It's About Time

Well I'm off to the shop to start on the bluegill project - I will hopefully have some pictures to post this evening. We started with an STL image and turned it into a PTN with the CarveWright STL Import software. We'll see how it goes.

USS Dunham to be christened Saturday

By Kathryn Ross
Daily Reporter
Fri Jul 31, 2009, 10:34 AM EDT

BATH, Maine -

BATH, Maine — Saturday is Cpl. Jason Dunham Day in Allegany County, as proclaimed by county Board of Legislators Chairman Curtis Crandall. However, it is only one of several honors given to the fallen hero. Saturday also marks the christening of the USS Jason Dunham DDG 109 in Bath, Maine.

When Cpl. Jason Dunham passed away in April 2004, a new chapter began in his life’s story, albeit a posthumous one. As a result, Dunham’s memory will live on through the Scio library, the post office, and his brothers and sisters serving aboard the USS Jason Dunham.On Saturday, his mother, Debra Dunham, will break a bottle of champagne over the hull of the USS Jason Dunham, following a long Navy tradition.

Dunham was awarded the highest honor for an American military man when, on Jan. 11, 2007, President George W. Bush presented the Marine’s family with the Congressional Medal of Honor. It was presented in a special ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C. Dunham was the second American to receive the Medal of Honor from service in Iraq, and the first Marine to receive the honor since the Vietnam War. In his hometown of Scio he has been honored with a room in his name in the new library located on Main Street and by the local post office which, shortly after his death, was officially renamed in his honor.

Now, the men and women who serve aboard the USS Jason Dunham will wear a patch of the ship’s crest on their uniforms which represents the sacrifice made by Dunham.

A press release from the Bath Iron Works restates the facts surrounding Dunham’s act of heroism.“On April 14, 2004, Squad Leader Cpl. Jason Dunham‘s squad was on patrol in Karabilah, Iraq when they heard the explosions of an ambush on their Battalion Commander’s convoy. ... Jason’s squad boarded Humvees and headed to the rescue. In that hunt they encountered a group of Iraqi vehicles, and stopped to check them out.” Jim DeMartini, manager of communications for the Bath Iron Works, recently said in a press release, “It was there that his fatal encounter with the attackers occurred. We’re very excited about this ship and very pleased to be honoring the sacrifice of Jason Dunham in this way.”DeMartini explained the poignant symbolism on the patch.

“In the middle of the crest there is a helmet of antiquity, which symbolizes Dunham’s sacrifice of his life to protect his troops. The helmet of antiquity recalls the incident of enemy attack on Dunham’s squad, during which he used his helmet to contain a grenade and covered it with his body to protect his squad at the cost of his own life."

The colors, dark blue and gold, represent the United States Navy, while the purple detail on the helmet refers to the Purple Heart medal awarded to Dunham. The eagle, globe and anchor is the insignia of the United States Marine Corps and the inverted mullet symbolizes the Medal of Honor.”After Saturday’s christening, the USS Jason Dunham will be moved into drydock and then into the Kennebec River where it will be lowered into the river and tugged to the west bank. It will undergo Builders Trials until March and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in April 2010 where it is expected to join the fleet and sail to its home port in San Diego, Calif.

4H Fair - Visual Arts

I am very proud to have been asked to judge the Visual Arts portion of the 4H Fair again this year. There are very talented young folks that enter their work there.

She never....

ceases to amaze me. Little Miss Kendall just said that 1 plus 1 is 2. Keep in mind she was counting marshmellows, but none the less at 2 and a half she did her first math problem.

Scanning Probe Video

Kendalls First Movie

LittleRedWoodshop on Facebook

Jason Allen Create Your Badge

1st Annual Illinois River - Wine, Art and Jazz Festival ... Memorial Day 2009

The project that you see (at left) was produced for the 1st Annual Illinois River - Wine, Art and Jazz Festival. The festival was hosted in Manito, IL at our Memorial Park.

We will be adding wine related items to our store very soon. These pieces are produced in a wide range of materials and are all hand painted. We are very proud of all of these items. Hope you like 'em, Cheers!

CarveWright.com: Spotlight Customer

May 2008: We were featured on as the Spotlight Customer on CarveWright.com, our hard work is beginning to pay off, Thanks LHR! Jason Allen has fulfilled his father’s lifelong dream of having his own woodshop. In The Little Red Woodshop in Manito, Illinois, Jason is finding his dreams coming true, as well .....

NOTE: We would like to thank all of you for coming to visit us. We receiced an awesome 427,214 hits in the month of MAY and our best day being the 17th at 51,878 hits (thanks LHR).

http://www.carvewright.com/cms/allen

CNC Art Guild of America ®

The purpose of this Guild is described in the name: Guild Members are people across America that use the CarveWright and CompuCarve Woodworking system to produce art. A guild is a union of women and men in the same craft or trade upholding standards and protecting their members. The earliest guilds were formed as confraternities of workers.

