Heirloom...Week 8

This week's post is for the 2018 challenge called, 52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks, by Amy Johnson Crow.  Theme for this week: Heirloom

It is only fitting that with a last name like Woods that we would have some woodworkers in the family who can create family heirlooms.  In our direct line, we know that the following have been blessed with the "woodworking gene" and this blog post will highlight some of these special heirlooms: 

Cecil Dale Wood

Cecil Austin Woods

Kenneth Dale Woods

Brian Woods

I am not sure if generations prior to Cecil Dale were into woodworking, but I keep researching hoping I can find a clue that they were!  If you have some cherished items from our family, I would love you to share your pictures and stories with me.  I feel like with our last name being Woods, this is a special gift!  I would love to compile more pictures and stories surrounding this topic in the future.    

Let's start with some basics.  Kenneth took these pictures for me and are part of his woodworking tools from the two Cecils.  The first item is a hand drill and used to drill a hole in wood by hand.   The next two-handled items are called, Wood Draw Shaves, and used for shaving wood or removing bark.  The last two are hand planers. According Wikipedia,  "A hand plane is a tool for shaping wood using muscle power to force the cutting blade over the wood surface."  Muscle power. All these tools muscle power. No plug-into-an-electrical-outlet and let the tool do the work.  While these guys no doubt used power tools to do their work at some point in their lives, someone used these at some point.  The other picture is a square used in accurately measuring and cutting right angles, and Kenneth says he estimates some of these tools are 80-100 years old.  

While trying to compile this post, I talked to Kenneth about the oldest heirloom we think we have in the family with a story behind it.  He told me about the cradle shown in the picture below.  I think it's amazing we actually have a picture with Cecil Dale in it and the cradle in the background. Cecil Dale made this cradle for Debbie, his grand-daughter nearly 60 years ago.  Kept in the family all these years, Kenneth refinished the original cradle for his grand-daughter in 2007 and it is now another cherished doll cradle to be enjoyed for many more generations.  

Cecil Dale with cradle in the background 

Doll cradle refinished 40+ years later 

Another story surrounding another kids toy is about a rocking horse.  Cecil Dale made rocking horses for his grandchildren including Kenneth.  Kenneth still has one of the original rocking horses, and it is shown below.  I love that the horse head looks like a real horse and very unique to anything you could buy today. Kenneth used the original pattern to create rocking horses for his grandkids.  Our son was a recipient of one of the redone rocking horses and he loved that thing!  He would rock and rock in the living room on it, and now his grand kids can enjoy it some day!   

Cecil Dale rocking horse

Griffin on the replica horse 2004, a one-year old birthday present from grandpa

Cecil Dale also made this work bench for Kenneth and his brothers so they could help out in the wood shop in the 1950's.  We have it in our garage now and will be passed for others to enjoy in the future.  

Cecil Austin also got the woodworker's blood and loved making things for family as well.  Pictured below is his "shop" and it was stuffed to the gills with tools and wood.  One could barely walk in the garage and there were literally paths to the tools.  Shhhhhh....don't tell him, but I think Brian's garage could give grandpa's a run for his money!  HAHA!  

We recently took a family vacation to the Gatlinburg, TN area, and Brian was reminiscing about traveling there as a kid with his grandpa, Cecil Austin, and grandma, Viola, and how they would go there to see all the artisan craft stores and get ideas on things they could make.  They would also come back with various wooden treasures as well.    

 Cecil Austin And Viola on the Gatlinburg Chair Lift

In the 80's era of "country type" crafts, there are many items he and his wife, Viola, would collaborate on.  He was the wood creator and she was the painter.  Some of them are shown below.  

Cecil Austin also made lots of furniture pieces and toys and games throughout the years.  Here are some pictures below. 

Cecil Austin made this spice rack for Kenneth and Janet as a wedding present.  I love that there is a sign on it that says who made it.  The next picture is of Brian in the toy box that his grandpa Cecil Austin made for him around his first birthday in 1974.  

Toy box made by Cecil Austin for Brian, his grandson, in 1974

Kenneth creates beautiful pieces in his wood shop as well. I already talked about the two previous heirlooms recreated for us to enjoy, but there are numerous other things.  He has made his grandkids many things to enjoy and they are shown below.  I loved the timeout chair he made for Griffin, and it got lots of use!  

Something I have learned is that lots of items were made together with two or more generations working together to create family gifts.  This makes my heart smile and passing this gift from generation to generation is important.  Kenneth told me that the lamp in the picture below was made by him, Cecil Austin and Cecil Dale around 1970 and they made lots of them to sell or give away.   There were other stories of Easter baskets made for all the grandkids as well.  I also learned that typically they would make more than one of the items to give away to lots of different family members.  

Each person in the family has their own specialty. Cecil Dale was great at joinery. Cecil Austin was a great finisher and jig maker. Kenneth is good at coming up with original ideas.  I asked Brian about what he thinks his specialty is and he said that he thinks his specialty is using his skills more for the carpentry and furniture. 

Brian has been in the garage or grandpa's wood shop for as long as he can remember.  He used to go over to grandpa's house when he was 10 years old.  He was not allowed to use the table saw or the planer while grandpa was not there.  He was allowed to use bandsaw, drill press and jig saw on his own.  He recalls getting hurt while in grandpas's garage.  He was using the drill press and somehow ran his palm around the chuck key and created teeth marks all across his hand.  He says he has a vivid memory of sitting inside putting his hand in a large bowl of ice water.  Brian also remembers getting hurt at his home using the garage shop.  He was not supposed to be using the bandsaw at home without Kenneth; however, he decided to make an arrow and needed to use the bandsaw real quick.  While trying to put a point on the arrow, he cut his right thumb so bad the only thing holding the skin was the nail.  All Brian remembers is the I-told-you-not-to-use-that-without-me lecture all the way to the hospital emergency room.  Unbelievably, no stitches, but lots of butterfly bandages.  I guess something finally kicked in, as no more major injuries in the shop.  

I have been so blessed that Brian has created such nice things for our house.  He insisted on creating Griffin's crib and dressers.  Many hours spent in the shop creating furniture to be passed on to future generations.  

Brian working on baby furniture

In the last few years, we also got a CNC machine where we have created so many signs for ourselves and others.  I usually do the layout and design and then have him take over.
  

Brian also went on to teach kids in vocational school about Industrial Arts where he shared these types of skills with kids in high school.  

I am not sure if Griffin will be as interested in woodworking as his previous generations.  This is a dying art, but Griffin has gotten his fair share of "shop time" with dad and grandpa.  They have worked on a few school and 4H projects together in the garage.  The latest thing he and grandpa  made were wooden maracas for a high school Spanish assignment.  Griffin got lessons on how to use the wood lathe and turned them himself.   I just hope the desire to become a woodworker is implanted in his being somewhere so he can say he is a FIFTH generation woodworker! 

Griffin working on Spanish maracas

While writing this post, it makes me so proud to be a part of such a special family with a special gift!  I am reminded of the love for family and sharing with others that exists in our Woods family.  I just hope the next few generations will continue making such quality pieces in wood and keep the family traditions going.  Imagine if Cecil Dale knew his craft was passed onto four or more generations. I think he would be so proud!