About Archaic Metal

From the Workbench to Your Rooftop

With nearly four decades in the building trades and over 30 years specializing in copper and architectural sheet metal, Archaic Metal brings a level of craftsmanship that is increasingly rare in today's trades.

My introduction to the building trades came at a young age — about 9 years old — accompanying my older brother Anthony on new construction job sites. I mostly cleaned up and carried lumber, earning the nickname "Wood Dog." He and a few of my other brothers were framers for new home construction. Anthony is 14 years my senior and nobody had more influence on my early life in the trades than he did. In 1988 I entered the workforce and spent time between framing and roofing and siding.

By 1994-95 I had found my way into copper and specialty metalwork, and that foundation led me in 1995 to join a specialty firm focused on the most demanding and historically significant work in the trade — slate and copper roofing, ornate cornice facades, and built-in guttering for schools, churches, and landmark government buildings across the area.

In 2002, I had the privilege of partnering with master coppersmith Stephen L. Foss of Maine to establish Foss Metal Inc., an S-Corp dedicated to the finest traditional metalwork. Our shop, Ye Olde Tin Shop, was nestled in the heart of historic Haddonfield, NJ — made possible by the generosity of Robert Shreve (Steve often referred to him as "Santa Claus"), a true craftsman and one of the last of a dying breed of traditional tinsmiths in the region. Robert had spent his own career quietly preserving the art of the trade in Haddonfield, and his willingness to open his shop doors to us was both a practical blessing and a passing of the torch. I'm proud to have carried on that legacy within the same walls for 18 years.

During those 18 years we did it all — slate, cedar shake, flat seam and standing seam roofing, built-in and half-round gutters, and custom fabrication in copper, lead coated copper, terne coated stainless steel, Kynar aluminum, and Galvalume. There wasn't a roofing system or architectural metal detail we wouldn't tackle, and Haddonfield's historic architecture gave us plenty of canvas to work on. Steve and I built that reputation together — it was always a collaborative process, and every cap, every seam, every detail we put out carried both of our names on it whether it said so or not.

Steve was 38 years my senior and more than a business partner — he was a mentor, a best friend, and something close to a second father. He always said you should specialize in one thing. He wasn't wrong. It just took me another 18 years, a property in Berlin, and a house to renovate before I finally listened.

When Steve retired around 2010, I founded Archaic Metal on February 28, 2011. In 2020 my wife and I purchased a property in Berlin, NJ — a 1923 farmhouse with a garage — and I rebuilt that garage into my current shop. Moving from Haddonfield to Berlin meant leaving behind the full-service roofing work and finally doing what Steve had been telling me to do all along: pick one thing and be the best at it. That one thing is chimney caps. I launched my online shop that same year and haven't looked back.

Every chimney cap that leaves this shop is hand-cut, hand-formed, and hand-finished — the same way it's always been done. No shortcuts, no outsourcing, no production line. Just one craftsman, one shop, and a lifetime of knowing exactly what I'm doing.

"My goal has always been simple: combine the best materials on earth with techniques that have worked for centuries. If it's from Archaic Metal, it's built for life." — Sean Biello, Archaic Metal

Why Copper

I specialize in 16oz and 20oz cold-rolled copper because it's the only roofing material that genuinely improves with age. It doesn't rust. It doesn't need paint. It develops a natural patina over years that no factory finish can replicate. A copper cap from Archaic Metal is the last chimney cap your home will ever need.

I also fabricate in Kynar-coated aluminum, Galvalume, and stainless steel for homeowners who want a specific color match or a lower price point without sacrificing quality. Every material I use is heavy-gauge and sourced for longevity — nothing off a big-box shelf.

Working Directly with Me

When you reach out with a question about fit, material, or a custom profile, you're talking to the person who will actually build your cap. I've been doing this for over 30 years and I've handled every chimney configuration imaginable — odd dimensions, multi-flue crowns, hip and ridge rooflines, historic preservation projects, and everything in between.

My average lead time is 3–4 weeks. I ship nationwide in a custom wood crate, built in my shop, sized to protect the cap in freight transit.

Based in New Jersey. Shipping Nationwide.

My shop is in Berlin, NJ. I've shipped custom caps to homeowners and contractors in all 50 states. Whether it's a historic brownstone in Brooklyn or a coastal home in California, the work is the same: hand-fabricated, built to last, and backed by direct communication from start to delivery.

Have a project in mind? Request a quote or call me directly at (609) 352-9840.