Tables, benches and cabinets all bear the Made By Vogel seal and can be found in homes as far away as Missouri and North Carolina. Solid wood pizza cutters, bottle openers, ice cream scoops, rolling pins, coasters, charcuterie and cutting boards are popular shower, wedding and bridal party gifts, local shop owners said.

But they’re not just pretty to look at — they’re designed to be used. For example, the ice cream scoop, made of polished zebra wood, easily fits the hand and has a silky smoothness that elevates scooping into a sensory pleasure.

Vogel also makes them easy to clean — the metal appliance easily unscrews from its polished wooden handle for cleaning.

Vogel uses his artistic vision to create one-of-a-kind cutting boards and charcuterie boards that involve more than 500 pieces of domestic and imported woods that are glued and then turned on a lathe. The boards come in different sizes and feature different techniques to create unique patterns.

Carpenter Tom Vogel (right) works on a piano board with his son, Jeremy Vogel, in his Altoona workshop. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Each must then be stained and properly oiled to be used with food.

His artistry, too, has been polished since he crafted a spice rack in seventh grade and knew he wanted a career in carpentry.

“I love to do what I do. I like to make things for people to make them happy,” he said. “If I can put a smile on your face, that’s what I feel God has intended for me.”

After graduating from Altoona Area High School and the Altoona Area Vo-Tech, now known as the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center, Vogel entered into the construction business and later left for a carpentry position at Penn State Altoona.

“It was a blessing to be there. I prayed about it and waited for eight years with people telling me there’s no way in the world you’re going to get into Penn State,” Vogel recalled.

While there, he gained a reputation for being able to build anything for much cheaper than ordered through a catalog, such as special tabletops that would rise and descend, art display cases and more.

He retired in October with 26 years of service and has been spending more time creating his own items that are for sale in area shops, fulfilling special orders from local businesses and continuing to craft furniture, decorations and sets for his church, Trans4mation Church.

“He’s a master craftsman,” said family life pastor Bethany Marshall of Trans4mation Church. “There’s nothing he can’t do. You share a vision with him and he raises the bar and goes above and beyond. Everything he does is always done with an exceptional amount of care. ”

He donates a lot of what he makes for the church, she said. These include decorative wooden Christmas trees of various sizes for the stage, “amazing” benches with hidden storage, a shelving unit for the preschool area, a coffee table and many others.

She described Vogel as “very humble.”

“This is my happy place,” he said, looking around the standalone garage he turned into a woodshop. “I’ve always loved the Lord Jesus and I’ve always prayed for a rental property and a woodshop.” He then launches into a story about how he was working on his son Jeremy’s house, which is on adjacent property, and the garage and the house nearby were for sale.

Within two weeks, he’d purchased the house and garage and was able to move his basement workshop into the garage and turn the house into a rental property.

His two grandsons, ages 2 and 4, visit regularly and “inspect” the wood and play with their tiny cars and trucks in the doorway and on the steps. Jeremy, a registered nurse by day, shares his father’s love of woodworking, but has little time what with working full time and parenting his children.

Jeremy recalled growing up and working in the woodshop beside his father.

“I would glue scrap wood together and then paint them,” he said.

Jeremy has learned woodworking skills from his father and has helped with projects over the years, but lessons extend beyond carpentry.

“You get the joy it brings you as you do it. And then you have the joy and satisfaction of making something for someone else that brings them joy,” Jeremy explained. “My dad does it for the satisfaction of helping someone and creating what they envision.”

He’s also learned about patience from his father and the craft, Jeremy said.

“You can’t just whip something up and slap some stain on it. It has to be done right. There’s a lot of patience involved, a lot of extra steps that people don’t see. But when you’re patient and you see the results, it’s worth it,” he said.

Patrons of several area establishments have likely enjoyed a coffee or an adult beverage and rested their mug or glass on a table top or bar counter crafted by Vogel.

When Greenbean Coffee house was building its location at 715 Sixth Ave., they hired Made by Vogel to build 50 tables. For the Mayfield Restaurant in Hollidaysburg, he created the 10-foot-long bar top, a long banquette and a long bench.

Mayfield owner Madalyn Martinsen said Tom Vogel has worked on several projects for her, including one in progress. The heavy table was previously used as a drying rack for dishes and absorbed a lot of moisture in the former restaurant’s kitchen. Once it dries out, Vogel will breathe new life and beauty into it. It will be in the dining room as a table for 10 people.

“Everything Tom does always looks so nice,” Martinsen said. “He’s good to work with. I like to use as many local vendors as I can to help the local economy and to showcase all the cool talent in our area.”

Humble and Kind Boutique owner Ashley Hinterberger had Vogel craft display shelves for the shop at the Grande Palazzo and she uses them to display items. She also sells a variety of Vogel’s items. The stove top covers, charcuterie and cutting boards are popular sellers.

“People just love the handmade aspect of it,” Hinterberger said.

The Vogel file

Name: Tom Vogel

Age: 64

Residence: Altoona

Family: Wife, Theresa; son, Jeremy; daughter, Sydney Schmitt; and two grandsons

Education: Altoona Area High School, Class of 1977

Employment: Retired carpenter from Penn State Altoona and business owner

Community Service: Trans4mation Church

Awards/honors: The Long Award, an employee achievement award, from Penn State