Sean Murphy - Founder

Woodworking has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. With one grandfather as a bricklayer/carpenter tradesman and the other an engineer, I grew up surrounded by handmade creations—step stools engraved with our names, custom-built toys, and even a Thomas the Tank Engine railway turntable. That early exposure to craftsmanship sparked a passion that carried through to high school, where I spent three years learning woodworking and honing my skills in the shop.

Today, I run my own small workshop, creating handcrafted wood pieces with that same love for the craft. I specialize in small to mid-sized projects, working with both domestic and exotic hardwoods to craft unique, high-quality items. Whether I’m experimenting with new cutting board designs or collaborating with a client on a custom project, I love bringing ideas to life. No two pieces are ever the same, and I welcome the challenge of trying something new.

Why “GrainTech”?

While I have a passion for woodworking, I started my career after college with a stint as a metallurgist / material scientist and was completely enamored by the micro-structure of metals of all kinds. To learn that metals all have “Grain Structures”, and all that comes with various sizes, distributions, etc… it always intrigued me. The name “GrainTech” came to me as a way to bring together commonalities between metals and woods. One day, I’d love to get back to metallurgical analyses - possibly as a part time consultant - so I thought it best to choose a company name that could grow in either/both directions as time progresses.