Reader Chieftain – Master Craftsman – IOTW Report

Reader Chieftain – Master Craftsman

Sunday, 4 October 2015, 7:00 BFH Uncategorized 37

Awhile back I was writing back and forth with Chieftain and I learned that he recently began getting into woodworking. On a lark he submitted a piece for the county fair. The judges took his submission out of the division he was in and upped him to Master Craftsman. He took three ribbons.

It isn’t always about politics, is it??  It isn’t always so easy to express in words, like the strong political positions we all take in other parts of our lives. 
This project is about personal focus, ensuring myself that I still have a purpose in life and expressing love for my family in a way I find difficult at times to express in any other way.  These are statements of my love of family that I know will outlast me well more than a century.
Sounds like an artist to me. (FYI – I had to hound Chieftain and twist his arm into letting me post these. He is very humble.)  ((We’ll see if Irony weighs in to judge. Irony has been known to make a thing or two out of wood, a great woodworker in his own right.))
horse
unnamed-3

 

37 Comments on Reader Chieftain – Master Craftsman

  2. Chieftain most excellent and beautiful work. In my younger years I did quite a bit of woodworking so I know a Master Craftsman when I see one. A proud accomplishment indeed.

  4. Wonderful talent Chieftain! You have natural skills to have recently started this craft. I’ve been banging away at Blacksmithing for a couple dozen years and you surpass my abilities. Congratulations!

  8. I’ve always had a lot of respect for people who can make beautiful things out of wood, and those are beautiful.

    I’m more of a “putty and paint” carpenter…

    A little putty and a little paint makes a carpenter what he aint. 😀

  9. Chieftan,
    You didn’t build that!
    You only think you did, cuz you did all the work, and bought all the wood, and got all the splinters, and made the cuts, and glued, screwed, sanded it, and finished it!

    I should get a “Master Craftsman” award, too!

  11. Chieftain,
    If you are just getting into woodworking you probably don’t have access to the sophisticated tools a master craftsman typically has, which adds more significance to your achievement.
    Kudos to you!

  13. Outstanding work, Chieftain!
    You truly have a gift, and I’m so glad you discovered it.
    Agree about your choice of woods. The various grains really add a lot.
    Congrats!

  14. Absolutely beautiful! A Master if there ever was one. Take a cue from DaveVA and find a way to make these for others. Too good not to share! ( By “share” I of course mean “sell”)
    Congratulations on those much deserved awards.

  21. Thank you all for your very kind comments. BFH and I have been going back and forth about our personal art, which started when he painted one of his amazing pet portraits of our pug Gus. I presented it to my wife last Christmas & she still cherishes it as one of the best gifts she ever received. She has it hanging in her office where she can see it every single day. It is very special.

    I finished my workshop here three years ago so I could make projects like these horses, and not require my wife to surrender her garage any longer. I’ve had the plans for these since 2000 and the new workshop finally gave me a dedicated place to build it among other things. The big horse was built between April and June of this year.

    The first horse was per the plan. My nephew Ryan and I built it together last Fall for his two little girls. We both signed it, then I installed a small brass cover plate: “Made in Santa’s Workshop, Christmas 2014”. Gracie (his oldest) has interacted with that horse in some way, every single day since. She named it, talks to it, & rode it for 2 weeks straight before she wold play with anything else she got for Christmas. I pity any kid who ever tries to tell her that Santa did not make that horse for her personally. Her little sister isn’t quite big enough yet to hoist herself up on it, but she is sure working hard at it. She’ll end up riding it longer than her big sister.

    The big horse in the picture is 25% bigger than the original, with a few upgrades of my own. The smaller ones are per plan with the same mods; in particular, the hooves sit on the rockers.

    I bought a Rosewood plank for the body. I needed 4′ of something and I got a deal on a piece 2″ thick, 13″ wide and 11 feet long. It was not cheap, but there are many projects in it. I also bought 1″ thick x 10″ wide x 10′ long Rosewood planks for the legs. The original plan calls for laminating the body. I made it out of solid rosewood. The leg stock s/b 3/4″ but I planed it to 7/8″ which makes the legs nearly indestructible. Rosewood is incredibly dense, tight grained and heavily patterned depending on how the plank was sawn, as you can see. There is no stain. The finish is many coats of natural Watley’s Danish Oil, and polished with Bri-Wax (carnauba & beeswax).

