Wood craftsman Chris Francis keeps traditional skills alive in the age of flat-pack furniture

In what has been likened to a giant man cave, Chris Francis lovingly uses old-fashioned tools to shape timber into beautiful pieces of furniture. He is relaxed but focused, absorbed in the joy of creating.

Four decades ago, he started a traditional furniture-making business with his brother, Kim Francis, at Port Macquarie in northern NSW.

These days, Kim handles the front office, while Chris continues with the hands-on woodwork, combining age-old methods with modern technologies.

Mr Francis, who started his career as a shipwright, discovered his passion for working with timber as child.

“I first…