Every carrier starts as a log, bought through local woodsmen here in Maine and milled right on my property. Bands of quartersawn maple, birch, or ash, bottoms of quartersawn Eastern white pine, and handles of ash shaped in the shop — except on divided carriers, where the handle is quartersawn pine. The swallowtail joints are cut one at a time by hand and fastened with copper tacks made on original 19th-century machines.

Painted carriers come in red, pumpkin, yellow, green, blue, grey, black, or sea green, each sealed with two coats of pure tung oil. New Lebanon Finish is available on the swing handle carrier only. Natural carriers are dyed to an antiqued tone and sealed with five coats. The copper tacks are darkened for an aged look, and following tradition, the bottom of each painted piece is left unpainted, then dyed and oiled to an aged patina.