In pre-industrial cities, craftsmen tended to form associations based on their trades, confraternities of textile workers, masons, carpenters, carvers, each of whom controlled secrets of traditionally imparted technology, the "arts" or "mysteries" of their crafts. Usually the founders were free independent master craftsmen.

http://www.cncartguild.com/

We Are Happy To Be Part of The PATTERN DEPOT

This one-stop shop features hundreds of new and unique patterns. Along with individual patterns, you are able to download entire libraries. The CarveWright Pattern Depot is the largest searchable pattern library available to CarveWright owners. Be sure to go check it out..... we have posted quite a few military patterns.

http://store.carvewright.com//pattern.php?vendor=allen089

New Cards

New are working on a new look for the LittleRedWoodshop. You have already seen the new logos on our websites. Look for our new signs and business cards.

Acme Tools

Spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Acme Tool Store in Cedar Rapids, met alot of great people. Thank you to Jim and all of the guys there for a great show.

Looking forward to seeing all of you again, soon.

Acme Show - Brian Parr

We are happy to announce the addition of Brian Parr to our growing list of artists!

Brian is not only an accomplished chain saw carver, he also works in many other media. From fine carving (mantel pieces), to acrylic, to chainsaw, he is just multi-talented. He has been featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Game Show Network. Viewing some of the photos of his work just amazed us. We are looking forward to sharing his work with you.

Tough Enough To Wear Pink

Raise Breast Cancer Awareness through Rodeo - the combined efforts of industry players, big and small, to raise money in support of research, awareness, education, screening and treatment of breast cancer for the millions of Americans affected by the disease.

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/19052/56650778?m=d02f0494

Des Moines Lowe's Demo

I just travelled to Des Moines this past weekend and did a demo at 4 Lowe's stores. Had a blast, enjoy the people and Lowe's is a great and gracious host. Looking forward to future demos, I think Arkansas is next. Hope to see you there. Be sure to watch for this months Tips and Tricks. Somone you know is the featured author.

Phil Holtan....

We are happy to announce that Phil Holtan, Master Turner will be displayed in the Water Tower Gallery. For more information visit the Gallery page.

Opening

Update: Because of some things that have come up: we are moving, I have been on the road doing demos for CarveWright, The Christmas Walk and many other things, the gallery and shop have not come along as planned. We are still planning for our May 9th opening, see everyone then.

Tree Farm

We have been blessed to have the opportunity to go out into the Sand Ridge State Forest and pick our trees. They have a program that allows individuals to pick, purchase and harvest Red, White and other pine trees.

These trees will then be milled and used in the roof of our new shop and gallery space. Finding a home about 8 miles away from their current location.

Going Great

Went to the forest and picked trees. Getting ready to mill them to start the roof. Still working on getting the old roof off. Look on the "New LRW Shop" page to see new pictures.

New Shop and Gallery

We will make every effort to keep ya'll updated.

The shop will be ready in the next month or so. The gallery grand opening will be MAY 9th, 2009. There are pictures in the New Shop Gallery.

Thank you to everyone that has been helping.

Update: Because of some things that have come up: we are moving, I have been on the road doing demos for CarveWright, The Christmas Walk and many other things, the gallery and shop have not come along as planned. We are still planning for our May 9th opening, see everyone then.

Cpl. Jason L. Dunham Memorial Video

WHOI Story

Gift of Valor...

Deb Dunham was gracious enough to mail me a copy of the book "Gift of Valor". It tells of Cpl. Jason L. Dunham's sacrifice and the reason that he was the man that he was.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Every day ordinary young Americans are fighting and dying in Iraq, with the same bravery, honor, and sense of duty that have distinguished American troops throughout history. One of these is Jason Dunham, a twenty-two-year-old Marine corporal from the one-stoplight town of Scio, New York, whose stunning story reporter Michael M. Phillips discovered while he was embedded with a Marine infantry battalion in the Iraqi desert. Corporal Dunham was on patrol near the Syrian border, on April 14, 2004, when a black-clad Iraqi leaped out of a car and grabbed him around his neck. Fighting hand-to-hand in the dirt, Dunham saw his attacker drop a grenade and made the instantaneous decision to place his own helmet over the explosive in the hope of containing the blast and protecting his men. When the smoke cleared, Dunham’s helmet was in shreds, and the corporal lay face down in his own blood. The Marines beside him were seriously wounded. Dunham was subsequently nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for military valor.

Phillips’s minute-by-minute chronicle of the chaotic fighting that raged throughout the area and culminated in Dunham’s injury provides a grunt’s-eye view of war as it’s being fought today—fear, confusion, bravery, and suffering set against a brotherhood forged in combat. His account of Dunham’s eight-day journey home and of his parents’ heartrending reunion with their son powerfully illustrates the cold brutality of war and the fragile humanity of those who fight it. Dunham leaves an indelible mark upon all who know his story, from the doctors and nurses who treat him, to the readers of the original Wall Street Journal article that told of his singular act of valor.

PRAISE:

“One of the first great books to be spawned by the war in Iraq . . . Phillips has captured the fear, bravery and confusion of the war.” —Tucson Citizen

“Affecting . . . moving.” — New York Times Book Review

“The story of extraordinary valor on the part of a brave marine.” — H. Norman Schwarzkopf, General, U.S. Army, Retired

“Stands head and shoulders above previous Iraq books.” — Proceedings, U.S. Naval Institute

AWARDS: WINNER 2006 - New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

ABOUT THIS AUTHOR: MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS, a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has done four tours in Iraq with the Third Battalion, Seventh Marines. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and two children.

