Dairyland Peach Sections Business Profile 2019 | Page 8

Dairyland Peach Business Profile 2019, Page 8
Cabinetmaking expertise and skill found
at Bob’s Woodcraft and Custom Cabinets
Bob Asmus of Grey Eagle learned his trade at the
knee of his father, Arden Asmus. Bob remembers using
a coping saw to make a cardboard cutout of the state of
Minnesota when he was just 5 years old. He recalls later
helping his dad build a fish house.
“I’m 90 percent self-taught,” he said. “I worked for
home construction companies before I started doing
cabinetry in 1985.”
The very first job he completed was redoing the kitch-
en at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle.
The variety of jobs Bob has taken on have been “just
about anything” — a custom-built gun cabinet with a
capacity for 40 guns, display cases such as for the hard-
ware store in town and a huge bar for The Hub that
included two half-crescent sections.
The jobs keep Bob busy on a full-time basis. It takes
about four to five weeks to complete cabinets for an
average-sized kitchen. He builds his own doors, rather
than relying on purchased ready-made components.
Bob’s Woodcraft is one of the few custom-built cabi-
net shops around.
“There is nothing factory-built here,” Bob said.
Finely-crafted products from Bob’s Woodcraft and
Custom Cabinets can be found from Barrett to Pierz
and from Eagle Bend to Coon Rapids. Word of mouth
from satisfied customers provides all the referrals that
Bob needs.
“I enjoy the uniqueness of each house,” he said. “Ev-
ery layout is different. Each design is unique, including
any extras the homeowners want.”
Oak is the most commonly-used wood for cabinets.
Bob also uses paint-grade maple. One customer request-
ed butternut.
A painted finish is requested more often than stain.
“Antiquing seems to still be popular,” said Bob. “A
recent project had gray stain with a white frosted finish.”
A recent kitchen cabinet project in Sauk Centre called
for dark blue lacquer-based paint and a top coat.
Flat-panel doors are more common than other styles,
generally because they are much easier to clean. Glass
cabinet doors are an option too.
One of the most unique kitchen features that Bob has
assembled was to raise a dishwasher 10 inches off the
floor. The customer didn’t want to bend over so much,
so Bob put the dishwasher in a tall cabinet and installed
drawers under it.
Bob’s projects are designed using computer software.
He works with the customer to design any custom con-
struction projects, designing everything from end tables
to whole houses. The customer can stop by and see their
project and make any changes.
In addition to building cabinets and doing custom
work for others, Bob occasionally puts together a piece
for himself. Working between projects, it took two
months to build an antique icebox.
“It was one of the rare times I had extra time on my
hands,” he said. “I used old-fashioned joinery methods
like pocket screws and mortise and tenon joints.”
Bob’s Woodcraft is housed in a roomy shop located
across from the fire station in Grey Eagle. It is a full
working shop with the capacity to handle cabinets from
rough-cut lumber all the way to the finished cabinets.
“More of the new kitchens we see are unusual with
the layout of the room or the design of the cabinets, so
Bob Asmus of Bob’s Woodcraft works at his shop in
Grey Eagle. He started the business in 1985 and brings
unique expertise and skills to his work.
custom-made cabinets become the best option for many
homeowners,” he said.
Building custom cabinets and furniture takes a few
more power tools than the average homeowner has in
their garage. Commercial table saws, miter box saws,
planers, sanders and dust collectors are all standard for
Bob’s Woodcraft.
As much as Bob enjoys what he does with wood, life
isn’t only about that. He also likes fishing and camping.
He recently bought a refurbished antique tractor to use
as a parade unit, just for fun.
Bob offers free, no-obligation quotes. Feel free to tell
him about a project online, and an accurate quote and
timeline for the work will be sent quickly. Visit www.
bobswoodcraft.net.
The company goal is to provide both a superior cus-
tomer experience and tremendous value for custom-
ers. For more information, call [phone] or (320)
290.0720.
“From kitchen and bath to laundry and storage, I will
make your dreams reality,” he said.
BOB’S WOODCRAFT
& CUSTOM CABINETS
207 Woodman St. • Grey Eagle, MN
320.285-7705 or 320.290.0720
This custom oak kitchen was designed, built and installed by Bob’s Woodcraft and Custom Cabinets of Grey Eagle.
www.bobswoodcraft.net