Every weekday morning, Scott Taylor lines up with the other commuters along the South Acton platform, waiting for the 7:18 to Boston. Most have briefcases slung over their shoulders and are glancing through the morning’s newspaper while trying to balance a cup of coffee in one hand and flipping the page with the other.
The commuters are off to another day behind a desk, shuffling papers and staring at spreadsheets.
Taylor, 52, will share their ride, but he isn’t going to work. Instead, he will spend the day crafting furniture at the prestigious North Bennett School in the North End.

In an intensive, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day, from now until the end of the summer, Taylor will learn the craft of making furniture.
“I have always been into the arts and always involved in woodworking,” Taylor, 52, said. “But it has been something I have done on the side because I had a career. Being able to do what I love feels fantastic.”
After 20 years of working in management, Scott Taylor quit his job to fulfill his passion - and to follow his heart.
He was working for an ink company in San Diego when he decided to study massage on the side. During a class in Hawaii, Taylor met his wife. Smitten, he pulled up stakes and moved to Massachusetts to be with her.
It was on the East Coast that he decided to try turning his love of woodworking into a career. Setting up shop in the basement of his Trefry Lane home, he began experimenting with different types of wood.
“I had heard of the North Bennett Street School and thought and thought about taking a class,” Taylor said. “I have learned all I know about craftsmanship on my own. So it was an attractive opportunity to learn from others. I decided to take the leap and do it. I immediately fell in love.”
In the three months Taylor is studying furniture making, he and his classmates will only make two or three pieces. They spent the first month perfecting one piece - a sofa table. Then, they will move onto a Sheraton Style writing desk.
“We are all perfectionists at heart,” Taylor said. “We spend a lot of time just getting things right. Many of us will work through our lunch hour just smoothing over the small details.”
The class is an eclectic collection of six or seven students ranging in age from mid-20s to late 50s. Some are experiencing craftsmanship for the first time. Others are improving techniques after a career in woodworking.
“The only drawback of the day is the commute. I have come to really enjoy the train though,” Taylor said. “My days are exhausting - leaving home early and getting back late. By the end of the day, I am pooped.”
In addition to woodworking, Taylor and his wife have their own massage practice that they run out of the basement of their home. Business seems good as they don’t advertise and have more clients than they can handle. He also enjoys working with silver, drawing and painting.
“I love working with my hands. I love putting my hands on something,” Taylor said. “I think I get satisfaction out of creating things.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 29th, 2006 at 9:12 am and is filed under Furniture, Home Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.