Order the Book Now: http://www.randomhouse.com/broadway/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780767920384

You've Got Heart

The feature on HOI News aired tonight and it was awesome. We hope that is raises attention for the Cpl. Jason L. Dunham memorial scholarship fund.

Very Satisfied Customer

Wrote: I too just purchased "The Machine" (as my wife calls it, lol) from Jason this past Monday. I could have purchased it from a few places, but when I called him over the weekend he impressed the hell out of me for a few reasons:

1. It was Saturday
2. He was in the middle of working on a project
3. He did not hesitate to stop and talk to me, and answer all my stupid questions.

Not trying to go off on a tangent, but in todays world of automated answering machines and "Press 5 to talk to a representative so they may assist you" it was a huge deal to me when I called him and he took the time to really get to know me and what I was looking for as a customer as well as a person.

I highly recommend that anyone wanting to make a purchase to give him a call.

Just my .02 cents... Thank you for your very kind words DudBuster.com

Shop Updates and Cleaning

The weeks of work that we have been doing is coming to an end.

There are now work stations (building, painting, staining, etc...)

All work was done just in time for the folks from WHOI to show up.

Things are really shaping up for life to be a little easier in the shop... gotta love it when a plan comes together.

WHOI News (ABC Affiliate)

WHOI was at the shop today... doing filming for their by-weekly installment of "You've Got Heart" it will air next Wednesday at 6pm and 10pm

We will post the link as soon as it airs.

Cpl. Dunham Litho...

Here is a small sample of the lithopane that we are putting together for the Cpl. Jason Dunham memorial...

England....

Spoke to Mark Greengrass today. No big deal really, except for the fact that he lives in Bournemouth, England.

He is looking forward to purchasing a machine from us and starting a movement in England.

Check out his website to see what he does, awesome wooden bookmarks. www.arboretti.com

Paying Off...

Our hard work is finally paying off.

We have been featured on CarveWright.com in the Customer Spotlight, this is a great honor and we thank them for their kind words.

http://www.carvewright.com/cms/allen

Dustin Evans....

I had never heard this song before today.

"If I Die Before You Wake".

Unbelievable Well I think that's enough said right there.

I Cried....

Warning: do not watch this video if you can't cry... great soul cleaner.

I was looking through some videos on YouTube today. Trying to find a memorial video to play at the Tribute/Benefit Concert for Jason Dunham.

I happened to stumble across this video. Keep in mind the fact that this video was put together by a high school student and it has over 24 million views.

Peoria Air Guard

We have been meaning to post this picture... our webmaster will be posting them on our "We Support Our Troops" Page.

But, he is busy paying the bills right now. When he gets a minute he will get to that.

Thank you again to the Men and Women of the Peoria Air Guard for making us feel so welcome. You are forever in our prayers.

More Lithopanes...

Now this one is a little differnet size, because we are experimenting with a new Light Source. shhhhhh (secret).

Meet "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands."

Unveiling Ceremony Includes Memorial, Concert and Presentation of Colors

Unveiling Ceremony Includes Memorial, Concert and Presentation of Colorswritten by: Connie Ratisseau

Just a few days before the nation celebrated the 4th of July; friends, family and people who had never even met Medal of Honor Recipient Corporal Jason L. Dunham, gathered to permanently memorialize his life and sacrifice in Ridgeway, Pennsylvania at the dedication of the Jason L. Dunham Memorial. The dedication was made honoring his selfless act as he gave his own life on April 14, 2004 to save his fellow comrades in Iraq.

The full day of events began in Ridgeway at the First Presbyterian Church as four members of the US Marine Color Guard walked slowly down the aisle of the church to make a presentation of the American Flag to Deb and Dan Dunham, parents of Corporal Dunham. Also in attendance was Jason’s sister Katie and grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Kincaid of Ridgeway.

After the moving story of Corporal Dunham’s heroism was relayed by his commanding officer Major Trent Gibson, the ceremonies moved to Ridgeway’s VFW Post 5887 where the official unveiling, placement and dedication of the memorial was presented by Mr. Jason Allen of Topeka, Illinois.

Woodworker and CNC artist, Mr. Allen, who never personally met Corporal Dunham, was also the designer and creator of the cherry cabinet memorial that features two Lithophane photographs of Corporal Dunham, carved in acrylic and backlit to reveal its beauty.

The cabinet also features a glass enclosed area which houses a scale model designed by Mr. David Carter of North Little Rock, Arkansas of the soon to be commissioned US Navy guided-missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham-DDG109..

The display also included a framed United States Flag transported by the 169th Air Squadron (Peoria Air Guard) to the battlefield in Iraq and returned to the Dunham Family in honor of Corporal Dunham.

Later that evening, a Benefit Concert was held featuring renowned gospel artist Mrs. Cathy Reynolds of Morton, Illinois. During the concert which included both gospel and patriotic music, Mrs. Reynolds was joined by the Lee County Concert Choir. Concert promoters received more than $1,200 in donations for the Cpl. Jason L. Dunham Memorial Scholarship.


