L-R: Dorene Estep, Toby Reynolds, Dayla and Randy Gibson, and Daizie Reynolds of Outlaw Wood Products.

Owners of Outlaw Wood Products, Dayla and Randy Gibson, are ready to create your custom-built furniture — from flooring, cabinets, counters, beds, dressers, planters, and much more. Just bring in a picture, along with the dimensions, and they can help with the rest. 

The Gibsons’ initial plan was to start a shaving mill, where they would make juniper shavings for dog bedding. Unfortunately, that deal fell through and was put on the back burner in 2019. In February of 2020, they learned that the mill on Hotchkiss Lane was for sale, and they bought it.

“Ron [Estep] got to building his benches and picture frames, and I got to building a few things, and we were selling out of the mill,” Randy said. “Then we started talking with the Monroe School in the Eastern Oregon Youth Correctional Facility (OYA) about bringing in and selling their products, but we were getting too many products and not enough exposure. We wanted and needed to do it right, so opened up the store front.” 

Outlaw Wood Products mostly uses blue pine, juniper, and some red fir. However, more exotic woods — such as myrtle, cherry, oak, walnut, and maple — will be added in the future. The juniper, pine, and red fir comes from Harney County, while the rest is coming from the west side of the state.

Harney County School District (HCSD) No. 3’s Monroe School had been buying lumber from Outlaw Wood Products, mainly to build bird houses and jewelry boxes.

“I started talking with Mike Ribero, who’s a teacher at the Monroe School, when he was in buying lumber. He mentioned that the kids’ morale was low from building the same things,” Randy said. “I asked if there’s a way if a store was opened that we could sell for the kids and put [profits] into a release fund so they have something when they walked out the door.”

The ultimate goal of HCSD No. 3’s Monroe School is to help youth learn a viable trade or skill that will help them later in life. The Gibsons said they also hope that earning some money will help prepare the youth for a better future and keep them away from negative influences.

Outlaw Wood Products currently has three employees at the mill, along with family members who help…or get in the way, depending on who you ask. They’re still planning on expanding in the future. 

Randy recently became a certified lumber grader and can now put out structural lumber. He still has plans to open that shaving mill that was put on hold. Randy said he used to work with leather, when he had the time. He built cowboy bedroll tarps and still has access to a large variety of canvas. 

While their ultimate goal is to bring logging and milling back to Harney County, the Gibsons said they understand that it won’t be like it used to be. However, they still plan to bring back some of Harney County’s history and try to offer a good quality product that Harney County can afford.

Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Outlaw Wood Products mill site is located at 22901 Hotkiss Lane in Hines.

The storefront is open Monday through  Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The storefront is located at 134 SW Circle Drive in Hines, next to The Country Washboard laundromat. 

For more information about Outlaw Wood Products, give them a call at (541) 589-1848 or visit them on their Facebook page.