Strother Purdy began his woodworking career learning to make solid wood interior paneling and cabinetry at Rodger Reid, in New Preston, CT, during summer vacations in college. After that, he served as an editor at the Taunton Press, first at Fine Woodworking magazine, then in the books department. He has written tool reviews, articles and the best-selling book Traditional Box Projects. During his time at Taunton, he replaced all the doors in his house, including the front and back doors. They are all still working, in spite of raising two kids through their teenage years.
Purdy left Taunton to start his own business designing and making furniture and cabinetry to order in his two-car garage – a roomy space with only 7 ft. ceilings. Naturally, two of his earliest commissions were very tall bookcases, both over 9 ft. tall. They were built horizontally and assembled outside in good weather. Spurred on by this spacial dilemma, Purdy built a shop with 11 ft. ceilings. Naturally since then, customers have wanted mostly tables, beds, front doors, buffets, the occasional kitchen, even music stands and salad bowls—but nothing taller than 7 ft, including doors, which as we all know are almost always 80 in. tall.
