Boe Michael Tankersley | Maker, Musician, and Wellness Speaker based in Minnesota

Woodcraft and Design

The Intersection of Design and Craft

I have always been driven by a deep understanding of structure, balance, and precision. Whether I am building a proactive wellness framework as a health speaker, or reverse-engineering a complex mechanical assembly, the discipline is exactly the same. Welcome to my Minnesota-based digital design and woodshop portfolio. I'm Boe Michael Tankersley, and this gallery showcases the intersection of my technical CADD training and my passion for heirloom-quality fine woodcraft.

Custom-designed solid cherry jewelry boxes featuring precision finger joints and a hidden jigsaw-style drawer, crafted in Minnesota by Boe Michael Tankersley.

Original design cherry wood trinket boxes engineered with zero-tolerance joinery, built in the Twin Cities by Boe Tankersley.

Fine Woodworking & Precision Joinery

There is a unique integrity found in working with natural materials. My work in the shop is about the disciplined application of technique to create lasting value. A prime example is my custom cherry jewelry box series. I designed and fabricated each piece from solid Cherry wood, featuring hand-fitted finger joints for maximum durability. The internal drawer is the centerpiece of the design—engineered with a jigsaw-style fit that requires zero-tolerance precision.

Handcrafted wooden American flag made from solid maple and walnut, fabricated by Minnesota woodworker Boe Michael Tankersley.

Over-the-sink maple and cherry butcher block cutting board, built in the Twin Cities by Boe Tankersley.

Slatted wooden napkin holder crafted from solid cherry and maple, built in MN by Boe Michael Tankersley.

End-grain checkerboard cutting board utilizing maple, padauk, mahogany, and walnut, handcrafted by Minnesota maker Boe Tankersley.

CNC Fabrication & Advanced Pattern Work

My approach to woodworking combines traditional joinery with modern CNC fabrication techniques.

The American Flag: A study in contrast and precision, featuring alternating solid Maple and Walnut. The starfield was developed using CNC machining to ensure mathematical exactness.
Over-the-Sink Cutting Boards: Engineered for utility, these custom Maple and Cherry boards feature integrated drainage paths and precise sink-mounting profiles.
Slatted Napkin Holder: A functional piece featuring a solid Cherry frame and contrasting Maple slats. The design requires precise milling and assembly to maintain perfectly parallel spacing and structural balance.
Checkerboard Cutting Board: This heavy-duty cutting board utilizes a complex arrangement of Maple, Padauk, Mahogany, and Walnut to create a highly durable, visually striking surface.

Custom solid maple china hutch featuring sliding doors, engineered and fabricated from a foundational design by Minnesota woodworker Boe Michael Tankersley.

Close-up detail of a custom beaded groove pattern machined into solid clear maple sliding doors by Twin Cities maker Boe Tankersley.

A large-scale residential china hutch with custom sliding solid maple doors, built and installed in MN by Boe Michael Tankersley.

Architectural Commissions

Custom Built-In China Hutch: Fabricated from solid Maple, this large-scale residential hutch was designed as a permanent built-in fixture. The centerpiece features custom sliding doors with solid grooved panels that were precision-machined on a CNC to create a textured, contemporary aesthetic.
Custom Laundry Room Cabinetry: A highly collaborative project resulting in a fully customized cabinetry suite. I assisted the primary craftsman with the technical fabrication and assembly of the storage units to ensure they integrated seamlessly with the home's existing layout.

Custom laundry room cabinetry built through a collaborative woodworking effort in Minnesota, with technical fabrication assistance by Boe Tankersley.

Interior shelving view of a custom wood laundry room storage suite, fabricated as a team project involving Twin Cities maker Boe Michael Tankersley.

Minnesota woodworkers standing in their shop in front of a collaboratively built custom laundry room cabinetry suite, featuring Boe Michael Tankersley.

Capstone Project: Tool & Die Engineering

This Tool & Die set represents a comprehensive capstone for my mechanical design training. Given only a finished part and a 40 year old book about tool & Die, I engineered the complete tooling system required for its production. Each individual component was developed as a high-fidelity 3D model in SolidWorks, demanding rigorous GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) to ensure flawless mechanical interaction and repeatable manufacturing accuracy.

A complete 3D parametric rendering of a tool and die assembly, engineered in SolidWorks by Minnesota mechanical designer Boe Michael Tankersley.

A comprehensive 2D technical drawing featuring strict GD&T specifications for a custom tool and die set, drafted by Twin Cities designer Boe Tankersley.

An exploded-view mechanical blueprint and bill of materials for a custom tooling project, engineered in MN by Boe Michael Tankersley.

Digital Engineering & CADD | SolidWorks

These digital studies—ranging from a French press and eyewear to the complex geometry of an acoustic guitar—were developed through direct observation and memory right here in the Twin Cities. By reverse-engineering physical objects without existing blueprints, I’ve refined my ability to capture complex forms by sight.

A parametric 3D CADD model of a plastic coffee cup, reverse-engineered in SolidWorks by Boe Michael Tankersley.

A 3D mechanical design rendering of blue plastic eyeglasses, modeled in SolidWorks by Twin Cities designer Boe Tankersley.

A high-fidelity 3D CADD rendering of a French press assembly, engineered in Minnesota by Boe Michael Tankersley.

An exploded-view technical drawing of an acoustic guitar, reverse-engineered in SolidWorks by Minnesota mechanical designer Boe Tankersley.

A complete 3D parametric rendering of a reverse-engineered acoustic guitar, modeled in SolidWorks by Twin Cities designer Boe Michael Tankersley.

SolidWorks Certifications

Accuracy is the foundation of every great project. I utilize SolidWorks to create complex mechanical designs and simulations, ensuring every joint is engineered to perfection before the first cut is ever made. Beyond formal engineering, I use these tools for rapid prototyping and reverse engineering.

Official SolidWorks Drawing Tools professional certification badge earned by Minnesota mechanical designer Boe Tankersley.

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Surfacing certification badge, achieved by Twin Cities CADD designer Boe Michael Tankersley.

SolidWorks Associate Mechanical Design certification awarded to Minnesota designer Boe Tankersley.

Official SolidWorks Additive Manufacturing certification badge earned by Boe Michael Tankersley in the Twin Cities.

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Weldments professional certification belonging to Minnesota maker Boe Tankersley.

SolidWorks Sheet Metal certification badge achieved by Twin Cities mechanical designer Boe Michael Tankersley.

Official SolidWorks Simulation associate certification earned by Minnesota CADD specialist Boe Tankersley.

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Professional Mechanical Design certification badge awarded to Boe Michael Tankersley in MN.

SolidWorks Mold Making professional certification badge earned by Twin Cities designer Boe Tankersley.

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