About Corporal Jason L. Dunham: On April 14, 2004, 22 year old, Corporal Dunham from Scio, NY selflessly gave his own life to protect the lives of the members of his squadron by placing his helmet over a dropped live grenade and then covering it with his own body. The other two Marines survived the explosion with serious injuries, but Corporal Dunham died eight days later at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He has since received from President George W. Bush the nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor presented in January 2007. The US Navy in an unprecedented short period of time after his death named the newest guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham in March 2007. The destroyer is under construction and is expected to be delivered to the US Navy by fall of 2009. More information about Corporal Dunham can be found at www.jasonsmemorial.com. Contributions to the Cpl. Jason L. Dunham Memorial Scholarship can be made on the same web site.

About Jason Allen: Mr. Allen of Topeka, Illinois is an artist and craftsman whose work can be seen at www.littleredwoodshop.com and www.carvewright.com/customergallery . He is a founder of The CNC Art Guild Of America and proud veteran of the US Army.

About David Carter: Mr. Carter of North Little Rock, Arkansas is a teacher and member of the Central Arkansas Scale Modelers. He has created several precision scale models for use in historical programs and his works have been featured on the History Channel.

About Cathy Reynolds: Mrs. Reynolds of Morton, Illinois is a three time winner of the CIA Southern Gospel Artist of the Year Award. Mrs. Reynolds worked for three years on the Anita Bryant Show in Branson, Missouri and now directors The Central Illinois Performing Arts Studio in Morton. She tours the country performing at churches and many Veteran events and last December sang in the White House. More information is available at www.cathyjreynolds.com

Lithopanes...

Now these things just get more and more fun. We have come up with a few new processes and are real close to figuring out the Color secret.

We have a few to post so the text is going ot be short.

Meet "Eagle Guarding Flag"

Rich Harvest Farms Project...

This has to be one of the most rewarding projects we have ever done. everything went great and the customer was so impressed that they are looking for other places to use our work. www.RichHarvestFarms.com made the crests that are going to be put on the Fireplace.

CNC Art Guild of America

We formed the Guild about a week ago. Currently 58 members and 29 states. We have set-up a forum, live chat area, appearal and the Host website. Things are looking good and we look forward to the conference in STL. www.CncArtGuild.com

Guardian Angel...

We are starting to get better at the clocks. Did this one from a pattern that was shared in the CarveWright Forum.

Things are going well on the shop, hope to have it done this summer, been a 3 year project.

If you interested in this pattern, let us know. It will also be available in our store.

Been working on that for the last couple of days.

Went to a concert in Tremont Saturday Night, Cathy and Vern are excited about the trip to Ridgway, PA.

Full Sheet of 1/4 inch Corian....

Just wanted to say Thank You to Tremont CounterTops for the great deal on the Corian.

Here is Little Sample of what we are working on. We have come up with what we like to call The NEW Jesus Lithopane.

Note: we started working on the Upstairs at the shop again last night... grand opening should be soon.

The Last Supper

This was made from the Pattern that we have in the Pattern Depot on CarveWright's website.

Just wanted to let everyone see this.

Carved in Cypress, has a funky smell when you carve it, but it kept the detail beautifully.

2 Machines...

We are doing our best to keep 2 machines, up and running.

Some great ideas are starting to flow out of this shop. So, stay tuned and watch out.

Just thought we'd share a pic of the Double table. Not quite done yet but getting there.

Never Forget...911

Sorry that it has been so long since anything has been put up here. Been a little busy, shop looks better though.

Getting ready to get started on the Dunham Project, say a prayer.

Did the presentation at the Peoria Air Guard. They loved the plaques.

Just wanted to post this pic and let you see some of the new things that are coming out of our shop.

Something New

Guess we'll see if anyone is reading this.

This process I figured out today, if anyone can tell my how I did it and what materials I used, I'll give you an at-a-boy. Want to know what an at-a-boy is? All you have to do is figure out how this was done.

Train Train

I think this is one of the best Carvings that we have done. The pattern is from a scan that we did.

Materials: Walnut that was burnt with a torch and stained with a crimson stain.

Look for many new carves to come, we are really started to hit a stride that will ony allow us to make more and more progress. We will have 2 machines in the shop very soon, which should make us twice as productive, RIGHT.

We will be at Pekin Hardwood, Friday and Saturday so come out see what we're up to. And get a great deal on a machine (CarveWright) priced at $2299.99.

FUN FUN FUN

We have spent the last couple of days doing some short test runs, making sure this machine is up to par. So far, so good. Reminder: we will be at Pekin Hardwood, on the Manito Blacktop, Friday and Saturday. Come out and see the machine working and say hi. If you have any questions give Jason a call at 309-232-WOOD.

Machine Back

Got a machine (CarveWright) back yesterday. Missed having our friend around. With the machine, came the Scanning Probe, this thing is awesome. Will be posting some scans soon. Will be in Chicago Thursday and Friday so we hope to spend some time in the shop this weekend doing some carving.

