Making Sawdust

My dad, like Jesus, is a woodworker. He's been at it for a while, maybe 10 or 12 years. He and his best friend Danny (who has been his best friend since they were little kids) have a workshop in Danny's garage (Danny supplies the garage and the machines, my dad supplies the wood). It's the grown-up equivalent of a tree fort, except full of really cool tools.

When he first started making stuff, it was a little simplistic, and had some flaws. One of the first things he made me was a blanket box that was so big it looked like a little coffin. I helped him finish a blanket box he made for my friend Katie for her wedding this summer and his expertise on the minutae of the work was impressive. How to do a wet sand, how to apply stain, and how many layers of stain and how long to let it sit before removing it in special way. They make everything without nails, instead using pegs and fingerjointing and glue. At this point in their ongoing study of woodworking, they are making truly beautiful and creative works of art.

To keep themselves challenged, they'll take on projects of all kinds and make beautiful things for all kinds of people. They made some big doors for the Burrowing Owl vineyard, they've made coffee tables for the kids of their friends, or giant four poster beds for other friends. My dad has made me the blanket box, several sets of shelves, and a desk built to exactly my dimensions to help my tendonitis. They make stuff for people for free--like some sort of lathe-weilding Robin Hoods. They each have brands that they mark their work with; my dad has a "K" in a circle and Danny has an image of a hand with half a finger missing on account of how half of one of his fingers is missing thanks to an accident with a saw.

He just finished some adirondack chairs and sent them to his Dutch friend who lives in on the Cote D'Azur.



We have some funny little old chairs in our house that my great-grandfather made. I love the idea of my dad making all these beautiful things that he gives away so they are all over the world, so well made that they will be treasured and used long after we are both dead.