About Me
🧰 Who I Am
Hi there and welcome to my blog.
I’m David, based in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. I’m a woodturner by trade with my own business, and a blogger on the side. I’ve been crafting handmade items from Irish hardwoods for years, but this blog is where I like to branch out, sharing things I’ve found useful, interesting, or just plain clever.
What started as a suggestion to help promote my business has unexpectedly turned into something much bigger: an exploration of something I never thought I’d be capable of—becoming a writer.
I'm notoriously camera shy and it took an awful lot of effort to be in frame here. The bowls in the picture sold overnight after I put this and another image out on a FB page. The larger one went to California and the other to Cork.
I'm immensely proud of being able to create pieces like these and even prouder when they find new homes with delighted new owners, whether it’s down the road or across the world. That photo marks more than just two gorgeous Ash bowls; it captures a moment where craft, confidence, and connection all came together. It’s also comforting to know that those bowls will likely outlive me by a long margin; still useful, still beautiful, long after I’m gone.
Here’s a little more about how the Blog happened, and what you’ll find here...
🧪 Why I Started This Blog
This blog grew out of marathon research sessions on my pc, laptop, tablet & phones. Whether I was looking up the best circulation booster for my nerve pain or trying to fix something awkward around the house, I realised others were probably searching for the same answers. I was looking at so much information all the time that I couldn't possibly keep it all in my head. The solution, writing it down.
Instead of keeping all that experience to myself, I decided to share it in blog post form. I was very restricted in what I could write about on my main website so for fear of dilution in the eyes of Google I chose a new home for my creative content on Blogger.
🔍 Why David Condon Finds?
Quite simple really, I write about things I find or things I find out. Some of it is hard-earned knowledge in life, and some comes from digging through page after page of search results and websites.
The title might sound a little odd on its own, but once you land here, it makes sense. This blog is all about the useful, interesting, or just plain sound things I’ve come across and that’s exactly what David Condon Finds is about.
🛒 Why I Became an Amazon Affiliate
I write honest posts based on what I actually use or buy. I don’t do hyped-up sales talk, and I don’t push junk. Becoming an Amazon Affiliate lets me link directly to items I’ve tried—or seriously considered—and if someone finds those links helpful, I might earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
That helps keep the blog ticking over.
🧭 What You'll Find Here
You’ll find a mix of personal experiences, product reviews, helpful guides, and some opinion pieces too. I cover topics like:
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Peripheral neuropathy and products that helped
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Gift guides and tech recommendations
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Craft supplies and practical finds
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Google Ads headaches and small business life
Business advice & beyond
If I’ve struggled with it or fixed it, chances are you’ll see it here.
💡 How I Come Up with My Ideas
It’s quite simple really, I get my ideas from everyday life. Something I see or hear will suddenly spark a thought, and I’ll think, “Maybe there’s something I could write about there.”A lot of the time, it happens when I’m searching for something online and getting frustrated because I can't find what I need. That rabbit hole often leads to related topics and, eventually, a lightbulb moment.
It’s hard to explain, but I’ve found that the more I write, the easier it becomes to spot potential topics. I guess I’m using different brain muscles and like anything, the more you use them, the stronger they get.
I won’t win the Nobel Prize for Literature (I’ll survive that crushing disappointment 😄), but I’m enjoying the process, and that’s what matters.
🔥 My Business Logo – Why the Phoenix?
I use the Phoenix as the symbol of my business. It was also the symbol of my previous business Idea Phoenix DVD ( my original blog is still here on Blogger). I wanted to buy and sell new and second hand movies but that never got off the ground unfortunately as that medium was already starting to die and the new streaming era was in the works.
Before the economic crash in 2007, I was a carpenter by trade. When the recession hit, I was forced into a different line of work (IT Engineer) for several years. It wasn’t until 2014 that I began laying the groundwork for what would eventually become David Condon Woodcraft (July 2015) and built it up from nothing. I wasn't even a capable novice woodturner at that point in time if I'm being honest. That makes my rise to being an actual woodturner a major achievement in my books.
The Phoenix, a symbol of rebirth and renewal, felt like the perfect fit for my DVD idea and even more fitting for my new woodturning business. It marked the start of a new chapter for me, not just returning to wood, but doing it on my own terms through woodworking and woodturning.
There’s another layer to it too: I often work with storm-fallen or discarded hardwood, pieces that would otherwise end up as firewood. In a way, they’re getting a second life too - just like I did.
I’ve been advised by other business people to change my logo to something more “on-brand” like a tree, some wood shavings, or a lathe. But I’ve stubbornly stuck with the Phoenix. It meant something monumental to me when I started, and it still does.
🤝 Supporting the Blog
If you enjoy the blog content or just would like to support an artisan, you can support me through the Buy Me a Coffee buttons anywhere in my Blog. You’ll find the buttons on the side of the main page or at the bottom of each post. No pressure, I swear.
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