The Rural Voice, 2006-10, Page 20No charge
winch 'til end
of November
Extensive testing all across Canada helped Hondas engineers develop a very special ATV: the
2006 TRX500FG Canadian Trail Edition. Powered by a 499cc. liquid -cooled four-stroke, the
TRX500FG features adjustable suspension calibrated specifically to Canadian trails for improved
ride quality. and a GPScape navigational aid that takes the worry out of exploring new trails.
Ontario Honda Cycle & Sport
on the Sunset Strip. Owen Sound
(:all Ad:un O'Connor or Kandy Ewart :It (519) 372-2277
t mail: ontariohonda@hnns.cvmt ww .ontariohonda.ea
Always wear a helmet eye protedron and protective clolhrng and please respect the environment
Obey the law and read your owner s manual thoroughly Honda recommends !along an ATV rider trammg course
�il:l;.►,�:[��I Tf[1I1]I111
QUALITY • REPUTATION
HONESTY • VALUE
CSA & UL
APPROVED
BEATM
CANADA'S
#1 SELLING
STAINLESS STEEL
OUTDOOR FURNACE
1 800-261-0531
16 THE RURAL VOICE
and shaped 20 pieces to create one
door. "I was very proud of that," he
said of the addition.
So, increasingly hobbled by
chronic back problems, he thought
about finding a moulder to make
trims and moulding. When he
answered one ad, he found the seller
wanted to sell his entire operation.
He build a 5000 -square -foot addition
to the shop he'd used for his
construction company, did the
electrical work and installed the dust
collector himself, and moved the
equipment in. Later he added a small
sawmill and a kiln to dry the wood.
The new business was supposed to
be a sideline, something the
Hamiltons could grow into while
Rob continued as a builder. But in six
months business started to take off
and they found themselves running
two businesses. Days were tied up
with construction, and nights and
weekends Rob. Leanne and their kids
operated the woodworking business.
"If someone had told me a
business could grow too fast I'd have
said 'no'," says Rob. "We went from
scratch to $400.000 -plus in two
years. We could not keep up."
t was a steep learning curve, he
recalls learning how to operate a
saw mill, a kiln and the shaping
equipment. The equipment was
dropped off and he had to learn by
trial and error. "There was a lot of
kindling produced," he recalls with
chagrin. On the other hand, "I wasn't
long learning. It cost a lot to make
mistakes."
After two years of an increasingly
stressful life keeping two businesses
going, they quit construction and
turned to wood working full time in
2002. They hired their first employee
in 2003 and a second employee in
2004.
Their customers range from
people who have one or two logs to
be sawn and turned into flooring or
trim, to larger customers, and from
farmers to contractors. They do
everything from building historic -
looking wooden garage doors to a
swing seat.
Customers have come from as far
afield as Michigan and Parry Sound,
North Bay and Peterborough. Many
of the northern and eastern customers
are building cottages and looking for
something unique to distinguish their