Like many surfcasters, Brian Connor has been doling out Benjamins to his favourite plug builders for years. Nevertheless, the born-and-raised Lengthy Islander is a craftsman himself. Relatively than whittle away his spending cash on custom-made striper baits, he as an alternative turned to his personal lathe to restock the plug bag in 2019. Since then, his pastime has blossomed into his occupation, which led him to start out Hamlet Woodcraft.
Connor, who grew up in East Islip and at present resides within the hamlet of Brookhaven, New York, has spent most of his grownup life woodworking, his second ardour. A faithful surf fisherman since his youth, his ardor for plying the island’s east finish seashores didn’t go unrecognized by the tight-knit neighborhood of anglers within the surfcasting capital of the world. Connor was lately named president of the Montauk Surfcasters Affiliation (MSA) after Invoice Jakobs took him beneath his wing. Earlier than lengthy, he was attending state- and county-run conservation conferences within the curiosity of defending striped bass and preserving entry for the anglers who chase them. “Working for the MSA is a full-time job,” stated Connor, “however it retains me concerned in necessary conversations between surfcasters and native and state governments.” Even when he’s not main the campaign for seashore entry and striper conservation, he’s obtained fishing on his thoughts.
“I’ve all the time labored in building—from dwelling renovations, to roofing, to framing, and high-end carpentry,” stated Connor. All that woodwork inevitably impressed him to mix his skilled pursuits along with his fishing obsession, which started within the type of plug constructing. “Like many fishermen these days, I checked out among the lures in my bag and thought ‘I can replicate that’, so I began turning small batches of plugs for myself and a few shut buddies.” With the assistance of social media, Connor’s metal-lipped swimmers shortly grabbed the eye of Lengthy Island surf fishermen, which he attributes to steering from Bobby Glauda of Beachmaster Lures.
“Bobby and I grew to become acquainted by means of mutual buddies and, generously, he confirmed me the tips of the commerce,” Connor stated. He sources his wooden from throughout, however opts for native wooden each time attainable, which additional ties every Donny and Eely he constructs to his native waters. “I spend numerous my free time going out to Orient and Montauk, the place I hit all of the vintage outlets looking for reclaimed lumber.” A resourceful builder, Connor additionally retains a stockpile of wooden from his days in building and makes use of jap white pine each time he can. “Loads of the seasoned plug builders use jap white pine, however Alaskan yellow cedar can be common,” he stated.
As a result of he works in small batches, Connor’s plugs will not be the best to acquire, however he makes up for it with fishing-themed accoutrements, dwelling decor, and furnishings. “On the aspect, I’m all the time engaged on tasks like tables, hutches, and kitchen islands,” he stated. His striper-engraved chopping boards are a more moderen enterprise, however he enjoys making them as a result of, like striper plugs, they’re items of useful artwork that incorporate his private pursuits. “My spouse has a background in advertising and marketing and design, so I purchased a laser engraver, and we designed the striper ourselves.” Beneath Hamlet Woodcraft, the ornamental boards are one in all Connor’s hottest creations. The striper logos are engraved towards the tail finish of an extended, arduous constructing course of. If it weren’t for his shut consideration to element in making them so sturdy, it could be a disgrace to chop something on them.
“First, I dig by means of piles of lumber and choose items with grain patterns and shade tones that look greatest collectively,” stated Connor. “There’s bark nonetheless on the wooden, so I mill it down to complete dimension, and glue every little thing so it appears just like the totally different items are nearly mirror photographs. I be certain to pick items by which the grain will present to present it texture.” As soon as each piece is correctly sized and glued collectively, Connor planes the board to create a easy floor earlier than sanding it down with sandpaper starting from 80 to 600 grit. He then wet-sands the wooden, which retains the fibers standing up “like a buzzcut” earlier than going over it as soon as extra with 600-grit sandpaper. The result’s an ultra-sleek product that’s prepared for his three-step ending course of, which makes use of food-grade Odie’s Oil and wooden butter. “The oils harden up the wooden and depart a pleasant sheen whereas enhancing sturdiness,” he stated. “I exploit the identical course of once I’m constructing furnishings.”
Whereas striper-engraved chopping boards are his most sought-after works, Connor additionally builds sensible instruments, like hook holders, for fellow plug builders. “I took a 4/0 treble to the thumb someday and figured there’s obtained to be a greater approach of doing this. Absolutely I could make one thing prettier than a 2×4,” he stated, laughing. Thus, the Hamlet Woodcraft Hook Holder was born.
Irrespective of the undertaking, Connor has enjoyable with the constructing course of, however greater than the rest, he enjoys the liberty of his craft. “Since going out by myself after years in building, my workday consists of strolling to my storage workshop, which has made life a lot simpler with three youngsters at dwelling,” he stated. “There, I can do what I need, whether or not it’s a batch of Donny plugs, hook holders, chopping boards—the record goes on.” A brand new addition to that rising record of tasks is hardwood oars. “They’re nautical-themed and folks love them for dwelling decor,” he stated. “I’m making an attempt to develop even additional as a result of I’m actually the happiest when making furnishings, however so many individuals need striper boards, and there are different fish designs I wish to engrave.”
The surf-fishing neighborhood has definitely performed an integral position within the development of Hamlet Woodcraft. Other than social media, Connor’s enterprise has gained probably the most traction by phrase of mouth, which is why he’s delay constructing himself an internet site or e-commerce platform. “The ‘purchase native’ increase has been big since COVID,” he stated, “and I’m very grateful for that. But when I wished a desk job, I’d have gotten one!”
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