Influences

[Bryant]

Last night I received word that my grandfather had passed away. He and my father, who passed away 9 months ago, were the biggest influences in my wood working. Neither of them were turners but both were artists in there own respect. I learned most of what I know from them. Gandpa was an old hammer and nail trim carpenter and cabinet maker who when he did not have what he neede would figure out how to make it. Always some kind of weird jig or made up tool in the shop. He was a fun guy to be around when I was younger. Dad was a magician with custom interior trim work and cabinets. He did everything from the small tract houses that are everywhere to one house that kept him busy almost 2 years. When he was given time and left alone he could do anything. I was always impressed by the room with 8 windows in a 30' half circle that had custom milled cherry crown molding that cost $25 a linear foot. He got it right on the first try. It may seem like I'm rambling but this is how I will always remeber my two greatest influences.

Bryant

 

[john lucas]

My grandfather was a hobby woodworker and very skilled. Unfortunately we lived far enough apart that he was never able to work with me. He was definitely an inspiration(unfortunately his golf game never rubbed off on me).
My dad didn't start woodworking until he retired. He is more of an inspriration by his attitude of friendliness to other people.
I get my work ethic and perfectionism from my mother. She is a fabulous seamstress and has done quite a few craft things in her life. I'm sure I get those traits from her.
My two biggest influences were my photography instructor in college and Ansel Adams. Harold Baldwin taught photography and industrial arts type classes at Middle Tennessee State University. His was able to pass on his thirst for knowledge and it rubbed in deep. I think I took every class he offered. About 5 years ago I was doing a turning demo at a local craft show and he showed up. Turns out he's been into woodturning for number of years.
Ansel Adams was an influence simply because of how he persued his passion and by observing how he studied the medium to learn all of it's nuances so that he could use that in his creativity. I definitly carried that over into my woodworking. I experiment with everything I see so that I can use those "tools" when necessary.

 

[tdemasi]

Bryant,

First my condolences on the loss of both your father and grandfather. I have lost both of those great men in my life as well but their work ethic both in woodworking and providing for family have been an inspiration to me as well. My grandfather was first a piano maker in New Hampshire and then a cabinet maker in Boston. Some of the work he did on his own time in his basement is spread around the country with my sisters and my brother and myself. Every time I am in my dining room I am reminded of what he was able to do with limited tools, but with great patience, skill, attention to detail and pride. I have a complete dining room set made of mahogony with satin wood inlays that he made between 1930 and 1933. I look at what he was able to do and I am just blown away. In all of my woodworking, both turning and flat work, my drive comes from him and his creations.

Tony

 

[woodwish]

Bryant,

My sympathy with you and your family in your loss. Your touching story made me think about my influences. My only grandfather I ever knew was mean drunk that never said a nice thing to me. My father was a photographer and taught me about paying attention to detail and that quality was always more important than quanity. I got most of my work ethic and family values from him. As a teacher I think I am a combination of the few non-traditional teachers I had in school, and especially one off-beat biology teacher. As a woodworker I have no idea where my influence comes from, except from God. I am the only person in my family that has any interest in working with wood. Never had a mentor other than some magazines, books, and Norm on TV. It's difficult to explain in a short reply but I see His (God's, not Norm's) work in every piece of wood I touch, and I feel closer to God in my shop than any church I have been in. I love building furniture and other items for our church, it is kind of therapy I guess. I love sharing God's work through my hands with others.

Good topic, really does make a person think about why we do what we do.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Tough to get into a thread like this without sniffling and tearing. Dad taught me. He converted the coal bin in our house to a shop, and had the patience and perseverence to let me make and even break a few things along the way. Wasn't much he wouldn't try, substituting time and stubbornness for tool acquisition. Makes me almost ashamed of my collection. I got a bit stuffed up as I took up his old Craftsman jack plane to level some glueups the other night. I've gone to a Hock iron, and hone with a Veritas jig, so I didn't cuss and fiddle like he always seemed to have to do. Couldn't help but think of him as I worked, and realize the connection in the chest I was planing was for his great-granddaughter. Maybe she'll remember grandpa favorably.

 

[Don O. Jr.]

Great thread

Bryant, thanks for posting this thread. Sorry for your loss. I never knew one of my gradfathers amd the other died when I was 12. He was an interesting man and very handy. He used to repair clocks ane cane chairs. I still have one of the chairs he did. I did not get to work with him much but I remember building a birdhouse with him. I hope I got some inspiration from him. My Dad was not a woodworker but was fairly handy. He's been gone almost 4 yrs now. He did instill a solid work ethic in me though. He actually could do many things if he put his mind and back into it. After he passed, he left me enough money to build a nice workshop. I call it my "Thanks Dad" shop. I think he would be happy for me. It gives me a creative outlet and keeps me out of trouble (mostly). I finally got around to making a sign for over the entry door last Saturday. It says "Thanks Dad". I have a lot to be thankful for, Dad and Mom are way up on the list. My Mom was a nurse which is probably why I work in healthcare.
Thanks for letting me ramble and remember, tears and all,

Don

 

[Keith T.]

HI Bryant, My grandfather on my mom's side was a cabinetmaker. His wife's (my grandmother) maiden name was Bovee....she came from a long line of violin-makers. One of their children, my uncle, was a violin-maker as well.

I believe I inherited not only the skills, but the desire to be a woodworker...it's always been there as long as I can remember. If I have any skills at all, It's not of my making. One of my main goals is to share this passion with my grandkids.....what better gift?

