Working alone in the garage of his house in Brooksville, not far from Cortez Boulevard, Justin Dussel, 32, can be found making his custom wood signs.
There’s sawdust on the floor and an array of woodworking tools positioned neatly on the walls of the garage. Tools like jigsaws, routers, sanders, planers and other tools of the trade.
Happy and content in his garage, Dussel is very organized and has the planning for each piece of signage thoroughly mapped out. This streamlining enables him to create his carved wooden signs efficiently.
In a corner, varying lengths of pine, cherry, and oak stand waiting to be transformed into something beautiful..
“Woodworking allows me to be creative, and wood is a beautiful medium for artistic expression,” said Dussel.
Dussel said he only started working when he was 16 and moved to Brooksville. He got a job as a framer for a building company and that’s when his love of wood began.
Married just 3 years ago and with one child and another on the way, Dussel said his wife Kaylee asked him to make things for their new house.
“I really enjoyed the challenge and creating ‘stuff’ for us,” he said. “I made custom shelves and a coffee table too.”
Dussel said he found himself thoroughly enjoying the process of making something.
“Cutting dovetails by hand; smoothing wood with a hand plane, gave me great satisfaction,” he said. “And it put me in the good books with my wife Kaylee,” he laughed.
With a new baby on the way, Dussel said his wife then asked him to make a sign of the new baby’s name “Harper” that she could hang on the wall in the nursery.
Kaylee Dussel, owner of a personalized gift company, uses design software in her business, so she printed out the lettering style she wanted and presented Dussel with it.
“That’s really how I started fabricating wooden signs and because I liked creating a personalized item rather than the regular plaques sold in stores.,” he said. “At that time though, I had no idea that there would be a market for my signs.
Making signs is not Dussel’s full time work. He still works a regular job and makes signs in his spare time.
He said that people who had seen and admired the sign he made for their soon-to-be-born baby, began asking me if I would make something similar for them.
“So, I began to accept orders for plaques, signs, and other small wood carvings. And before long, my one-time hobby has transformed itself into a small creative business,” he said.
Galvanized, Dussel’s natural inclination was to start representing himself online. He began posting photos of his work on Facebook and that’s how he gained his first batch of customers.
“Now, I am getting new customers through word of mouth,” he said.
Dussel’s handcrafted signs are finished to the highest standard. Signs can be made from wood of the customer’s choice, reclaimed wood or recycled timber where possible. Otherwise, he likes to use high quality white wood. Each handmade sign is unique and original, and can be fully personalized. Signs that will be used outdoor are varnished with several layers to help the sign last a lifetime.
“I like to talk with the customer so I am sure what style they want,” said Dussel. “Shabby chic, vintage, distressed or perhaps hand-painted, it’s vital to know exactly what the customer wants and where it will be displayed.”
“When I shop for lumber, I choose planks with the straightest possible grain and that are dry and knot-free too,” he said. For the more exotic woods, there’s an added expense of course.
“And I really love going to the lumber yard to pick out that piece of wood that’s perfect for my customer, said Dussel. “I love shaping the sign with my jigsaw and using my woodworking tools. It gives me great satisfaction.”
“I’ve started my little business,” Dussel said. “Everything so far has happened by word of mouth. I’ve sold a bunch of signs already and now I’m branching out doing other items like bar stools which a customer has requested.”
Working with wood was natural for Dussel, beginning with the framing work he did when he first moved to Brooksville.
“Each of my pieces has its own unique twist and I let my imagination go wild,” he added. “I definitely don’t like everything to look the same.”
Dussel also does all the painting and staining himself.
Dussel has successfully carved a niche for himself using wood as his medium. Through his Facebook account, Dussel tries to give customers a view into the creativity behind his signage. He frequently posts snapshots of work in progress and writes about what he’s making and doing.
To learn more about Justin’s woodworking business, visit his Facebook page under ‘ Dussel Designs Wood Works.’
