After 5: Woodworkers find purpose, pleasure in their creations

A blank canvas becomes a detailed painting, a lump of clay forms into a magnificent vase, and a block of wood shapes into an intricate bowl. It's awe-inspiring to onlookers. It's awesome to the artist.

"Sometimes, when I'm turning Osage orange and the shavings are just flying off ... it is absolutely magical," says woodworker Robert Duffer. "You feel like you're in some kind of snow globe. It's just wonderful, a wonderful feeling and a lot of fun."

As an art form, woodworking is perhaps not as popular as painting or pottery. But for many, it's more about the enjoyment of taking a chunk of wood and turning it into a piece that reflects the beauty of the wood and creativity of the artist. It even can bring in a bit of extra cash and offers for more lucrative jobs.

Good turns deserve another

Duffer works by day as the information technology manager at Central States Industrial in Springfield. Just about any other time, though, he's wood turning, or carving.

"It's gone beyond something that I do as a hobby, and it's become something more that I do as a purpose in my life," Duffer says, "I feel I have skills that need to be and can be expressed well with wood and wood turning."

Duffer's passion started as a simple desire to find an area where he could fine-tune his artistic abilities. He chose wood turning and purchased a used lathe, a machine wood turners use to shape their wooden pieces. Novice wood carvers only need three tools: a carving knife, a V-tool and a U-gouge.

After a couple of years of casual projects, Duffer got serious. He joined Woodturners of Southwest Missouri, and met others who shared his passion. Learning skills and techniques from more experienced turners, Duffer expanded his repertoire and stepped his interest up a notch. He's even created a Web page dedicated to his craft at www.unirok.us.

Shaping up

Rick Manweiler, a self-described beginner in the wood-carving craft, discovered his skill last January when he took a $25, eight-week course with the Ozark Whittlers and Wood Carvers group. A former carpenter and framer, working with wood comes naturally to Manweiler, who now is an apprentice for HVAC Central Plumbing. His interest in more detailed woodworking was sparked when he read about the class in the newspaper.

A year later, he has five ribbons from competition last summer at the Ozark Empire Fair. Manweiler carves small animal caricatures and birds, most of then no more than 5 inches in size.

As a dad to a 6-month-old son, it's important to Manweiler that he's home in the evenings. "I can just sit there and piddle with something at the dining room table - play with the baby," he says. "I don't want to spend the whole time out in the garage."

He'll occasionally sell his work at art shows, operating under the name Wild Wood Works.

Lasting a lifetime

To get the best carving results, Manweiler uses hard, dense wood. Basswood and butternut both provide the proper grain and density and are commonly used by woodcarvers. Duffer, on the other hand, uses native woods such as sassafras, Osage orange, maple, ash, walnut and elm. Others, such as oak and cherry, are challenging but workable, they say.

For both the casual and serious woodworker, the joy of creating is a major motivator. Project possibilities are endless, with new techniques, various styles and a variety of wood from which to choose. And best of all, wood creations can last for many generations.

"This thing that I'm creating has a very good chance of outlasting me," Duffer says.[[In-content Ad]]