Wisdom River Joinery & Woodwork

This home was the result of an "owner-builder" family's dream.  Not only did we cut the frame of Douglas Fir, we milled all the siding, facia, exterior trim and interior trim from Montana Western Larch.  Frame and home design by Tom Healy.  

Cut  from White Pine timbers salvaged from the Siren, Wisconsin tornado, this unique home features an asymmetrical hip roof with timber "dragons" and a centered "Boss Pin" in the main room.  Home Design by Tom Healy and Rio Mattole.  Frame design by Peter Henrikson and Tom Healy.  

In the foothills of Whitefish Mountain, this family home is built of standing dead Douglas fir timbers and enclosed with Structural Insulated Panels (SIP's).  The "owner-builders" were involved every step of the way - from design and building the foundation, to working alongside Tom in the shop cutting the frame, to installing the last piece of trim and landscaping.  Home and frame/joinery design by Tom Healy

"I first worked with Tom as my instructor at a timber framing course in Minnesota. That amazing experience lead me to partner with him in the building of our home in the Teton Range. Working with Tom and Wisdom River Works was seriously the high point of our entire build. He was communicative, readily gave advice, conscious of budgetary concerns, and open to input. He worked collaboratively with us to find the perfect timber frame design and aesthetic. Tom delivered the timber frame on time and on budget. Although my workload did not give me a chance to participate in any of the joinery work, Tom involved my family and friends in a frame raising that was efficient, safe, and memorable. The small crew he brought with him for the frame raising was hearty, ego-free, and worked with focus and intensity. If I could go back and work with Wisdom River Works on this home start to finish, I would do it in a heartbeat."  

-Christian J.

"It was a true pleasure working with and learning from, Tom Healy. In all honesty, I think I would enjoy doing anything creative or even complicated and tedious with Tom. He keeps things light and humorous and never tires of work. I started learning the art of Timberframing from Tom in 1998. I was a novice carpenter at best, a hack really. I built a 10x16 in a 10 day class with one other woman, it was a blast. Then we went on to construct two more outbuildings on our backyard, at gatherings with the North House Folk school. The big project 30x60 frame was built in 2006 and was an addition on our 1955 Rambler in suburban Minneapolis. It is the first Timberframe that was built in Plymouth, MN and a very odd and complicated project. It was not easy convincing the building inspector, but Tom (his bother in law Peter Henrikson and our engineer helped me every step of the way) When it was finally raised, that same building inspector got tears in his eyes. It was an outrageous dream come true. I could not have done it without the skills and encouragement of Tom Healy. One of the best skills I learned “When you get to a point where you get frustrated and tired, just got over to the corner and sharpen your chisel for a while until you calm down, then go back to work.”  - Martha A.

"We met Tom as our instructor at a timber frame class in Minnesota. We had the land, a magazine article about a house in a fire tower, and a thousand dreams. Working with Tom gave us the frame for our dreams, in the literal and metaphorical sense! Our project truly kicked off with our trip to Montana to work with Tom on carving the frame. We are so proud that we, who had about a week's worth of "carpentry" experience between us, participated in the work, with lots of laughter, learning, and the gorgeous scent of Doug fir shavings permeating our clothes. From obtaining the all-reclaimed Douglas fir and standing-dead western larch timbers, to milling the excess wood for use in interior details, to coordinating with our local builder-contractor, to finishing the frame at his Montana workshop and transporting it to Minnesota, to threading the weather needle to get the frame up in the late fall, working with Tom was a pleasure. He was a fountain of sustainable design ideas, creative solutions and a good listener. We've been in our simple, Golden Ratio home for over ten years and could not be more pleased to be living inside a Healy timber frame." 

Nestled into the cedars on a Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness entry lake, this sweet little cabin is built of reclaimed Douglas fir timbers.  The integrated timber staircase, with fir and bronze spindles, is a unique addition to this tiny Northwoods hideaway.  The cabin is enclosed with Structural Insulated Panels.   The "Frost-protected" concrete slab" - with a stained concrete "tile" floor make for a high-value and energy-efficient foundation.  Frame and home design by Peter Henrikson and Tom Healy.  Timber frame and complete build by Tom Healy.

Located on a historic private resort on a peninsula jutting into Lake Superior, this project offered a few unique challenges - the original building had to be replaced in the "original character" on the original footprint of the structure - built in the early 1900's.  Contracted and built by "Crown Construction" of Minnesota, I subcontacted the timber roof structure - built of reclaimed Douglas fir from the Grand Marais harbor.

Meryl and Forrest came to the Wisdom River shop and laid out, cut and chiseled the timbers for their beautiful Livingston Peak cabin.  Built of fir and larch, this sweet little cabin is enclosed with Structural Insulated Panels.

From a sunroom on Rollins Bay - Flathead Lake to the Canadian border in Minnesota.... At taste of a few other projects from the past.