Observations from the Woodshop

October seventh 2008

 

My Dad passed away a year ago today.  One reason I wanted to commemorate this day on my woodworking blog is that he was a very good woodworker, a woodcarver to be specific. The other reason is that I am pretty sure that I wouldn’t be doing what I do today if it wasn’t for his influence.
      Some of my earliest memories are of time spent in my Dad’s home workshop. He was an engineer by profession, and until his retirement a hobbiest woodworker . My brothers and I would bang things together from what scraps we could find. Everything from hockey sticks, to skateboards, to hurdles for our backyard track meets. I remember bringing what I thought was my finished carved pine wood derby racer to him for approval and being told that it wasn’t even close to being finish sanded, and that it should feel as smooth as glass. To this day, my work is known for the quality of our finishes.

     It wasn’t like we couldn’t afford things at my house, but it seemed my Dad’s attitiude was why buy something if you can build it yourself.  A short list, [and I do mean short] of some of the things my Dad made over the years include, a rocking horse, toy barn with animals, slot car track, [I still have the router he bought just to cut those slots], beds, desks, tables, and his own stereo from scratch.
        I am sure that I got the idea that I could make anything that I set my mind to from my Dad, and it has served me well.

      For me, the biggest surprise was when my Dad started carving. I mean I wasn’t surprised that he had the skills, I was surprised at his artistic abilities. It got to the point that he hated his day job, and took up woodcarving to help cope with the ulcers he had developed from that work. He was able to retire at 55, [he was definitely smarter than me in this regard] and spent the next 26 years carving and gardening.  He and my Mom also moved to West Virginia and spent those years living near my wife and I. I feel very fortunate to have had that time.  I miss you Dad.
         P.S.    The photos, that I can’t seem to get located on the page where I want them, are from a camera that I inherited from my Dad. I think he must have been recording his collection for insurance puposes. I wish they were better, but I think that they give some sense of the number of carvings in his home.