A Legacy of Innovation and Craftsmanship
- Andrea Stocker
- Mar 2
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 3
As many of you know, from stories I've shared over the years, my grandpa has a fabulous woodshop up in Iowa. My brother and I have been spending a week up there every year learning from him and using his tools to create some really fun pieces that we have in our homes.
A woodshop is a special place. For me, it’s more than just a place to work with tools—It's the room in which I spent 4 years earning my BFA, learning from incredible teachers, and making memories that will stay with me forever. For me it is also where generations of problem-solvers and creators have left their mark. My grandpa’s woodshop is a living testament to that legacy. As an engineer with 27 patents to his name, he’s built more than just inventions; he’s built a space where creativity, craftsmanship, and history come together. This space is personal to me, because, in many ways, I’ve inherited the same passion for creating and problem-solving that runs through our family.
The story of our family’s ingenuity goes way back. In 1887 when my Great(x4) Grandfather designed and patented a horse bridle—one of the many inventions that show our family's long history of solving problems and innovating. So, when I step into my grandpa’s woodshop, it’s not just a place filled with tools; it’s a space where our family’s legacy of creation and innovation continues to thrive. It's a place where we sit while waiting for stain to dry, and talk about memories from his life. It's way more than a shop.
From Garage to Dream Shop
Before he retired from his 9-5 at Fisher Controls, my grandpa worked in a garage shop, making knives that now live in the homes of many thousands of people around the world, as well as woodworking projects of all kinds. After retiring, he finally had the chance to build his dream woodshop. As an engineer, the shop was not only designed to meet his needs but to maximize efficiency and creativity, with custom-built workbenches, specialized tools, and even clever storage solutions that reflect his engineering mindset. It’s a place where every corner holds a story, every tool has a purpose, and the very layout of the shop shows the careful planning and attention to detail that defined his entire career.
Patents and Projects: The Man Behind the Woodshop
My grandpa’s career as an engineer, with 27 patents to his name, is nothing short of remarkable. From the moment he entered the workforce, he was determined to solve problems and make the world a better place through his inventions. And his woodshop became an extension of that—where ideas took shape, prototypes were tested, and his innovative spirit found a home.
Some of his inventions may have been mechanical, but in the woodshop, he applied the same principles—precision, function, and creativity—to every project. Whether he was building furniture, crafting tools, or simply experimenting with new ideas, his approach was always methodical, thoughtful, and driven by a desire to create something that worked, and worked well.
What’s even more special is how this spirit of creativity runs through the family. From the many Great Grandparents, all the way up to my mom, and now my brother and I, a testament to the creative and artistic mindset that’s been passed down from generation to generation. Walking into my grandpa’s shop, I can feel the weight of that history—the tradition of inventiveness and resourcefulness that connects us all.
Learning From an Inventor: Time in the Shop
As I spent time in my grandpa’s woodshop, I found myself learning not just about the tools, but about him and his life. We are so alike in many ways—our shared love of problem-solving, our curiosity to understand how things work, and the way we approach each project with patience and attention to detail. I’ve been lucky enough to learn from the best: not just an engineer, but a grandfather who has so much to teach about craftsmanship, perseverance, and the value of hard work.
There’s something almost magical about seeing the space itself. With an almost 2,600 square foot building, the vast array of tools, an immense amount of stacked wood, there is never enough time to take everything in. Every time I am there, I discover something new I hadn’t seen before. Whether it's an old wrench that went to a specialized piece of farming equipment, or even a project he made in his shop class back in high school.
A few things that stick out when I think of the shop: The smell of cut wood. The thin layer of sawdust that covers literally everything. The stacks and stacks of wood of all kinds. Tieger the shop cat. Patent plaques lining the walls of the entrance. And of course, the many projects he is working on at any given time.
The Spirit of Creation Lives On
In the end, my grandpa’s woodshop is more than just a workshop; it’s a place where family history, innovation, and creativity come together. It’s where the past and present collide, where a long line of problem-solvers, stretching back to the 1800’s and beyond, have left their mark, and where a new generation—my generation—is learning to carry that legacy forward. My brother and I want to take what he has taught us—how to build, create, and innovate, and continue that in our own way. As I look around his shop, I see more than tools and wood. I see my future in a way, and always have. I wanted to create that kind of space in my own life.
A New Studio and Woodshop!
Over the past few years, his health has declined and he has started to think about what is next, and what the future looks like for all of his things. As hard as it is to think about right now, I will have the absolute pleasure and honor of receiving his tools, equipment, and wood when the time comes, and I can't even put into words what that means to me.
I will not have the physical building, but I will have the contents of it, that will remind me of time shared with him during every use. I have started the early stages of planning a shop building on my property that will consist of a pottery studio, and a separated space for woodworking. The planning process has been very long and drawn out, but it feels like it's finally moving forward. With this new shop, I know I’ll be honoring not just him, but all the generations before me who’ve taught me the importance of creating, solving problems, and always striving for something better. I cannot wait for my grandpa to see this come together, and share what I am doing with all of you.
Top Row: My grandpa and I working on the drill press. My grandpa and my brother, Michael. A box, in progress, for my pottery tools.
Middle Row: Working on a chair that folds to a stepstool. My mom working on charger plates for her wedding tasting clients to use. Wood from my grandpas high school shop class project. Finished chair.
Bottom Row: A display piece we made for bottles of sand I have collected from my travels. Each row can tilt out to remove the bottles. A framed piece, in progress, to display clay tiles I made. My grandpa and I, both emotional, as my week stay comes to an end.
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