Lewis and Chris

The Shop

My name is Lewis T. Neidhardt (hence, the LTN logo). Starting my working life as a machinist, I spent a number of years at the Graduate Institute of Technology, now part of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. For the first half of the 17 years there, I ran a shop where we made science projects - more sophisticated than the projects you may remember from high school - for folks like NASA, NIH, and other scientific and medical entities. I became interested in personal computers around 1980, when we started building them for our own use virtually from scratch. This led to further study and eventually to my own computer consulting business. This operation closed in 1999 when I was diagnosed with cancer, which is, thankfully, now in full remission. 

We are a very small shop - any smaller and we'd disappear.  Note the chimney. This provides the only heat for the winter and keeps the scrap pile manageable. It is also very effective in dealing with mistakes.

In the summer of 2004, I hired a high school student, Tim Peloquin, to work part time, doubling the workforce.  This has been great for me - I don't have to work as hard, and my worthy assistant has learned and earned.

Quality is our driving force. Each piece of each product we build is carefully inspected during each step to try to eliminate any defects, then the finished units are gone over thoroughly.  Every board that we deliver meets the highest standards.  Our output is small, and I don't plan to increase this.  Health problems forced me into early retirement, and I don't have the energy or desire to create a commercial operation.

I use wood that is grown here in Arkansas.  That keeps material costs down, but also supports other tradesmen here in the state.  I do not use tropical woods at all.  While rosewood, bubinga and other exotic species are incredibly beautiful, their harvesting is destroying important rainforests, of which I will not be a part.

The product line is expanding and changing.  I encourage feedback from my customers about what they would like to see.  While I can't guarantee that every suggestion will be added to the line, each will be considered.  Email me at ltneid@swbell.net, with your thoughts and ideas.

High Tech glue curing oven

Tim inspecting a kitchen island top

Lauren

In the Spring of 2005, Tim left us after his HS graduation. His friend, Lauren Tidwell, had been helping out and decided to continue. Her deft hands and keen eyes are invaluable in gluing, finishing, and quality control. She has since moved on as well.

In 2006, I was reacquainted with an old friend, Ken Meyers of Benton, Arkansas. He works in the shop one day a week, and takes partially completed products home for work that does not need the full capabilities of the shop and its machinery.

In the summer of 2007, my son-in-law, Chris Waggonner, joined the operation full time. He brings design and construction expertise to the table, and will, hopefully, continue in the tradition of quality and value for years to come.

© 2004 by Lewis Neidhardt