WOODWORK

Custom Builtt h e c o m p a n y w h e r e t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f

h a s n e v e r c h a n g e d

IN 1893, THEODORE PINSKE, a hard-working son of

German immigrants, began his construction business in

Plato, Minnesota. Over the years he established a reputation

for fine craftsmanship and added a lumberyard and

millwork shop. He and his skilled workmen built many

of the churches, schools, homes, and barns in the area.

It was the barns that presented a special challenge.

Traditional barn roof crossbeams and support posts wasted

much of the hay storage space and made for extra work.

In 1918, Theodore heard about a barn in Montevideo,

Minnesota, with a gothic roof—a roof with a series of

built-up rafters cut to precise curves, creating a smooth

continuous arch that needed no crossbeams or posts. He

took the train to inspect it, then returned determined to

transform his building method.

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Plato Woodwork Plato Personalized CustomT H R E E

Plato Personalized CustomF I V E

In those pre-electric days, the curved gothic rafters

had to be drawn out on timbers and sawn freehand, which

was time-consuming and imprecise. Harnessing the Pinske

creativity, Theodore and his son Edward took a Model T

engine and chassis and built a portable combination ripsaw

and cutoff saw that eliminated the power and time problems.

Then they did what the experts told them couldn’t be done,

building a jig that allowed them to rip precisely curved

rafters with a minimum of waste. Innovation at every level

paved the way to expansive success.

Today, many of those original Pinske barns are still

standing with their ridges as straight as an arrow.

So what does the Pinske gothic roofed barn have to

do with fine custom cabinetry?

To do the job better, the latest inmachinery has always been of interestto the Pinskes, even back in 1934.

Even in his retirement years,Ed continued his passion for woodworkingin his “personal” shop.

Fourth-generation Timand his Uncle Tom, a.k.a.

“The Pinske Edge”…another success story.

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Pinske,the second generation

A sample of the barn roofconstruction system

developed by Edward Pinske.

S I X

Plato Woodwork

As soon as he was old enough to push a broom, Edward

Pinske started absorbing Theodore’s work ethic, the dedi-

cation to always build the best, and the pursuit of innovative

ways to meet the ever-increasing demands of their clientele.

It’s a Pinske tradition that’s been passed to Edward’s sons,

grandsons, and great-grandsons.

In the early 1960s, Edward’s son, Edward Jr. (“Pete”),

took over the construction business, while Bob took over

the millwork and cabinet shop, and the lumberyard went

to youngest son, Tom. In 1968, Tim Pinske, Bob’s son,

joined his father in the millwork and cabinet shop. It was

around that time that Bob and Tim and his wife, Marlys,

decided to specialize in manufacturing kitchen and bath

cabinetry as Plato Woodwork, Inc., marketing it through

a network of dealers.

Plato Personalized CustomS E V E N

A second floor is addedto the old shop across from

the town square.

Four generations shown.Karl, current president of Plato

Woodwork, is at the bottom right.

Plato Personalized CustomE L E V E NT E N

Plato Woodwork

has earned its reputation as one

of America’s preeminent fine custom cabinetry manufacturers. That’s

because Plato has come to define what custom means. In fact, we gave it

a name, Plato Personalized Custom™, to stress the fact that it is truly custom.

Some people are under the impression that true custom cabinetry can’t

come from a factory. The truth is that every Plato cabinet is made to order,

every cabinet is one of a kind. Nothing is “stocked.” There is no inventory

on hand. No parts are made until we begin processing your order to match

your personal specifications.

Since 1893, Plato Woodwork

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Plato Woodwork Plato Personalized CustomT H I R T E E N

With Plato, it all starts with your dream of exactly how you want

any room in your house to look and feel. From the smallest cabinetry

detail to the biggest, if you can imagine it, Plato Woodwork can build

it. Simply put, Plato Personalized Custom™ means having your cabinetry

in any style, any color, any finish, any wood, any size, anywhere—

whether it’s for a kitchen, bathroom, home office, library, family studio,

or an entertainment room.

“Custom” means you select from one of Plato’s six standard wood

species or use Plato’s SelectWoods™ program to specify virtually any

wood species. It means you can choose from a wide selection of paints

and stains in combination with glazing, spattering, distressing, and sand

thru to achieve your desired finish. Or you can have Plato do a “custom

match” to a favorite piece of furniture. It means cabinets built to

consistently high standards in a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant by

dedicated craftsmen, using the finest materials, and finished under

environmentally controlled conditions.

It starts by working with your local Plato dealer/designer to get your

dreams on paper. Then, beginning with a designer’s sketch, Plato engineers

the specialty cabinetry and submits CAD shop drawings to the designer

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Plato Woodwork Plato Personalized CustomF I F T E E N

for approval. Once approved, all the necessary raw materials and hardware

are ordered, and Plato’s experienced craftsmen begin the art of creation.

Each order begins by hand selecting the rough sawn lumber used to

make the frames and doors. Only premium furniture grade woods are used

in the construction of Plato cabinetry. Unlike many companies, Plato makes

its own cabinet doors for maximum design flexibility and quality control.

The plywoods are specifically manufactured to Plato’s demanding standards.

