On December 14, 1954, the General Assembly of the United Nations made a recommendation to the countries of the world, inviting nations to embrace Universal Children's Day. This day of activity is devoted to promoting companionship, understanding, and the welfare of the world's children. At Dunn DIY, we believe anyone can create, and today we’d like to celebrate children by telling you about Logan, Dunn DIY’s resident kid carpenter.
Meet Logan.
Logan came into our lives a few years ago, back when Dunn DIY was starting up. He was just seven years old when he came in to interview my dad for a school project. Logan had lots to say about how much he loved Dunn Lumber; he offered ideas for expanding our Jr. Nail Bender's program for kids, and even had a Dunn Lumber commercial to show us that he made himself. My dad called me up after the interview and said, "You have to get this kid on Dunn DIY." So Logan came in and built a flower box with us during the summer of our first launch (you can check out the video here). Logan came back last fall and made a homework station with us.
Completely at ease whether on camera or creating in a professional environment, Logan is always such a joy to work with, and a reminder of why I love my job so much. Of all the people we partner with, Logan is always the most enthusiastic and confident. I hope we continue to develop a relationship with him, and that he keeps visiting us on Dunn DIY for many years to come. In honor of Universal Children's Day, here's an interview with Logan; I hope you enjoy it and find it inspiring as well.
When did you first start woodworking?
I think I was really little. I was about two years old when I started with my toy tools. Then when I was four years old, I remember that Christmas when I got my first real tool kit. My grandparents got it for me.
Do you remember what you built with your first tool kit?
Well, first I just learned how to actually use them.
What do you like about woodworking?
When I was younger, it inspired me to do the best that I could, because I knew someday I could build something amazing. My goal was to build a table, and I did. It was a coloring table.
Do you still use it?
No. I got too big for it, so I took it apart and then I made a firework launcher out of it.
Did you design it yourself?
Yeah, I designed it.
How did you come up with the design?
Sometimes I just look up into the sky and I look at the clouds and it helps me think of designs. Other times I just use what I know and then I give it a little twist.
Do you think woodworking is something you will always do?
Yes, it will always be important to me like it was to my grandpa and my great-grandpa and my great-great-grandpa.
How did you first hear about Dunn Lumber?
Well, it was a store that I always passed to go to school. When I was a little kid, I liked it because of its logo. I was like, "Oh, it looks like a builder." When I was four or five, I went there for the first time, and I was like, "This is amazing!"
I heard that you had a meeting with Mike Dunn. How did that happen?
I wanted to do a school project on Dunn Lumber and I needed to know about its history, so my mom and I were at the Seattle store, and we asked one of the guys there about the history. He said, "You know the person to meet with is Mike Dunn. I'll get you an interview set up." So they set up an interview, and it was pretty cool.
One time I went to the Dunn Lumber in Bellevue. It was my other grandpa and I. We went there and I said, "Do you know who Logan is?" He's like, "Yeah, that's that cool guy on Dunn DIY!" [I told him] "It's me."
What have been some of your favorite things that you've built?
A firework launcher, table, table for my sister, and a piano for my sister.
What was the piano like?
It was a doll house piano. It was about this big and this tall. It had the designs in it, so it had like little keys. Then I spray painted it pink. She loves pink. I sawed it so it had the designs on it, so it was a fancy piano with the little things. I almost went so far to put a flap over the keys, but them I'm like, "I don't want to do that. I don't want to have to buy hinges."
How would you get someone to try woodworking, especially a kid?
Oh, what would I say to them? I would say, "You should try it because some day you might be able to build a skyscraper." It really helps out in life. One time, I started to build a little brick house, but then my dad said, "Logan, stop using up all my bricks. You're going to destroy the foundation of the house." So I had to put all the bricks back.
What is the best thing about woodworking?
The best thing about woodworking would be seeing what you have built at the very end and being amazed. The hardest thing about it is—for me—coming up with designs.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I'd just encourage anybody to start, and I want every single person in the world to know that it's a great skill for life.
