Meet Our Timber Framers & Staff

Todd Wilson and Sue Ford. Todd is HP&B's COO in charge of operations. You will find Todd on the phone, overseeing design, in the shop, and on site for set up. Sue Ford is our draftsperson and resident autocad expert.
	Ray Walker has been building timber frames for nearly 20 years and has been with us since the early days. His passion is horses and we hope to have a photo of his team for you shortly.
Wendy Ripley is the glue that holds the office and bookkeeping department together. She knows where everything is.
	Rich Hutchinson is a cutter with a number of years of experience under his belt.
Travis Mankin is our crew leader and an avid woodworker and collector. In this photo collage, Travis is mortising (upper left) and is shown with two important crew members: Otto and Quila.
	A small part of Travis's tool collection.
Jeremy Mailloux
	Ed Wiktor

Owner Ridge Shinn explains the Hardwick Post & Beam Philosophy:

"I became interested in old barns when I worked at Old Sturbridge Village in the early 1970s. Working in these barns tending the oxen, cows, and sheep led me to appreciate how nicely they worked and how well they had stood the test of time. These buildings were 150 years old and still working well.

"I learned to build cabinets by hand with mortise and tenon joints and then helped to start the traditional building program at the museum. After working with another timber framer for a number of years, I started Hardwick Post & Beam with the goal of building modern buildings with time tested timber joints.

"I feel this can be done best with a small group of craftsmen who can work closely to build unique buildings. Our philosophy has developed to the point that we use any power tool that allows us to cut faster (read "less expensively") without changing the joints.

"We use hand-held tools, and each framer cuts his piece in entirety from layout to finish. The tools are portable rather than stationary, and this gives us flexibility. It also makes for a great working environment.

"The net result is that the framers who work here love the craft and take pride in their work on your project."