Introduction

Hi,

I’m Mike, and I run Lyman Designs. In addition to product design and woodworking, I have a passion for writing. Part of the reason I started this site was to give me a creative outlet; for me, it wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t share some of my thoughts and process in writing.

Most woodworkers share these things in video form - either in long form on YouTube or in shorter form on Instagram, TikTok, or other social platforms. I don’t have a passion for filmmaking, and I cannot stomach the idea of video editing. So this blog is where that side of the venture will live.

A little about me.

I’m a husband and a dad. I live in North Vancouver. I’ve always been interested in how things work and in building things. As a kid, that meant taking apart my toys. I rarely got them back together, but it did give me a sense of how things were put together. As I got a little older, I started building things that fit my interests. I’d build skateboard ramps, boxes, and rails. As an adult I did several small construction, home improvement and renovation projects.

I’m a pragmatist. I build what I need. I work really hard designing the little touches that make my life better or that make using an item more delightful. When my kids were born and we moved to a larger house, suddenly, the things I needed were furniture and toys. I gradually built out a workshop in my garage and began optimizing for life as a dad.

Some of these projects worked out great, some not so much. I learned a lot from all of them, and began building a bit of a portfolio of projects that were so great for our lives that I’ve decided to see if these are others who might find them as delightful as we have.

So that’s a bit about me.