Cpl. Jason Dunham

We just added a page today, with a story that you are going to want to read. Cpl. Jason Dunham gave the ultimate gift, he gave his LIFE to safe his men.

We have been given the honor of producing a memoral to honor that scrafice. We will try to keep you updated on what is going on, without giving away the end result. We'll keep you posted.

To all of those that are contributing to this memorial we say Thank You in advance.

CarveWright Machine

As some of you know we have been without our favorite toy for about 2 weeks. As of this afternoon we are assured that it is on its way home. We are getting ready to start on the memorial for Cpl. Jason Dunham. We are going to do our best to keep everyone updated on progress and even plan to show it here before it goes to NY.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.

Founding Member

We are happy to be a founding member of the Manito Area Arts & Humanities Council. Our goal is to further the arts in the Manito area. Look for more information - coming soon

Congrats to Doug Haffner

Customer Spotlight

CarveWright’s latest discovery Doug Haffner creates more than just awesome projects with his CW; he creates memories!

CarveWright’s latest discovery Doug Haffner creates more than just awesome projects with his CW; he creates memories!

“It’s rare that you buy a tool and end up staying so connected with the company.”

Doug Haffner creates incredible projects, he loves discovering “new ways to expand what (he) can do creatively with tools like the CarveWright.” He integrates his computer and woodworking skills into projects that he finishes with artistic finesse. Then he takes it one huge step further; he takes it to the children in his neighborhood.

Doug Haffner started his interest in woodworking through High School classes. Later in college, he picked it back up, when introduced to scroll saw work. Although he enjoyed dabbling in hand carving and chip carving, he found that he didn’t have the time to dedicate to that art form. He was first introduced to CarveWright by an Illinois neighbor, Jason Allen, also one of our previous Spotlights.

Read More at CarveWright.com http://www.carvewright.com/cms/customer-spotlight

1st Annual Illinois River - Wine, Art & Jazz Fest

1st Annual Illinois River - Wine, Art & Jazz Fest

1st Annual Illinois River - Wine, Art and Jazz Festival ... Memorial Day 2009:The project that you see (at left) was produced for the 1st Annual Illinois River - Wine, Art and Jazz Festival. The festival was hosted in Manito, IL at our Memorial Park.We will be adding wine related items to our store very soon. These pieces are produced in a wide range of materials and are

THANK YOU ...............

We would like to say "Thank You" for the 4.5 million + hits that we have received since launching our webpage.

We would like to Thank CarveWright (LHR), MadeHereInAmerica.com and all of the other folks that have linked us to their sites. We are currently averaging over 10,000 hits a day.

HOI News (ABC Affiliate) aired June 4th, 2008

Extraordinary stories about everyday people with HOI-19's You've Got Heart! with Laura MichelsHOI-19 News has launched a new franchise showcasing some of the people who make the heart of Illinois truly special.It's called You've Got Heart. Every other week we'll introduce you to a seemingly ordinary person who we find remarkable.If you would like to nominate someone for our You've Got Heart segment, fill out the feedback form below or call the newsroom at 698-1950. Accurate. Balanced. To The Point.Follow-up story aired July 8th, 2008

New Listing on HyperMart Community Directory

Proud to be Listed Here ... With such a wide variety of Web sites hosted by HyperMart, we've got something for everyone! If you know what you're looking for, use our search box. If not, browse our categories.

http://members.hypermart.net/directory/

Memorial Honors Heroic Sacrifice of a True...

Unveiling Ceremony Includes Memorial, Concert and Presentation of ColorsJust a few days before the nation celebrated the 4th of July; friends, family and people who had never even met Medal of Honor Recipient Corporal Jason L. Dunham, gathered to permanently memorialize his life and sacrifice in Ridgeway, Pennsylvania at the dedication of the Jason L. Dunham Memorial. The dedication was made honoring his selfless act as he gave his own life on April 14, 2004 to save his fellow comrades in Iraq.

http://carvewright.com/article/show/id/21

INC. 500 NEWCOMER, LHR TECHNOLOGIES

PASADENA, TEXAS-- August 27, 2008-- LHR Technologies, manufacturer of the CarveWright Woodworking System, was introduced to the Annual Inc. 500 List by Inc. Magazine as its 36th Fastest Growing Private Company in the United States. The company also ranked No. 2 in the Top 100 Consumer Product Companies in the US, as well as No. 2 in the Top 50 Businesses in Houston-Sugar Land- Baytown, TX Area.

These tremendous honors reflect the hard work and dedication of the staff at LHR Technologies and their CEO, Chris Lovchik. Of their success, Mr. Lovchik reflects, “Starting out, I had no choice but to risk everything.” That risk has resulted in a growth of nearly 4,000% in revenue over the last four years. “With the growth, I have the resources to better evaluate my options.”

Lovchik, along with co-founder David Jochim, both ex-NASA Robotics engineers, have put those resources to work for them. In early 2007, the company employed 6 people. Today, the company is bursting at the seams with over 60 employees. A new high-tech facility and training center is currently under construction to accommodate their growth.

