When Tad Davis first began making rustic Adirondack furniture for his Northville home, he never dreamed he was laying the groundwork for a future business. But as compliments and requests for similar pieces began rolling in from people who saw his work, Davis realized he was on to something creative, fun, and rewarding.
“My amazing wife, Christie, and I officially started our Cathead Rustic Furniture business in 2022,” Davis explains. “I’m a full-time Automotive Technology teacher at Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Career and Technical Center (CTE), so during breaks and summers I started making pieces to sell, and our business just took off. While Christie doesn’t help much in the actual creation of my art, she has a keen eye for details and is very talented when it comes to marketing and staging the tent at our shows.”
The woodworker’s attention to detail is evident in everything he creates, from distinctive cutting boards and one-of-a-kind clocks to stunning tables, desks, benches, and his best-selling Adirondack chairs.
“The Adirondacks inspire all of my pieces in some way or another,” says Davis. “I think everybody who has visited or lived in the ADK can point to a special memory of this wonderful place, and I try to ignite that memory through my work. I tend to let nature do the hard work, as I see finished art in wood burls, crooks, bends and other imperfections that you just can't mimic with modern tools. Most of my wood comes from the Adirondacks as well. I thoroughly enjoy the whole process of cutting the tree, having it milled, and then working with it to create my vision. I also try to incorporate a bit of history into each piece. It’s not always evident, but it makes for great conversation when talking with people at shows.”
Tad Davis grew up downstate near Poughkeepsie and earned his teaching degree at SUNY Oswego. As a teenager, he was always tinkering with lawn mowers and snow blowers. But after purchasing his first car, and finding it needed expensive repairs, he became determined to fix it himself. “It definitely was a case of learning by doing,” he recalls with a grin, “but by the time I’d finished, that car ran like a top.”
Given his current passion for woodworking, one might expect Davis to be teaching carpentry or construction instead of auto tech. “But I’m a huge proponent of all the trades,” he explains, “and I encourage every student to try one that interests them. There’s a tremendous need for skilled workers, and I make it a point to stress to my students the continuity of skills between the trades. Many of the tools used and skills learned in one trade will easily transfer over to another.”
Davis enjoys sharing his many woodworking projects with students. His dual interest in auto tech and woodworking serves to vividly illustrate how readily the skills learned in one trade can carry over to another. “I'm truly blessed to be able to do what I do, both in teaching and woodworking. Working with your hands is so rewarding, and the possibilities are endless.”
Each school year, Davis spends the first month getting to know his students individually. “It’s important for me to find out what makes each student tick, what their hobbies and outside interests are, and what their family life is like. The connections made early on by having one-on-one conversations and showing genuine interest in a student can build a strong bridge of friendship, trust, and success for the year ahead.”
In addition to teaching auto tech to high school juniors and seniors, Davis co-teaches an integrated English course. “At CTE, we teach real life skills, impressing on kids the importance of developing strong reading, writing, and speaking skills. In the real world, they’ll need to be able to put together a strong resume, submit a well-written job application, and interview well. Once working, they’ll need to be able to read technical manuals, discuss problems with coworkers, explain problems clearly to clients, and write up detailed invoices.”
During his 15-year teaching career, Davis has been pleased to see more and more female students delving into the trades. “I usually have at least two girls a year exploring automotive repair. In fact, one female student who chose to pursue the automotive trades not only ranked top of her CTE class but earned a $1500 gift certificate from a Snap-On Tools vendor. The need for skilled workers is ever-growing, and the trades are open to everyone.”
Many of Davis’s former students have gone on to pursue distinguished careers as engineers, business owners, and military technicians repairing airplane engines and wheeled vehicles. And that’s just the short list!
“I'm extremely proud of all my students,” Davis beams. “The trades can lead to so many successful and rewarding career paths, arguably more than those requiring expensive college degrees. If they have solid skills and a strong work ethic, they can name their price.”
Tad Davis puts heart and soul into everything he does. Whether working as an auto tech teacher or rustic Adirondack furniture maker, he strives to inspire his students to pursue creativity and innovation. “Collectively, high school trade programs used to be known as Vocational Arts, and it’s a moniker I wish were still in use. Every trade entails tremendous resourcefulness, both in the thinking—figuring out an underlying problem—and in executing the fix. Since problems vary greatly, from simple to highly complex, workers need to be critical thinkers, able to troubleshoot creatively and effectively. I consider it my teaching mission to open students up to the many viable career options available to them in the trades.”
And, without a doubt, his students are lucky to have him!
To see more of Tad Davis’ work, visit
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