Steve Virning Works Overtime In His Allied Building .

Steve Virning keeps the kind of schedule that begs the question: "When does this guy sleep?"

His day job is as a machinist for Duraweld. But his passion and side career is handcrafting custom cabinetry and furniture for Woodchuck's Chuck, the company he founded in 1996 in Medford, Wisc.

Virning says that while raising a family, he puts in at least a 40-hour week at Duraweld - and another 20 or 25 hours woodworking. In addition, the former Air Force senior airman trains in Minneapolis with the Air National Guard.

A full schedule to say the least.

Virning started his company as an extension of a hobby he's enjoyed since childhood. He kept his tools and equipment at a friend's house, until he decided it was time to work from his own building.

He discovered Allied Steel in the Fall of 2003, after five years of extensive research on his options. Allied had a building that met his needs - and his budget. In September, Virning placed his order for the 14-foot-high, 40- by 70-foot structure to serve as the company's new permanent home.

Virning wanted the building delivered in April, which would give him time to prepare the site during Wisconsin's notoriously tough winter. He laid the foundation in October on a prime spot of a 16-acre spread he owns. In April 2004, the concrete was poured and the building was delivered on time.

"We didn't have any problems with zoning or permits, and Allied helped me with whatever I needed throughout the process," Virning says. "Buying a building is not really my specialty, so I appreciated their help."

Virning recruited a dedicated two-person crew to help him erect the building - his father, Robert Virning, and his neighbor Pat Walsh. The trio spent time after work and on weekends getting the building up.

"We used an excavator to lift the beams, we used ladders and we rented a scissor lift to get it built," Virning says. "Then I hired a roofing company to finish up the job. They did it in one day with five guys."

He says that one problem occurred that Allied helped rectify in short order.

"We had a problem with a walk-in door, the sun had hit it and it warped," Virning says. "But I called Allied and told them about it and they sent me up a new door within a week. That was really nice."

Virning says the building was completed in May, but that he didn't get moved in to the new space until September.

"That ended up taking a little longer than I'd anticipated," he says with a laugh.

For now, Woodchuck's Chuck is flourishing in its new building. Virning loves crafting decorative woodwork, custom cabinetry and furniture in the space.

Virning says his business has grown by word-of-mouth throughout central Wisconsin. But as he surveys the table saws, shaper, sanders and wood planers - along with the raw wood and half-finished pieces - he admits he may soon have another problem.

"I may need even more room pretty soon," Virning says. "This building actually might be too small!"