About Us
At Bumblechutes, we provide our customers with a professional grade selection of natural oil and wax products. We are based out of a small town in New Hampshire, and all of our manufacturing is done in The United States of America. Our knowledgeable staff is experienced in finding the perfect items to fit your needs. We are happy to help, so please contact us and ask any questions you may have.
Meet the Team
We are a family-owned business, meet the beehive operators.
Founder / Bumblechutes
Erik
After growing up in a small, farm town in Illinois, Erik went to college to learn how to fly. While in school, Erik joined the Army ROTC program with hopes to become a helicopter pilot. After 5.5 years of college, he was able to become a certified flight instructor in airplanes, commission as an aviation officer in the military, and complete his master’s degree in human resources development. He spent 12 years in the military with roles as a medevac helicopter pilot, commander of an air traffic control company, and VIP airplane pilot.
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Erik spends his free time in his woodshop making everything from cutting boards to custom pantries and shoe hutches. His entire life has been a dedication to making things better than they were yesterday. When he noticed how basic the cutting board care was, he knew he could make it better. The All-In-One Wood Conditioner is the result.
Shipping Manager and Production Assistant
Rick
Rick keeps the Bumblechutes workshop humming. As our Shipping Manager and Production Assistant, he makes sure every order is packaged with care and every batch meets our high standards. With hands-on skill, a strong work ethic, and a passion for quality craftsmanship, Rick helps bring out products from the shop to your shop safely, quickly, and with pride. He's a key part of our maker-driven mission to support creators and woodworkers with finishes they can trust!
Human Resources
Crystal
Being one of five siblings, Crystal grew up in a cozy New England town and always has had a heart of gold. With a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in human resources, she brings more care and knowledge to the Bumblechutes family.
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Being creative in the kitchen is where Crystal loves to be. She is a phenomenal cook and strives to make herself better both in life and in the kitchen. The cutting boards get a ton of use, so maintaining the wood is important to keep them both functional and looking really good!
Production Assistant and Media Editor
Nick
Nick is a customer-focused creator with strong experience in video editing, digital storytelling, and supporting hands-on businesses. With a dedication to quality and an eye for detail, he helps elevate the Bumblechutes customer experience and shares our passion for makers, craftsmanship, and building something real.
How Our Journey Began
Curious to know how we became Bumblechutes? Read On!
Erik has been an avid woodworker his entire life, but in 2015, he was deployed as a medevac Blackhawk helicopter pilot with the United States Army. When he returned from overseas, he noticed a really nice wooden cutting board that his wife, Crystal, had bought for their kitchen. After months of enjoying the new cutting board, they both noticed that the wood was dry and beginning to crack. Crystal looked into how to care for cutting boards and ended up buying something from a big box store.
After doing the first application on the board, Erik looked at the label of the "best stuff out there" and noticed how basic the ingredient list was. After thinking that it was ridiculous to pay so much for so little, Erik began his research into wood care. Once he looked into what all-natural ingredients work best to keep wood looking new, he asked the vital question, "Hey Crystal, do you mind if we spend $224 on some wood care ingredients?" That was the beginning of this Bumblechutes journey.
After months of testing, the proper ratio was perfected. The key ingredient in the mix is the beeswax, but the initial order was made with wax pellets from who knows where. The purity of the ingredients is extremely important to him, so Erik joined a local beekeepers association in New England and found out a ton about everything bees. After visiting with the local apiarists, he was able to find the perfect sources of beeswax!
Erik believes in supporting local businesses. That is why our beeswax will only come from verified beekeepers from here in the US of A. Each product that includes any beeswax shows the location where the wax was created. If you are a beekeeper, or know of any beekeepers, we are always looking to add more wax to our hive. Send us a message if you are interested.
