Carbitool Small Business discovery Q&A: Hinsto.

We sat down with Nathan Pierce, the Founder of Hinsto, a small business located (close to yours truly) in Melbourne’s South Eastern Suburbs established August, 2022. From vinyl record storage to serving boards, the products are all designed and made right at home in Melbourne using high-quality materials to ensure the best for your environment and space.

So Nathan, tell us about Hinsto and what services you provide.

At Hinsto, we specialise in solid timber furniture and joinery. While we’re known for our vinyl record storage solutions, we are always expanding as we love a challenge and trying new things.

If you can think back, when did your passion for woodworking start?

I believe it was embedded in me from a young age, growing up I loved riding bikes and skateboards so I would build ramps with my grandpa during the school holidays.

What types of wood do you typically use for your furniture and decor, and what factors do you consider when selecting the wood?

At Hinsto we predominantly work with Tasmanian oak and reclaimed hardwood. With Tasmanian oak, we like to be a bit more selective as the colours can range from a pink-blonde to a golden honey colour whereas reclaimed can be a bit more forgiving and often looks better randomised.

Locally sourced and made – we love to see it. We also see you do wooden décor. What décor item would you say really brings a room to life?

While it may seem unexpected, adding flowers and plants as décor items can truly breathe life into a room. The natural beauty and vibrant colours of flowers, along with the refreshing greenery of plants, can instantly enhance the atmosphere and create a more inviting and lively ambience in any space.

Where do you collect inspiration for your unique designs?

I find inspiration for my unique designs by drawing from two distinct design influences: Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics. I’m particularly drawn to the clean lines and minimalist sensibilities of Japanese design, as well as the functional and sleek aspects of Scandinavian design. Instead of traditional sketching, I prefer to work in CAD software, where I can spend hours experimenting with various shapes and sizes to refine my concepts.

Can you share any strange or innovative techniques you employ in the furniture-building process? How do these techniques enhance the quality of the pieces at Hinsto?

For our set collection of furniture, we create a variety of repeatable jigs. These jigs assist us in making wooden legs and drilling holes for mounting the legs in precisely the same spot every time. This not only ensures consistency in our designs but also enhances the overall quality of our furniture by eliminating human error and maintaining the structural integrity of our pieces.

 

You have tagged us in a few posts, and we’re stoked you take Carbitool along your woodworking journey! What Carbitool products have you used to make your pieces? Do you have a favourite?

The list goes on, but the tool that stands out for me is the plug cutter:

95% of our work is done with wood glue and loose tenons, but occasionally you have to use a few screws here and there. The plug cutter allows you to recess a screw and hide it with matching timber so to most people you would never even notice that we have used a screw.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to get into woodworking?

One valuable piece of advice for anyone starting in woodworking is to embrace the fact that mistakes are an inherent part of the learning process. Even professionals encounter errors, but what sets them apart is their ability to either rectify or cleverly incorporate those mistakes into their work. Wood is a natural material with unique characteristics, so learning to work with its flaws is a key aspect of becoming a skilled woodworker.

To take a closer look at Hinsto, you can check out the website https://hinsto.com.au/ or Instagram @hinstoau.

You heard it from Nathan – we have a wide range of timber tools to suit all projects. Browse our full range online. Or contact us at sales@carbitool.com.au for more information.