Rodney Crusat is one of nine children raised on a coffee farm in Captain Cook on the Big Island of Hawaii. His parents were coffee farmers and his father Jesse was a carpenter who also made canoes and fishing boats. Rodney became a journeyman carpenter in his early 20's, mainly doing finish work in construction carpentry. He then went on to work in a cabinet shop. In his late 20's and early 30's, he started doing fine carpentry using Hawaiian Koa wood made into jewelry boxes, picture frames, mirror frames and furniture. In his 30's and 40's he was tired of "small" projects and went on to building houses.

In 2010, at age 58, he took a night class on ukulele making from Sam Rosen at the Donkey Mill in Holualoa on the Big Island of Hawaii and fell back in love with small detailed carpentry. His perfectionist nature is just right for making a fine musical instrument and his joy and talent when working with wood compliments that. He is now retired and spends his days in his shop making ukuleles and goofing off (which is very deserved).