I met a genius yesterday.

[jbmaine]

I'm a retired tool and die maker / machinist. I've worked in prototype toolrooms and have built some cool things. I thought I was clever, I thought I was good , until yesterday.

 Besides fishing, I enjoy woodworking as a hobby. Most of the furniture in our house I've designed and built, and again,  and thought I was pretty good, until yesterday.

 I was looking at Craig's list yesterday and came across an ad for selling a woodworking tool, a jig for making mortice and tenon joints. It was cheap money and just the next town over, so I called and arranged to go see it.

 I met the older gentlemen, and he took me into a rather large building, what I thought was his house. Turns out I think he slept there, but it was mostly filled with wonderful things.

 We walked into a room and I was struck by a couple of old iron woodworking machines, in particular a band saw with 36" diameter wheels. He said he had restored it ,and boy did he do a good job. He then took me into another room full of yet more amazing things. I was looking at a late 1800's early 1900's metal working tool room lathe, polished brass indexing gears, shiny metal, ornate cast legs and frame, covered in black lacquer paint. It looked museum quality but OMG there was another lathe sitting right next to it, it's twin.

  He explained that he had been asked to restore it ( he would not say for whom), so he stripped it down , repaired or rebuilt parts as needed, and this was the finished result.

 As for the second lathe, it's twin? He told me he loved the craftsmenship so much he wanted one of his own. He made patterns of every part of the original lathe. Had them cast, then he machined, fitted, polished, every piece to original specs, then assembled it.

 He showed me his woodworking shop, machine shop, things he had designed, built, invented. Room after room of such amazing things. As far as I can tell he just seems to have the time, funds, inclination, skill, and a quirky mind to make just about anything he desires.

 My mind is still spinning with the things I saw. As for the jig I came for? I bought it from him. He had bought, tried it, and built one of his own, his does things I never would have thought of.

                                                                                          Jim

 

[Sam]

Wow! A most unusual person. Glad you met him and hope you can keep in touch.

 

Using our hands to build things these days is a thing of the past. Our ancestors had to do these things since there was no Walmart down the road. And the quality of the materials and workmanship are of the highest quality. No assembly line or fake wood items.

 

I go to a guy in Powhatan, Virginia, who repairs rods and reels. He too makes parts for the rods and reels he is fixing. He will allow you to sit down (after you shoo the dog away) in the other chair in his work room and you can watch him work his magic.

 

Maybe this guy will let you do the same when he is working on something.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

 

[DanielG]

Always more satisfying doing it yourself. You sit back and think, "I did that". feels good.

[J._Bricker]

Thanks @jbmaine for sharing your meeting this gentleman, who exemplifies the meaning of American ingenuity and know how. Truly must have been pleasure to hear his stories and see his equipment and completed projects. You’re a lucky man

[.ghoti.]

Sounds like you had a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks for sharing

[Harold Scoggins]

You should visit him often and see if you can pick up any long lost skills. I was always amazed at how well things were built years ago. Back in the mid 60s, my brother and I helped our dad take down an old, two story house on adjacent property he had acquired. The house then was going on 130 years of age and when we got down to the frame, the real fun began. Solid, seasoned oak joined with wood pins, no nails. We couldn't pull it down as my dad was recovering as much of the lumber as he could. I think we spent a year and too many saw blades to count dismantling that frame. We couldn't even drive nails in that wood it so hard and I don't believe we found any evidence of termites either. To think they built those homes with hand tools!

Thanks for sharing your story, it made me think of that old house and how well it was built.

[slonezp]

Love to see some pics

[jbmaine]

14 hours ago, slonezp said:

Love to see some pics

I found this online. this is just a drop in the bucket to what I saw.

 

[haggard]

This is mind blowing. And as far as I can tell, no computers running anything. Genius is right.

 

[slonezp]

I worked in a tool and die shop as a teenager and hvac/r as an adult. There's a place in my heart for true craftsmen.

[12poundbass]

Pretty impressive! 

[Master Bait'r]

I’ve been a custom fabricator my entire adult life and I never tire of seeing the fine handiwork of a person whose attention to detail is that exceptional.  

 

Craftsmanship is an art, and that man is a true artist!