLC creates custom, handcrafted furniture, cabinetry, built-ins, and home goods. What sets me apart from other makers is that I use solid wood whenever possible and traditional joinery methods that have been used by craftsmen for hundreds of years. This is what makes furniture from Dilly-Bird Woodworks LLC heirloom-quality.
I love working one-on-one with my clients to bring their vision to life. I want them to receive a piece they can be proud to use and pass down. I build furrniture for both residential and commercial spaces.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dillybirdwoodworks.shop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067013256583
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dilly-bird-woodworks-llc/?viewAsMember=true
