A woodworker gives life to maple and ash in his stunning handcrafted furnishings

Former firefighter Harold Greene has spent 40-plus years crafting custom handmade furniture in San Pedro, often using locally sourced wood.

His functional, lasting pieces, from dining tables to a Japanese-style pergola, are treasured by longtime customers.

Now in his 70s, Greene is booked a year out, teaches nationwide and has no plans to retire.

On a hot August morning, sunlight pools across a warm-toned teak dining table in Harold Greene’s backyard in San Pedro. The table, which Greene built, has a long bench on one side and two handmade chairs on the other, all resting on a wooden deck he also built himself.

Nearby, his signature Soliarc Chaise Lounge basks in the sun. Past a blooming gold medallion tree, and and at the end of a path of spaced concrete tiles, there’s a shed with a