Phil Armstrong
New to woodworking and passionate about learning more.
Hello, Single Batch Designs—
While I am in my infancy with learning the art of woodworking, I thoroughly enjoy the process from start to finish. My carpentry skills are above average, and I do projects every month in my modestly sized basement workshop to learn how to create finished pieces, including some small furniture. Working with my hands and keeping active/creative are two ways I enjoy spending my free time, which doubles as productive when working on projects for myself or others.
Some quick background on my career thus far: I have been a professional photographer for several years, and am currently working for myself as a hired camera. I’ve worked with several architectural firms, such as GBBN and Luminaut, as well as local museums, such as the Cincinnati Art Museum and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, to capture beautiful spaces and exhibits designed by visionaries in their fields. Realtors and Airbnb owners often employ me to capture their spaces, as well as hotels both locally and outside of the Cincinnati area. In fact, there’s a chance I’ve photographed a Single Batch Designs piece in one of the many spaces I’ve visited over the years! In addition to architectural and real estate photography, I also do events, product photography, and portraits.
Additionally, I was the Managing Editor of Cincinnati Refined, Local 12 WKRC-TV’s lifestyle website, from 2018 to 2021, and worked as the Assistant Editor for years before that from 2016 to 2018.
While photography is my expertise, I am looking for employment that involves working with my hands on the side. Since I find woodworking so creatively satisfying, the open position on your employment page of the website piqued my interest, especially since it’s an entry-level position with room for growth. I am just as happy doing prep work and learning that process as I am organizing and keeping the work area clean. My own little basement shop is always kept in a clean and ready state so I can begin building whenever the inspiration strikes.
Below is a sample of the projects I’ve done over the last year that I feel are indicative of my beginner skillset with information about each piece, as well as a few helpful links. While nowhere near the level of Single Batch Design’s gallery of work, it is the work of a beginner with a desire to learn. We all have to start somewhere, right?
Thank you kindly for considering me for this position. Have a wonderful New Year!
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
InVue Placemaking Project
Built for the City of Bellevue on a modest budget, this piece is meant to attract pedestrians walking along Bellevue’s main Fairfield Avenue and offers a photo opportunity to the community. Bellevue’s city slogan, “InVue”, is represented with the person standing within the structure, acting as the first letter. It is lit with outdoor string lights threaded through the facade of the structure and are operated on a timer. I designed the structure in pieces using Procreate.
It is currently located on the south side of Fairfield Avenue between Taylor and Washington Avenues.
Folding Game Board
A client tasked me with building a folding game board for use with their Dungeons & Dragons group. Using rustic hinges, a stylized hasp, and adding special rivets with an appropriate stain and finish, the board turned out nicely and the client was happy.
Flight Boards
My wife and I like to sample different kinds of beer when we go out. To bring the fun home, she asked me to build us a set of six four-glass boards we can use when we have people over. Using my surplus of scrap wood, I put together these simple boards and routed the edges to give them a finished look. Each of them were stained with different colors to make them unique.
Operable Camera Obscura
Combining my love and knowledge of photography and woodworking, I built a working camera obscura to illustrate how primitive imagining technology operates. It has two aperture settings and a focusing column in the back. I routed the edges, sanded each surface, and built a custom tripod for it. This was a personal project.
Wedding Backdrop
This project was designed and built for a wedding that was held at Hotel Covington in May of 2021. Because it needed to be transported in pieces, I engineered it to connect with heavy bolts and two brackets at the base of the structure, totaling ten pieces all together. It stood around 8 feet tall in total and was my first attempt at staining. The bride and groom were pleased with the work.
Dog-Specific Items
As a dog-lover, I’m always looking to improve their lives in small ways, whether they be my own dog or someone else’s. I’ve built raised dog bowls for big dogs who have trouble bending down, bedside stairs for small dogs, tiny stair ramps for dogs with ailing backs, and a cabinet with perch on top so the little dog can look outside her owner’s picture window (stairs were separate). Because I like to reduce and reuse, several of these pieces were made entirely of scrap wood from other projects.
Personal Deck
Over the summer of 2021, I rebuilt my back deck from the ground up. While the design wasn’t my own, I worked with two relatives over the course of a work week to construct the deck. Adhering strictly to building codes, the City of Bellevue inspected and approved the work during and after the deck was built. The raised herb garden box was a later addition and is of my own design.
Bird Feeders
Taking inspiration from designs I saw for sale online, I made several bird feeders for both my own yard and a relative’s. Each have held up well over the course of the last year.
Household Items & Improvements
Working on things around the house is a pastime of mine. I’ve made wall-mounted vanities, plant stands, shelves from scrap wood, upright organization systems, desk items, folding tables, spice racks, and more. It fills me with an immense feeling of satisfaction when I complete a project and solve a utility or aesthetic problem in the home.
I would love to hear from you. Email me: