Founded by David Posch, Aparas de Madeira focuses on the handmade manufacture of Corvo Locks. Based in the heart of the island of Corvo, the brand aims to continue making this object of identity for the people of Corvo and establish itself as a place for community training and sustainable tourism in carpentry. “I feel honored to preserve the tradition, in an original chapo, and to be in charge of this profession on the island,” says the Irish carpenter and craftsman.
David Posch has lived on the smallest island of the Azores archipelago since 2021. His 10 years of experience in carpentry and joinery in Ireland and his contact with artisans from Corvo led him to create the workshop and brand Aparas de Madeira.
An Irishman in Corvo island-Azores
Before this chapter began, David had already lived and worked in some parts of the world. With an interest and background in Psychology, carpentry and the art of woodworking really defined his path to the present day.
He has worked in several studios in Ireland but particularly mentions his experience at Joseph Walsh Studio in County Cork. In the same country, in 2019, he set up a carpentry teaching project, which resonated well with the local community, receiving support from local workshops and companies.
The dark period of COVID-19 turned David’s professional life upside down, and the project ended. After a vacation in Corvo, he moved permanently to the island in 2021.


“Chapo” and the Locks of Corvo
His arrival on the island of Corvo resulted in a new professional and personal opportunity. The Irish carpenter had no intention of becoming a shopkeeper and having a regular business. Thanks to Mr. Luís Jorge – whom David refers to as “a great friend and an important member of the Corvo community” – he was “kindly given” the space to set up his workshop.
Rua da Matriz, right in the heart of the island of Corvo, is the headquarters and workshop of the Aparas de Madeira brand. It operates in one of the only traditional chapos that are still in business. A “chapo” is nothing more or less than a carpentry workshop, and its name comes from an adaptation of the English term “shop”. Generally located on the house’s first floor, it was in this room that most farmers demonstrated their other skills, including carpentry and joinery.
The workshop, run by David Posch, a craftsman certified by the Azores Crafts and Design Center, aims to manufacture and manually produce Corvo locks.
He learned this fundamental part of the island’s cultural identity from local artisans and more experienced Corvinians. Aparas de Madeira is also a stop-off point for many Corsicans who look closely at David’s work.
“Mr. Luís Jorge showed me how he used to make locks and other wooden pieces. By talking to him I also began to learn about the culture, the territory and the identity of the people of Corvo” – says the craftsman.
“I feel honored to preserve the tradition, in an original chapo, and to be in charge of this profession on the island” – he adds.
Workshops, exhibitions, and the Faroe Islands
Aparas de Madeira has received institutional support from the Corvo Municipal Council and the Regional Government through the Incentive System for the Development of Handicrafts in the Azores (SIDART). In the first two years of activity, the support was used to invest in machinery and improve the quality of the products.
The traditional “Fechaduras do Corvo” and the varied items made by David Posch were already exhibited in 2023 and 2024 at the International Handicraft Fair in Lisbon—the largest handicraft fair in the Iberian Peninsula and the second largest in Europe—where he received the Honorable Mention Award in the Traditional Handicraft Competition.

Aparas de Madeira’s products were also displayed at the Azores Handicraft Expo 2023.
As well as producing, selling, and exhibiting its handcrafted wooden pieces, Aparas de Madeira has an initiative called “Chapo de Portas Abertas” (Open Doors Chapo). It is aimed at anyone who wants to learn about the art of carpentry and who has ideas for building wooden objects. In the form of a workshop, in open sessions, the aim is to learn, interact, and get in touch with carpentry, with no prior experience necessary for the trainees. A creative and learning activity mixed with a good atmosphere and friendship – with cheeses, butters, and liqueurs to enhance the conviviality.
The workshops run by the Irish carpenter who lives in Corvo are also part of sustainable tourism projects, which he mentioned the Sound of Silence Project. The project aims to compensate for the low season on the island through a tour of the island and the promotion of various activities linked to local culture and tourism. Sustainability, circular economy, and ecotourism are part of Aparas de Madeira’s ideals.
While developing the manual work and promoting the Corvo Locks, David discovered that this object type is common in North Africa and the Faroe Islands. In fact, his work reached the Faroe Islands – where there is a large buyer of Corvo Locks – and as there are no longer any craftsmen specializing in this area, David Posch was invited to train locals in the Nordic archipelago.
From Corvo to the world, from a chapo to the International Craft Fair, Aparas de Madeira continues the legacy of the identity of the people of Corvo.


José Henrique Andrade is a journalist for the newspaper Correio dos Açores-Natalino Viveiros, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.