Safety is strongly emphasized in the woodshop, which boasts a record of never having had a major accident. Thomas' creative outlet continues to be woodcarving. At the Charlotte Showcase of Woodcarving, the Southeast's largest competition for woodcarvers, he has earned titles of Best of Show and the Peoples' Choice Award. At the International Woodcarvers Congress in Iowa, his work was recognized as Third Best of Show and Unusual Interpretation of subject matter. Mountain Memories , Thomas' carving that won Third Best of Show, took two years at more than 40 hours per week to complete.
Many different projects come out of the center's shops, especially the woodshop.
Crafts Center legend holds that someone once constructed an entire airplane in the woodshop. The Crafts Center is supported entirely through student fees. Therefore, NCSU students and their spouses receive discounts on most of the center's classes, a privilege that is also extended to NCSU alumni, faculty, and staff. Once they have learned the basics, crafts students will often return to work regularly in the center's pottery studio, darkroom, woodshop, or weaving room. Working in the company of others, crafts people benefit from the mentoring they get from others with more experience.