Background
It was 20 years ago, or what seems like a few minutes ago, that I met my friend Al. He was selling a cabinet makers table saw and I ended up buying it. From the moment we met, I knew that I was in the presence of greatness.
In this story, I’m going to show you a few examples of world-class woodworking. When you see these objects in person, they are truly mesmerizing. This is especially true if you are a woodworker and have some idea on how hard it is to create works of art like what I will show you. I hope readers of this story appreciate the beautiful design, wood selection, and execution of these objects.
Meet Al
If there is one word I would use to describe Al, it would be humble, or humility. Al is an amazingly intelligent and skilled man, that happens to have about 100 years of experience to his name. Based on his physical and mental condition, I anticipate that Al will be around for many more years to come!
Even with all of these skills and experiences, Al is humble. His woodworking examples are just breath-taking and his story-telling ability, knowledge, and kindness are equally appealing. I hope that can emulate Al as I age, to be the type of man that he is now as he approaches the end of his first century of life and begins his journey into his second century.
Al is just getting started at 99.9 years old.
Al’s Background
The truth is, a book should be written about Al because his life story is so fascinating. His professional accomplishments are numerous, including becoming a chief mechanical engineer for the Tennessee Valley Authority. His draftsman skills are completely old-school, with current projects still being designed and drawn by hand.
In fact, Al has drawn just about every masterpiece of woodworking that he has ever built. I know this because he once showed me his drafting office with all the blueprints neatly stored away. I would say that his design and drafting skills are on-par with his woodworking excellence.
In the Beginning
To do Al’s story justice, I would have to spend a long time documenting his accomplishments. However, what is most important for all of us to understand is that this incredible man is still going strong. He is still doing the things he loves to do. His passion for living, learning, and teaching are all still there.
When I asked Al about how he got started in woodworking, he told me stories of how his father worked in a planing mill in Chattanooga. When Al was about high-school age, he began sweeping floors in the mill to earn a little money and to see how things were being done. Al did this for a number of years in a row, especially during the summer months while school was not in session.
One day when he finished sweeping the floors, he told his dad that he was finished. His dad said: “Go over there to where your grandfather is working, and see if he has anything for you to do”.
Well, Al’s grandfather started giving Al seemingly simple tasks, like sharpening a chisel. When Al returned the “sharpened” chisel to his grandfather, his grandfather said: “Now let me teach you how to sharpen a chisel.” A couple of hours later, Al had his first lesson in sharpening. More than 80 years later, Al told me that he is still perfecting his sharpening techniques.
As far as Al’s grandfather goes, he was the master cabinetmaker at the planing mill. He was also the highest-paid cabinetmaker in Chattanooga. Al’s grandfather probably built masterpieces like Al does, all for the top wage of $0.75 per hour!
When I asked Al if he still had any of his grandfather’s tools, he told me exactly what he has and that he still uses them. This passing of tools from grandfather to father to son is something I hope to do, too.
The Body of Work
I do not possess the words or wisdom to explain to you what it is like to see Al’s work. The aesthetic beauty of his pieces are obvious, and the wood choices are sublime. Embedded in many of his creations are special treats like hidden drawers or compartments. The inside of doors are as beautiful as the outsides. A constant through all of his work is that Al has made great wood selections to build his designs.
The overall impression you get when seeming his work is that the design elements are balanced, the woods are complementary, and the details are meticulously executed. There is no doubt that Al’s creations will outlive us all and that they shall always elicit a sense of awe in anyone seeing these beautiful creations.
His portfolio begins in 1935, when he was a junior in high school. That table, and the sideboard he made the following year as a senior, are shown this slideshow of some of Al’s work. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading!
Epilogue
Al live another two years and two months after I wrote this article. He was 101 when he passed away. I’ll missing talking with my friend.
