The Curious Tinker story

Useful creations start with attention to detail.

The Curious Tinker is a small family workshop built around a simple idea: Don’t take existing designs for granted. Everyday objects can often be improved when we take the time to look closely; we simply take a crack at fixing some of them.

We make a rough version, test it, fix it some more and keep going until the object feels like it’s right. Our guiding principles are practical design, good materials, and character enough that the result feels worth keeping. (We keep and use what we make.)

---

Our process

Prototypes

Most ideas begin in cardboard, scrap leather, or foam, but we also often go straight from design to a prototype in production materials.

Testing

Then, real world use decides. We give products to friends, family, community members and businesses we support for testing and feedback. We listen, fix, then produce.

If something is awkward, fussy, fragile, or needlessly slow to make, we go back to the bench.

Functional Design and the Affordable Work Flow

When we figure out how to improve something simple we also tackle how to make it efficiently so you can afford well-made, American-crafted products.

Quality small-batch making

We’re building a focused catalog of useful goods with honesty. We don’t resell anything other than the raw materials and hardware we build with, we don’t offshore anything, we don’t complicate things and a lot of what we produce is made to order. We use American materials and products as much as possible.

Open attitudes

As the shop develops we’ll include workshop photos, process details, failed prototypes, DIY tips and more of the story behind individual products.