And though
he spent many years as the service manager for an office machine company,
Jim found woodworking to be an enduring hobby. "All my life I have
built things," he says. "I became serious about it right before
my oldest granddaughter was born."
That's when
one of his daughters asked him to make a cradle. "The most useless
thing I ever made," Jim admits with a laugh, adding how awkward it
was attending to a baby who lay only " off the floor in her handmade
cradle.
But in the
24 years since then, Jim has made plenty of useful items. He has converted
armoires to entertainment centers, built a massive bookcase, crafted two
mantels, and designed an advent table for his church, just to name a few.
"God
gave me the ability to use my hands and create things. I like to do what
little I can to give back by doing things for my church," he says.
Jim also
gives back to the community as a member of the local woodworkers guild.
Each year, they build durable wooden toys that are enjoyed by transplant
patients at the local children's hospital.
In addition
to the demonstrations sponsored by the guild, Jim also finds great projects
and tips in woodworking magazines and on the Internet. And since that first
granddaughter—and her special cradle—Jim has amassed a total of
nine grandchildren. Click
here for step-by-step instructions on how he built this dollhouse/bookcase
for his newest baby granddaughter.
