My Story

I'm Cody Nelson, founder of Nelson Woodworks. 

Woodworking has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My passion began with my grandfather, a former Pennsylvania State Forester and talented craftsman, who introduced me to the beauty and character of wood. My uncle, who was also my woodshop teacher, further fueled that passion by teaching me the skills and craftsmanship behind the trade.

As a teenager, I set up a small lathe in my dad's shed and began turning pens, bowls, and other small projects. Although I stepped away from woodworking for several years while exploring different career paths, I eventually realized that nothing captured my passion quite like creating with wood.

In 2017, I returned to the lathe and quickly rediscovered what I had been missing. What started as a hobby soon grew into an obsession with resin casting, stabilization, and creating unique wood and resin hybrid blanks for fellow makers. Along the way, I even turned nearly 200 handcrafted pens as wedding favors for our wedding—a project that reminded me just how rewarding woodworking could be.

Nelson Woodworks began as a way to earn a little extra income, but it quickly evolved into something much more. In 2021, after welcoming our first child, my wife and I made the life-changing decision to turn that dream into a full-time family business. I left my day job to focus on growing Nelson Woodworks while also having the incredible opportunity to spend more time with our daughter.

Today, we're proud to create high-quality wood, resin, and hybrid blanks for woodturners across the country. Every blank is crafted with the same care, creativity, and attention to detail that first inspired me years ago. Whether you're turning a duck call, turkey call, pool cue, pen, or another one-of-a-kind project, we hope our blanks inspire you to create something you'll be proud of.