From my workshop on the Estatoe River of Yancey County, North Carolina, quality craftsmanship and a unique vision meets the natural beauty of wood.
Estatoe Woodworks specializes in creating heirloom pieces from Appalachian lumber that emphasize the raw beauty of wood alongside its functionality and aesthetic form.
The hammerhouse: my workshop and home
My name is Ansel Ringler and Estatoe Woodworks is my creative expression. My pursuit of woodworking began as a child - some of my earliest memories are of building rickety tables and wooden swords in my family's workshop - the same workshop that I still use and now live in today. Eventually, I decided to capitalize on all of the sawdust I was creating, so I partnered with my sister in order to open a booth in the local farmers market. She sold bread and I sold bread boards.
I continued to work in my families shop throughout my childhood, selling my wares through the farmers market, the Mt. Mitchell Craft fair and a couple of my hometown's stores. A local news station featured me as the youngest crafter in the fairs history, during which I showed my process of building cutting boards. I continued to develop my skills throughout my adolescence and after graduating from high school I decided to turn my passion into a business.
Now, I build custom commissions for clients all across the country and world. My furniture primarily features lumber that has been figured through natural processes such as spalting, knotting, burling, curling, weathering and worming - bringing the character that nature has created over decades to life in elegant and functional form. Unique Appalachian hardwoods sourced from local mills spread across the region comprise the majority of my projects. Each custom piece of furniture is a unique expression that develops over the course of a conversation. I strive to showcase the incredible natural beauty of wood and the trees life story in a functional, durable and creative form.
One of my most popular requests are custom desks with a electric sit/stand base, built from a variety of local woods and customized to fit your needs.
Just some of the custom dining tables I have made for clients around the country over the years
A tribute to Autumn: Burled Maple and Fall Foliage
Black walnut at home in Texas
A mid century modern design
I seek out unique and rare woods from my region of Appalachia and from around the world to showcase the diversity of colors, textures and patterns that Nature produces.
Eastern Red Cedar
Elder Flame (Manitoba Maple)
Old Growth Cherry
Black Walnut Crotch
Pecan paired with aluminum, steel and brass
Spalted Maple
Ambrosia Maple
Appalachian Barnwood
With the use of resin comes a new realm of possibilities with woodworking. By utilizing wood with cracks, knotholes, live edges inclusions, wormholes and other “defects” I am provided the canvas for creating contrast and a unique accent.
Black Walnut paired with black resin, at home in Montana
Two bookmatched slabs of curly maple that I milled myself, joined with a river of clear resin encasing Japanese ferns
Locally sourced Elder Flame with a clear resin river set over brass colored steel legs, on display in its new home in Hawaii.
Pecan, Brass, Steel
Elder Flame, Copper, Turquoise
Spalted Maple, Dark Blue Pigment
Spalted Maple, Copper, Turquoise, Aqua Glow
Black Walnut, Gold
Pecan, Fire Opals
Burled Maple, Japanese Ferns, Butterfly Wings and Bird Feathers
Elder Flame, Turquoise
ABOUT
Find out how I work with clients, source material and create art. Learn More →
I have also built out several custom camper vans over the years