 

[Jake Debski]

Wow, some warm reflections folks. My story is a bit different though. My Dad was, as they used to say, "a crackerjack mechanic." I've spent my life trying to match his skills in the woodshop. His love of woodworking and all phases of it was an avocation not his vocation. His shop was his private escape. My brother and I were only allowed to help clean,and from time to time help with simple or lengthy projects. I tell this with no regrets or sadness. He taught me much about life, work, family and being true to oneself. I treasure the hand tools he left behind and the snippets of knowledge to use and care for them.

 

[underdog]

Condolences to the loss of your father and your grandfather. It's got to be tough to lose both in such a short amount of time especially given what they meant to you.

I lost both of my Grandfathers while I was in college, but cannot say that I knew either of them very well, as I lived half a continent away for most of my life. They were both faithful husbands and fathers and by all accounts good men.
I still have my father for which I'm grateful. Unfortunately, by my own actions 20+ years ago, I now live across the whole continent from him. Dad gave me a love of making things which has never left me since I left the farm. He is now a blacksmith and re-enactor, and I envy my brothers proximity, as I've only pounded iron with him a few times. I am now a maker of things, which habit is almost as necessary to me as breathing. I can't "not" make things.

Love ya Dad!

 

[Richard Baker]

Hereditary?

It would seem that the abilities and inclination toward woodworking/turning, mechanical ability, and/or "building things" is somewhat hereditary, sometimes independant of any personal training by the previous one or two generations. Sometimes with considerable influence and training from previous generations.

One is indeed fortunate to receive either, or both.

 

[DeanGThomas]

Hey Bryant,

Good thread, sir. Along with the others, my condolences. Those losses leave holes in our lives that never go completely away. The rips heal up, but the folks are still just not there. I understand too well.

Got me to thinking about my relationship with my own dad and my mom's stepdad. My dad was a royal PITA during my youth. Once I was married and had a son, he had mellowed, I'd had some dynamic changes in my own life and was actually able to pursue the man to form a relationship that we'd never had when I was a youth. He did nothing but criticize every crafty effort that I made. Supported my music, but dissed me almost everywhere else. Strange man, he.

In most ways, Dad was a hack woodworker. He had an awful little 8" "table" saw that was a bad construction site machine. BAD machine. I received the darned thing when he closed up his shop, when they downsized their household. Sucker could not be calibrated to make a 90º cut to save my life or its! He cobbled things together and tried interesting things. His joinery was awful, but with enough glue, almost anything would hold. He was working with lousy tools for most of his life. Somewhere along the line, he bought a 12" Craftsman RASaw that improved his joinery significantly. Also caused him a lot of pain 'cause he tried to do things on it that he thought he should be able to do. Lots of stitches, a fair amount of blood, many curses heaped upon that machine. But there was a love and respect for wood and building that still somehow stuck was passed on to me.

And my grand-dad was among the least talkative men I've ever met. My memories of him were of him either smoking his pipe and sitting, or smoking his pipe and fishing. He was bed-ridden and nearly blind before he actually had a conversation with me. He was one of those fairy tale boys who actually did run away and join the circus! His major claim on my heart was that no matter when we showed up, he always had something for me to take apart and have fun with. He must have spent hundreds of dollars keeping me in clocks and other mechanical wonders that had their springs unsprung. He also spent a lot of time talking to my dad, I gather, trying to guide him away from destroying himself and his family because of my dad's anger. Grandpa didn't put up with dad's tantrums and verbal abuse of mom or my brother and me. Saved a lot of "scenes" from what I understand.

We never know who we're going to influence. Kind words, an attentive ear, and a willingness to share one's passions make solid impressions and can be the start of relationships of which we're not even aware!

Happy New Year to you all! Get your good memories out, dust 'em off and share 'em with someone who will give them life for another generation.

 

[river rat]

My influences

My step grand father thaught my charity he homesteaded in Florida at the turn of the century building his log cabin with a cross cut saw and broad ax. I remember see the cabin as a very young kid it had leather hinges on the door and the fireplace was made with mud and stickes, the cabin rotted away but the fire place and chimmley remained standing another 10 years. He was a farmer and told me that if anyone ask for produce from the garden to always give it to them free that god would help your garden grow and you know he always had the best garden around. My step father taught me honestly and hard work was good things to have I have seen him lots of time return to stores etc when the clerks gave him to much in change. My grand father on my mother's side was a rounder he drank, smoked, chased women etc but he was also honest and hard working ( I remember him holding down 3 jobs at one time for years) He love to fish and instilled that love into me, He had a very quick wit, very personable and enjoyed life to the fullest. He always made time to spented with me. My mother was a artist she learned she had a eye for painting when she was 56. I have 6 of her paintings which I charise. All of them worked with wood my mother, step father and grand father and me at one time or another worked at the veneer mill. All but my stepfather are gone now but I think about them and tell stories about them often. They are remembered.

 

[Richard Baker]

Nice post, R.R.

 

[Bryant]

Thank you all for the stories.

Both men are missed very much but we know they are in a better place now. I failed to mention in my first post that both were ministers and had also instilled those values with me as well. My wife says that I am only truly happy when I'm working with wood. One day I'll be able to devote all of my time to my woodwork. I am thankfull everyday for waht I was taught by both dad and grandpa.

Bryant