WHILE most Industrial Design graduates sit behind desks to create their designs with computer-aided software, Dan Saleh, 25, is taking a more hands-on approach to his career and is bringing his designs to life, one piece at a time.
The designer craftsman’s workshop can be found on the porch of his family’s home in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. There, he has neatly arranged all his tools, odds and ends, and decorative pieces that boldly spell his name. His many cats roam freely, looking almost like they’re supervising his work.
Dan got his big break when local artist Sharon Chin hired him to custom make hard wood boxes for her rubber stamp collection – something most Malaysian carpenters are apparently reluctant to do because of the tedium. She had heard of him from a colleague and from that moment on, Dan Saleh Custom Woodcrafts was in business.
Carpenter Dan Saleh hand-makes custom
wooden furniture at his workshop in
Bandar Baru Bangi. — ROHAIZAT MD
DARUS/THE STAR.
While it has always been in his nature to make things, Dan said he only realised his true calling while sitting for the Teknologi Kejuteraan (Engineering Technology) paper during his SPM examinations, where he was required to build a full-scale cabinet.
“There were a lot of kids in my neighbourhood (while I was growing up) and I would learn how to make stuff from playing with them,” he reminisced.
Dan has done everything from modifying Tamiya toy cars to carving his own guns out of wood. In fact, the education from his degree aside, he picked up pretty much everything he knows all by himself.
“I taught myself wood working by watching YouTube videos and reading books,” Dan explained.
“When my house was being renovated, I would climb up on the roof and watch how the contractors did things. I’d pay attention to their techniques – how they’d hammer, cut stuff and bend the steel beams they used to strengthen their concrete work.”
However, Dan believes it would have been harder for him to succeed in this niche industry had he not received a formal education.
“(Pursuing a degree in Industrial Design) is just for the credibility,” he said.
“If I (started this business) without a degree or diploma, my clients wouldn’t have faith in me or my work.”
Although Dan profits more from his work by not having to pay rent, making millions has never been a priority.
“I don’t chase money,” he confessed. “What I’m after is the feeling of satisfaction from finishing a product.”
Dan is one of the lucky few who have been able to make a living out of his hobby. This gives him the luxury of choosing projects that interest him.
“I like making new things because of the challenge!” he enthused.
“I don’t like to repeat stuff. That’s one of the reasons why I chose to go into custom design.”
So, what’s next for this talented millennial? There has been talk of him joining a design startup in the near future, but that’s not something Dan is preoccupied with just yet. For the moment, he’s just enjoying doing what he does best.
For more info, visit Dan Saleh Custom Woodcrafts at fb.com/dansalehcustoms/.
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