While thus engaged he invented a lace-making machine that lifted the financial burdens that he had assumed and thus allowed him to take up carving full-time. Around that time he also invented a machine for carving piano legs. He switched to marble later in his career, being among the first native born Americans to do so.
He developed a lace-making machine that alleviated financial burdens and allowed him to focus on carving full-time. He also invented a device for carving piano legs around the same time. Later in his career, he switched to marble carving, becoming one of the first native-born Americans to do so.