They continue a dedication to the future with an emphasis on research and development for their CarveWright Woodworking System. LHR has created a brand that is very quickly being recognized by craftsman, hobbyists, technology educators, tool dealers and many other surprising markets. Its low price tag has put high-tech CNC woodcarving into the hands of everyone.

Now available through most major home improvement stores, various specialty craft stores & technology educational dealers, LHR has sold over 15,000 systems. Once offered only in the Continental United States, LHR Technologies now crosses geographical boundaries with their CarveWright Woodworking System by announcing its availability through Canadian distributor Triton Canada.

The CarveWright Woodworking System and Craftsman CompuCarve are revolutionary and compact CNC machines with simple to use software allowing anyone to create complex carvings. Additional accessories, such as a Scanning Probe, which allows for duplication of original works or virtually any other 3-D elements, add to the fun and unlimited possibilities. Educational materials, online user’s forum, projects and patterns are available at www.carvewright.com.

The CarveWright/CompuCarve systems have received a good amount of publicity & recognition over the last year. It has recently been featured twice on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in late-April’s “Martinez Family” and mid-January’s “Luther Family” episodes. It has also garnered a lot of additional press being featured on DIY Network’s CoolTools, honored as Workbench Magazine’s “Top 10 Innovations for 2008”, received 4 ½ out of 5 stars from About.com, featured in Wired Magazine as its selection for “Holiday Gadgets & Gift Wish List for 2007”. Woodworking experts have also published articles in Better Homes & Garden’s Wood Magazine (July 2008), American Woodworker and WoodCraft Magazines praising this exciting new tool.

For more information regarding LHR Technologies or CarveWright Woodworking System, please contact 713-473-6545 or visit the website at www.carvewright.com. Canadian inquiries should call 1-888-874 8661 or visit their future website at www.carvewright.ca.

About LHR Technologies: LHR Technologies Inc., a leader in woodworking tools innovation, was founded in 2001 by NASA robotics engineers who shared a passion for woodworking. With the goal to bring the art of woodworking into the next century, the company patented and distributed a revolutionary “quick changer” for handheld routers in 2003. The engineers used the same “quick changer” concept when creating the CarveWright. The CarveWright was introduced through Sears in November of 2006 under the name of The CompuCarve Woodcarving System and was driven by CarveWright software. The current CarveWright Woodworking System was released to the mass market in the summer of 2007. For more information, visit .

About Inc. Magazine: Inc., the only major business magazine edited exclusively for CEOs of Fast-growing private companies, delivers real a solution for today’s innovative company builders. It provides hands-on resources and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing and technology. And Inc. looks beyond work to address the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Inc. inspires and informs, with cutting-edge coverage that reflects our readers' energy, brashness and imagination. Inc. has a paid subscription base of 700,000 readers.

We have unveiled a new website

www.AllWhoServed.com is dedicated to "All Who Served to Defend Our Freedom" take a minute and visit the page. Remember Freedom Isn't Free! ............ If you have things (ideas) that you would like to have added to the page, feel free to contact us, the page is for you.

http://allwhoserved.com/

http://www.youtube.com/allwhoserved

Proud To Be Listed In the CarveWright Gallery

Jason Allen

LittleRedWoodshop was the dream of our father, Thomas Allen. We would sit for hours and play the "what if" game. "What if we won the lottery","what if we had been wealthy" you know the game. And it always came down to "I would start a woodworking or cabinet shop". Then, in the next breath he would tell you "you're too smart to work for other people, start your own business"Since his passing we have worked very hard to make that dream a reality. We strive every day to be as talented as he was, his woodworking skill was a God given gift. We are finding that, that gift is also within us. We specialize in, well anything made of wood. We also love to paint...but, the combination of the two is what we truly enjoy. Add, the CompuCarve / CarveWright machine and the dream is now reality. Dad,being a machinist at Caterpillar for 33 years, would have loved the level of detail that you can accomplish with a woodworking tool (CC/CW machine). The things that this machine will do are unbelievable. If there was one tool we wish’d been under the tree, (for the last couple of years) this would have been it. We could stand for hours and just watch it work, don't get much done that way...........

New Page for Master Carver George Ginger

Even after 25 years of woodcarving, Ginger declines to sell his pieces. He gives them away to not-for-profit organizations to auction for fund-raisers.He also gives his carvings to children battling cancer and other diseases. He uses his pieces as gestures of kindness for people struggling with adversity. We were happy to build this page for George, he is an awesome friend.

www.FromTheHands.com

"The Christmas Walk" 1st Annual ....

Planning Committee:

Celebrate the beauty of the season with our "The Christmas Walk" 1st Annual.

The traditional Christmas Walk begins on Saturday, December 13th at 5:30pm when Santa and Mrs. Claus, arrive by horse-drawn carriage to offer Greetings to the visitors. Santa makes his appearance to light the Great Tree on the Manito Community Bank lawn.

Beginning at 5:45ish we you happy to welcome 3 Time Southern Gospel Artist of the Year, Cathy J. Reynolds. Cathy will be singing her own Christmas songs as well as many Christmas Classics. Listen at http://www.cathyjreynolds.com/

Santa officially opens his Gingerbread House at 6:30 pm. Kids Welcome.Enjoy an evening of holiday shopping and dining in downtown Manito and delight in chestnuts roasting, strolling carolers and hot chocolate and cider.

