Our Testimony

Who are we?

Howdy! My name is Landon Sugar and I live in Colorado Springs, CO with my beautiful bride, Rachel. I have my B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from East Carolina University, and have a publication on ocean renewable energy, the topic of my Master’s Thesis. Since I studied renewable energy in graduate school, I learned a lot about the direction that our planet is heading. And it broke my heart. Very soon after, I developed some pretty intense convictions about taking care of the planet, which has now become one of my life-long, God-given desires. Now, I know you’re probably thinking that it’s ironic for a guy whose main inventory is wood to be so concerned about sustainability, but I am. So much so, that 5% of our profits go to the National Forest Foundation, which is an organization that plants 1 tree for every $1 donated.

I learned a lot in college, but my number one takeaway from academia was this: Create things of high quality that bring people joy. And that is my goal with Tektonos Workshop.

What does Tektonos Mean?

τέκτονος (tektonos)・tek'-tōn-ōs・Greek

In the Bible, the word tektonos only occurs once. It’s in Matthew 15:33 when Jesus goes back to his hometown to teach in the synagogue. After his teachings, the locals were amazed and began saying, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?” Tektonos is greek for the carpenter’s. It’s possessive. Which is why I chose it over its non-possessive form, tektón, which is defined as a craftsman or carpenter. There is no solid definition for tektonos. But using context clues, we can conclude that it refers to something that belongs to the carpenter. In the case of Matthew 15:33, Jesus belonged to his father, Joseph. And since Jesus himself was a carpenter, and I am a disciple of Christ, I, too, belong to the carpenter.

Where do you get your materials?

Colorado is notorious for wind storms and fires. The wind storms can be powerful enough to take down mighty oaks. When this happens, I try to get outside with my chainsaw and offer free removal services to my neighbors. It's a win-win! I get free-ish wood, they get the massive tree out of their front yard. Afterwards, I'll rough cut it, let it dry for 12-16 months, cut it into dimensional lumber, and use it for my projects. Unfortunately, at our current home there is not much space for me to do this on a large scale. So for now, most of my wood comes from a local lumber mill. But my long-term goal is to source 100% of my wood. 

Where did you start?

I didn’t grow up in woodworking or DIY family. My mom stayed at home with my brother and I, and my dad was a clothier. But I was always curious how people made things. Hence, part of the reason I chose engineering in college. While in college, I got to play around with our school’s CAD programs, the 3D printers, and the fabrication shop. That really threw some gas on my curiosity. Then, I met my spiritual older brother and future wedding officiant, Rob. He had a workshop that served many purposes. My top three moments in that shop are 1) Learning how to woodwork 2) Learning how to heal from my past through Christ, and 3) Getting to know my, now, wife while we were just friends. Her and I built a surfboard together one summer. Rob’s shop was pivotal in my woodworking passion. Follow him on Instagram @pops.and.co.wood

I started taking woodworking seriously in August 2021 when my wife and I moved to Colorado Springs. I started in, and am currently working from, a 10’x6’x6’ (L-W-H) shed at the house we were renting. You read that right. Me and the shed are both 6’ tall. So each time I go to work on something, I have to duck my head while I pull out some tools so I can move around a little. Once I filled the shed, my tools started making their way inside the house into a small spare bedroom, which is also my work office. Rachel wasn’t too thrilled about that.. This room is 10’x10’ and has two 3D printers, a 4’x4’ MPCNC, a drum kit, a work desk, my woodwork inventory, and a lot of hardwood. Needless to say, I am praying the Lord provides a 2-car garage in our future. I don’t know what I’d do with all that space.