    The small horses are all rosewood too and made from the remainder of the big plank. Their saddles are Red Merina, which should finish looking like red leather. The big horse has a mix of woods; the mane, tail & forelock are Mahogany, & his saddle is Walnut while his rockers are Maple. I named the big horse “El Rojo” and he lives in my living room.

    I am making three smaller versions on contract for Santa this Christmas. As I understand it, 2 are going to North Carolina and the other over to Oregon. The little horses are all Rosewood with a Maple forelock, and Oak rockers. Nothing has been sanded yet, I have only just completed making the parts and assembling them for the first time. I’ll spend the next six weeks or so finishing them as Santa wants them shipped by December 1st…

    These horses are a family legacy, and not mine alone. I’m over-building these on purpose, and making them so that they really will last for at least 100 years. My family values heirlooms, so I’m starting a number of family heirlooms of my own. One of the intended recipients is only 5 months old right now, but he will grow into and out his horse over the next several years of his young life. I find great peace and contentment with the thought that he will likely see his own Grandchildren ride that horse some day. I can’t ask for much more of a personal reward than that.

    Thank you to you all for your kind remarks, and I am sure that all of you have your own expressions of your love of family; I’d love to see what they are. It really isn’t always about the politics…

    Cheers!

  22. Good work! I’ve done a bit of vegetarian work over the years, mostly utilitarian though, I’m surprised each year that goes by that it’s just as strong as it ever was. Recently I’ve taken to cutting, welding and grinding metal, the current project is a red neck lawn chair, ungoverned it should tickle 35mph.

  23. El Rojo lives in my living room, and my Great-niece Gracie rides him every time she comes over. She understands that I took a picture of her horse and copied what Santa made for her. She likes my horse, but she likes hers better.

    We have lots of new riders coming along in the family…

  26. Chief — I don’t work in wood, though I wish I could. Your level of craftsmanship is lovely and wonderful. And art aside, you’ve secured a solid place in your family’s generational lives. These beauties will be around and remembered for generations to come. You’ve achieved “lore” status through your love for your work and for them.

  27. Fur, it would be great to share the talents of other readers here. I’d love to see some of the other accomplishments of IOTWr people — and I’m sure there are a lot!

  28. What a great story. It is so beautiful that you crafted your first piece with such love and care for the littlest members of your family. These are precisely the things that our government wants to destroy with their effed-up, anti-family schemes.

    My paternal grandfather was a master carpenter who worked as the foreman of the carpentry department of the Public Service (now New Jersey Transit). Unfortunately, he was never able to make anything for me, his only grandchild–he died about halfway through my mother’s pregnancy with me.

    Both my grandmothers were into tatting–making lace by hand. My mother was a master tailor who once made a camel hair winter coat without a pattern for my father. All the neighbors thought it was from Brooks Brothers. Rumors that we had won the New York State Lottery (whose top prize in those days was $100,00) were rife.

    In school I was considered to have above – average artistic talent, but I chose to concentrate on languages and literature. I can’t wait for retirement so I can bring out my own “inner artist.”

  30. Chieftain, what a wonderful ability you have been blessed with! Your ‘labor of love’ is truly beautiful. I appreciate your sharing with us. It brought back some happy memories of growing up in the ’50’s, my cousins and me playing in the woodworking shop of Grandpa McCrary, who made furniture, baby cradles, bookcases, etc. and, like you, gifted them to family members, who still cherish them to this day! The floor of his shop was always covered with fresh sawdust, the smell of which I still adore! You will be a family legend, Chieftain!

  35. Absolutely beautiful Chief!!
    Brought back memories of my dear Dad. He was a carpenter who made many things for my Mom and his family. I have a small bookcase, a headboard and a hamper. (What Mom wanted, she got!)
    It has my Mother’s name right in the center of the lid with all our nicknames surrounding it. It’s not a masterpiece but it sure has sentimental value.
    Your family will cherish your gift for generations!

  36. Absolutely beautiful Chieftain!

    Woodworking runs in my family.

    My grandfather (born in 1899) was a master craftsman for Davison Paxson.

    In Atlanta, Davison’s and Rich’s were the major competitors in town. They both had furniture makers.

    My grandfather’s specialty was inlay.

    I have have a jewelry box (as does my mom) that are going to be heirlooms. As well as every other piece he made.

    I have a special place in my heart for anyone making wood pieces for their future generations.

    Love you!

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