We are happy to be founding members of Manito...

Business Alliance:

Manito is Alive and Growing! Statement of Principles: All businesses are considered equal. No discrimination or favoritism will be shown to any Manito business based on the nature, size, ownership, earnings, business structure, date of formation, location, or any other aspect of the business.

It will be a priority on the Manito Business Alliance to keep all Alliance purchases, with first preference to member businesses. Within the Alliance membership there will be no bias.

Cooperation among members to advance the cause of ALL Manito businesses and ensure the overall well being of the community at large must be the driving force behind all Manito Business Alliance activities. Check it out at:

http://www.manitobusinessalliance.com/

THE AVTT or WALL

Help Us coordinate the efforts to "Bring The Wall To Manito" for the 2010 Labor Day Weekend Celeration.

This site would like to express it's support of the Manito Business Alliance in their endeavor the bring the American Veterans Traveling Tribute (The Wall) to their community.

For more information about the Manito Business Alliance visit their website at www.ManitoBusinessAlliance.com. For more information about the American Veterans Traveling Tribute visit their site at www.AVTT.org.

If you would like to make a contribution to this cause you can mail it to the Manito Community Bank at the address listed below.............

Address:
Bring The Wall To Manitoc/o Manito Community Bank
105 S. Adams Street Manito, Illinois 61546
Phone: 309-968-6689

AVTT (American Veterans Traveling Tribute) travels the USA in order to provide a forum for communities to come together to..........................

HONOR-RESPECT-REMEMBER all who have sacrificed their lives for our country's freedom.

By doing this we also honor all Veterans and those serving today. Because they know they will never be forgotten.

We must always separate the War from the Warrior and be never failing in our support for our Men and Women of the Armed Forces.

AVTT pays tribute with several exhibits and memorials.

http://www.manitobusinessalliance.com/

http://www.avtt.org/

We now have our own YouTube.com channel

YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips.Unregistered users can watch most videos on the site, while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos.Few statistics are publicly available regarding the number of videos on YouTube. However, in July 2006, the company revealed that more than 100 million videos were being watched every day, and 2.5 billion videos were watched in June 2006. 50,000 videos were being added per day in May 2006, and this increased to 65,000 by July. In January 2008 alone, nearly 79 million users had made over 3 billion video views.On our channel you will find videos related to news story about the shop and military videos that are i line with our beliefs.

http://www.youtube.com/LittleRedWoodshop

Kendall Featured in Photo Poem by Gary Jacobson

We met Gary Jacobson at the Traveling Wall in Morton, IL. Gary was about to go on stage to read a poem and asked Jason to take pictures. Jason was happy to help and 100 or so pictures later returned Gary's camera to him. In those pictures was one of Kendall leaning against the wall, Gary has used that photo in a poem about his experience in Morton. The poem titled "Gathering at the Wall That Heals" is featured on the internet. We thank Gary for using this photo.We are huge fans of Gary's poetry and photography, you can order his book: "My Thousand Yard Stare." With over two hundred full color pictures, and poems in this book of his most popular poetry.

http://namtour.com/GatheringattheWall.html Click Here and Scrool Down

http://namtour.com/marketplace.html Click Here to Buy Books

Now Listed on MadeHereInAmerica.com

About MADE HERE IN AMERICA: We're just a small operation up here in West Michigan struggling with unemployment and trying to keep warm mostly. Quite often I'd hear someone say "where are all the Made in the USA products"? Our aim is to help everyone (myself included) with these questions:Is anything made here in America anymore? Where are our children/grandchildren going to find a job? How is anyone going to earn enough income to buy all these products?We want to build this site to be clean and uncluttered, yet interesting enough for people to want to come back. This is a directory of companies that (still) build products made here in America. Some companies out-source some of their products- that's why we indicate a percentage of products made in the USA. From 5% to 100%...I try to be accurate. I e-mail every company for this info. Some of the big corporations have a hard time with that and don't offer the information.Well, I'm looking for them, and I'm finding them. If you would like to find them just add this site to your favorites, and I'll bring them to you. Check us out often, I try to add more links everyday. Help reverse this trend to out-source our products and our jobs. Remember to buy American made products!!!!

http://madehereinamerica.com/homeandgarden.aspx

Retail Location: View It Now

Giving Tree Candles & Gifts of 120 North Broadway, Manito, IL, (309) 968-5311: Visit them today to see a full line of lithopanes, carved items hand-painted signs from LittleRedWoodshop (you can also place custom orders at this location). They also offer: A full line of WoodWick candles and Reed Diffusers. They also carry an assortment of Colonial Candles, Root Candles, Bridgewater Candles and they now carry an assortment of hand poured soy candles. They have a specialty hand poured soy candle created exclusively for them - Manito Memories. Its unique fresh scent is a combination of rain, fresh cut grass and wild flowers. (I love the way that place smells - Jason)

