Workwear Spotlight

Lewis Wood

We sat down with our friend and talented cabinetmaker and skateboarder Lewis Wood to discuss the pros and cons of working for yourself, building epic skate obstacles, his favourite Volcom skater, and how his Volcom Workwear has been holding up for him out in the wild. Take a look!

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VWW was built on a foundation of creative liberation. What’s one way you express yourself creatively?

I just started making some furniture out of a house I demolished a few weeks ago. That’s creative, I guess?

Tell us a bit about what you do?

I’m a joiner/cabinetmaker by trade but I’ve been working as a carpenter for the last 10 years.

Have you always wanted to pursue this line of work?

 Not really. I never knew what I wanted to do. I fell into my joiner apprenticeship by almost accident and the rest came naturally. Pretty stoked at where I’ve ended up.

Who showed you the ropes?

Kieran Drake was the first one. He got me a job at a joinery shop when I was like 15 or 16. Proper grom. He taught me the basics for sure. Cheers Kiz.

Where are you located and how far and wide do your jobs spread?

I’m in Manly. Most my work is around the beaches. Try not to cross the bridge if I can avoid it.

Who do you skate for?
  • Parlay Skateboards
  • Boarders Skate shop
  • And Volcom Workwear!
What’s the best skate obstacle you have ever built?

 I’ve made shitloads. My favorite was probably this curved flatbar I welded up when covid started last year. I found this funky looking piece of steel on site. It had a natural curve to it, almost perfect but I got the excavator driver to run over it a few times and bend it a little more and turned it into this gnarly flatbar that would shoot you up in the air at the end. We called it the rhino. A few people got flogged on it. Jake almost got impaled.

Biggest perks of working for yourself?

Freedom. Damn the man. 

Worst thing about working for yourself?

I don’t really have a proper business setup up. It’s a work in progress. So I’m always on the hustle. 

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What are your favorite Volcom Workwear pieces?

The Caliper Pants have saved me this winter. Good to skate in too.

What are a few of your favorite features on those products?

 The pants are just so damn stretchy. 

Who’s your favorite skater on Volcom and why?

Jackson Pilz always has and always will be the best. My favourite skater for sure!

What tool do you judge a chippy by the most.

It’s not the tools that count, it’s how ya bloody use ‘em mate.

What’s your best tradie hack!?

Measure twice cut once. 

What’s your morning ritual before work. Food & coffee in particular.

I’m out the door 10 minutes after I wake up. Large cap extra shot from Roseberry Street Cafe everyday around 6:15am.

If you get a day off to do anything you desire, where are you heading?

I had a day off today cause of the rain. I planned up some bench tops in my garage. The Sun’s coming out now though, so I might go to the Skate soon. 

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