The use of computer-controlled machines results in an accuracy and

quality of construction that previous generations of cabinetmakers could

only dream of. To perfectly meet customers’ needs, Plato Woodwork has an

unwavering commitment to invest in the finest precision woodworking

equipment developed for the manufacture of fine furniture, such as our

computerized router that is able to reproduce virtually any special shape or

pattern in wood that a designer creates on paper. And just as Theodore did,

if no machine is available to do the job efficiently, we have them created for

us—whether it’s our haunching machine, panel splining center, finish system,

or the machine that prepares our drawer boxes for the undermount slides.

Plato shares your passion for exacting specifications, where anything

less than 100% is simply unacceptable. Whether it’s the perfect fit of a

beaded joint or the seamless tailored look you’ll love for years, we guarantee

that each cabinet we make is correct in every detail. Plato has developed

special joinery to make our wood grid doors the strongest and most attractive

in the industry. For maximum strength and durability, Plato features ⅝"

thick maple, dovetailed drawer boxes with fully captured bottoms.

Plato cabinetry features natural maple veneer interiors with matching

¾" thick, full-depth, adjustable shelves in wall and base cabinets for maximum

storage. All wall cabinet bottoms are finished to match the exterior finish

of the cabinets. Plato cabinets feature a narrow 1¼" wide frame and no center

mullion between doors on cabinets up to 36" wide, providing maximum

access to the shelves.

Handcrafted beams, chamfered corners, fluted pilasters, custom corbels,

and wainscot end panels are some of the ways Plato Woodwork provides

cabinets of uncommon distinctiveness. Combine those types of elements

with hand detailing…whether it’s a physical distressing or a multi-step

glazed finish, and the result is heirloom quality cabinetry that our dealers

refer to as “furniture.”

The difference in “custom” is in the details.

Plato cabinetry goes through four hand and machine sanding steps prior

Plato Personalized CustomS E V E N T E E NS I X T E E N

Plato Woodwork

Plato Personalized CustomN I N E T E E N

to the hand-wiped stain being applied. After hand staining to enhance the

grain of the wood, three coats of oven-baked catalyzed conversion varnish

are applied and hand sanded between coats. This is the finest, high solids,

formaldehyde-free, catalyzed conversion varnish finish developed for the

manufacture of fine furniture, and it’s as tough as it is beautiful. Few custom

cabinetry shops have the capacity to offer this superior finish, and no finish

applied at the job site can compare to it.

And if one of our standard paint or stain finishes (with optional glazes

and distressing) isn’t what you’re looking for, Plato can develop a special,

one of a kind finish to achieve your desired look. Hand glazing highlights

the mouldings and other design details, and our craftsmen do it to perfection.

As an example of our handiwork, consider Character Cherry, a popular

signature wood for Plato. Starting with solid cherry lumber, Plato makes

E I G H T E E N

Plato Woodwork

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no attempt to eliminate mineral streaks, wormholes, burl grain, tight knots,

or other tree growth irregularities inherent in cherry, but augments them

with hand distressing for a unique, antique-textured quality. Not only is it

a great look, it’s a green look, allowing Plato to maximize use of the tree by

utilizing lumber that would have otherwise been discarded. An optional

glaze further accents the profiles and distress marks to give a rustic feel that

makes any room truly unique.

Plato uses only the finest hardware, and all of it has a lifetime warranty.

And you have to experience the effortless glide of the full-extension, soft-

close, concealed undermount drawer slides to believe it (besides giving you

the widest possible drawer space).

Since every job is custom, Plato finishes an extra door sample that we

keep in our finish library with your name on it to make sure any additional

parts ordered at a later date match the original job. We’re here for you today

and will be tomorrow—five generations and counting.

Plato Personalized CustomT W E N T Y - O N ET W E N T Y

Plato Woodwork

Ith e Art of Transformation

™

T W E N T Y - T W O

Plato Woodwork

For the lower level, the owners requesteda full, spa-like bathroom, restoration of theoriginal “speakeasy,” and overall updatingto accommodate lake-style living. In addition,they wanted a kitchen space that wouldincorporate high-performance appliancesand fixtures so the owners could entertainlarge groups at walk-out lakeside level. Allremodeling was to keep with the originalarchitecture of the home as well as usematerials and colors true to its original state.

IT WAS BUILT in 1921 in the EnglishTudor style with a little Bavarian Renais-sance added. This was during the time ofProhibition, so the original homeownerincluded a hidden “speakeasy” in the lowerlevel that walked out to the lake. In its dayit hosted local officials as well as famouspeople such as the Andrews Sisters.

Four owners later, in 2001 the homehad a lower level electrical fire that resultedin extensive damage. The owners had beenexploring options to expand their upperlevel kitchen, but plans were revised to focuson lower-level remodeling. The team atSawhill Custom Kitchens in Minneapoliswas hired for a major renovation project.

Shots before the transformation.

If this house could talk—oh the stories it could tell!

Character Cherry

After over a century,Plato still builds every cabinet in the true

art of custom cabinetry. Every cabinet is made to order, a one

of a kind original—designed, cut, fit, and finished to your

exact specifications.

WOODWORK

0405.30M

www.platowoodwork.com

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