CarveWright.com: Spotlight Customer

May 2008: We were featured on as the Spotlight Customer on CarveWright.com, our hard work is beginning to pay off, Thanks LHR! Jason Allen has fulfilled his father’s lifelong dream of having his own woodshop. In The Little Red Woodshop in Manito, Illinois, Jason is finding his dreams coming true, as well ..... NOTE: We would like to thank all of you for coming to visit us. We receiced an awesome 427,214 hits in the month of MAY and our best day being the 17th at 51,878 hits (thanks LHR).

http://www.carvewright.com/cms/allen

Customer Spotlight

Jason Allen has fulfilled his father’s lifelong dream of having his own woodshop. In The Little Red Woodshop in Manito, Illinois, Jason is finding his dreams coming true, as well.

written by: Connie Ratisseau

Without this little machine, my life would not be the way it is now and it is good!
I had the pleasure of meeting Jason Allen at my first Woodworking Show in St. Louis (Collinsville). What struck me most was his enthusiasm and energy. His passion for what he was doing and excitement for the CarveWright was infectious not just to me, but for everyone fortunate enough to speak with him as they came into our booth that weekend. The record number of machines we sold that weekend has not been broken.

I thrive on reactions…I always get a WOW. And that WOW is what keeps me working towards perfection.

Researching Jason’s website www.littleredwoodshop.com, I was profoundly struck again by his character that shines through his website. I was reminded of the Girl Scout Promise that I took years ago. “On my honor, I will try: to serve God, my country and to help people at all times…” That is Jason Allen.On Spirituality, Jason professes, “I am not a Sunday Christian. I am, however, a believer…(that realizes)…when I stop being selfish and start listening to what God is telling me. I get rewarded.” His rewards are abounding by his company that is finally flourishing and he attributes some of that success to his CarveWright. “Without this little machine, my life would not be the way it is now and it is good!”

Jason has owned his CarveWright for six months. “I researched the machine for a year (before purchasing) and I wish I hadn’t lost that time.” Jason currently has two CarveWrights and this week he has been cleaning up The Little Red Woodshop with plans to add more. Since his father’s death three years ago this month, Jason and his siblings have been busy realizing his father’s dream to have his own Woodshop. Left with his tools and a lifelong exposure to woodworking, they built The Little Red Woodshop and are now enjoying its success.
That’s the beauty of it (CarveWright). Regular Joe’s like me from a variety of backgrounds can use it.

Jason claims to have “inherited his (fathers) tools, but not his talent.” One look at his work and it is obvious Jason has found his talent. Jason creates beautiful lithopanes (Greek word meaning “light in stone”) from Corian. His “Jesus Wept” and “Whole World in His Hands” Lithopanes can not be appreciated in a photograph as they are in person with the light shining from behind his carvings. Jason considers himself to still be practicing. “I thrive on reactions…I always get a WOW. And that WOW is what keeps me working towards perfection.”

Jason is not just a CarveWright user; he is a leader in forming the new CNC Art Guild of America an idea that began on the CarveWright User’s Forum and within weeks became a reality. The CNC Art Guild (www.cncartguild.com) at printing time has 69 members in 31 states of individuals that have an interest in sharing ideas and information with fellow CarveWright or CompuCarve owners. “That’s the beauty of it (CarveWright). Regular Joe’s like me from a variety of backgrounds can use it.” Of the CNC Art Industry, Jason states, “it is a totally new industry waiting to blossom and explode.”At The Little Red Woodshop, Jason also creates signs many which have a military theme. An ex-member of the US Army and coming from a long line of military family members, Jason’s patriotism is evident from his website. After seeing one of his military signs, Jason was asked to participate in a memorial to fallen war hero and Medal of Honor recipient, Cpl. Jason Dunham. Read more about Cpl. Jason Dunham at www.littleredwoodshop.com. He has been commissioned to create a memorial that will be dedicated on June 28th in Ridgway, PA. The memorial that Jason is creating is a closely guarded secret, but his excitement is obvious. We at LHR, look forward to adding a photo of the finished product to our Customer Gallery.

CNC Art Guild of America ®

The purpose of this Guild is described in the name: Guild Members are people across America that use the CarveWright and CompuCarve Woodworking system to produce art. A guild is a union of women and men in the same craft or trade upholding standards and protecting their members. The earliest guilds were formed as confraternities of workers. In pre-industrial cities, craftsmen tended to form associations based on their trades, confraternities of textile workers, masons, carpenters, carvers, each of whom controlled secrets of traditionally imparted technology, the "arts" or "mysteries" of their crafts. Usually the founders were free independent master craftsmen.

www.CncArtGuild.com

We Are Happy To Be Part of The PATTERN DEPOT

This one-stop shop features hundreds of new and unique patterns. Along with individual patterns, you are able to download entire libraries. The CarveWright Pattern Depot is the largest searchable pattern library available to CarveWright owners. Be sure to go check it out..... we have posted quite a few military patterns.

THREE WAYS TO SHOP!
The CarveWright Pattern Depot now gives you three ways to shop for patterns. Shop for individual patterns, buy money saving collections, or buy an entire project. Yes, that's right, we've added whole projects to the store! Now users can create projects and sell them to other users with full instructions and licenses to all the necessary patterns. Check out all three ways to shop today.