My Woodworking Projects

Besides Genealogy, and History Web Sites, my other Hobby is Woodworking.
Now, after many years, I have a nice Workshop, and a nice selection of basic wood tools, that I can do major damage with.
I have added some photos below of some of the creations I have made.

Wood Toys for my Grandchildren, Nathan, Liam and Katelyn- Dec 2014

Giraffe Puzzle in book form for Grandchildren. Dec 2014

Unique Crib Board from a Hazelnut branch, for my Grandson, Dec 2014

Noah's Ark Toy for my Grandson Liam
complete with around 30 pairs of animals inside

I called it the “Acrobat Man”, an old toy, My dad made me one of these when I was a boy
So I made 3 of them, 2 as gifts, one for myself.
Squeeze the short part of the handles, and the wooden man does spins in the top portion.
I now have found plans for a acrobat clown, which one day I will make.

Wood Box made to hold the toys below


Helicopter Logging Toy Set, for my grandson Braiden, Dec 2005
Lots of hours went into this set, and almost kept it myself to play with.

Home School Desk for my Grandson 2008
made to fit on top of a wooden TV table

Tardis anyone? made for my son Terry
Used a magnet to suspend this one, so it spins, it also had a door, when opened a light inside comes on.

“Love Spoon” for a wedding gift for my son Terry, and his wife Jillian

Made from a piece of Honduras Mahogany, various items carved in the spoon, that they both like.
My first attempt at this art style.
Turns out Jillian's parents bought a love spoon, with the Ukrainian Triad, and Elk, carved by a master carver, down in southern BC. It was carved in yellow cedar.
(picture above shows a table runner quilted by my wife.)

I also made a wooden box from aromatic cedar, with box (finger) joints, to hold the spoon.

Made a 12 x 14 x 6 in. high Red Cedar Memory box, with box joints for my niece Cindy Gent. no pics yet.

Grain Elevator Bird Feeder
made for my niece in Vancouver, these are her pictures.

Fairy Theme tray for my wife, 2008
made from recycled panelling plywood with black walnut splines on the corners

Something different- Wooden Flower Vase


This was a flower vase I made in Dec 2009, from a piece of natural diamond willow
The tulips and bull rush flowers, and assorted length leaves, I made from scratch.
This was made as a gift
I used just about every tool in the shop to make this project.
The base was recycled from an old solid mahogany plant stand.
The tulips from old 2×4 stock, from a recycled glass window shipping crate,
and the bull rush heads from an old broken broom handle,
the only bought item was the wooden dowels (flower stems).
All the flowers and leaves I painted with acrylic paints,
then all was varathaned, so they could be dusted easier.
These flowers never die, and no watering required, and for those with allergies, no need to worry either!

King Tut bird feeder for my Aunt Dolly
lid lifts off and hooks on top rail, to make 2 handed filling possible
Everything but the rope was recycled materials

My wife and kids wanted a cage for hedgehog pets, so this was the result.
Learned how to cut plate glass for this one.

Around this same time I made a rectangle glass box, twice as big as this one, with 2 levels, and 2 sliding doors on the front, for 2 Chincillas the kids had. (no Photo yet)

Walkway over our little pond.
We are still using this walkway years later.

Menorah Wood Candle Puzzle I made as a gift

ECI Reunion 2017 Wood Sign I made for ECI Reunion 2017 Silent Auction
Made out of aeromatic cedar.
Bought by my Hillside School Friend, Bonnie Frank, nee Thompson

These whirlys take very little wind to spin, and provide hours of enjoyment watching them.
I use a fairly long nylon string to hang them, using no spinning joints, which enables them to spin in one direction with very little wind,
then they unwind the string, and spin back with no wind. If you shorten the string, or use fishing spinners, you loose this reversing effect.
Some have shortened the strings which is their choice.
Tools I use, are a dremel tool for the carving and fine sanding, and a scroll saw for the outline shape of the center piece, and top and bottom pieces.
My old 9“rockwell Table Saw, and my dad's old Delta Radial Arm Saw, makes all the slats,
and a portable belt sander finishes them off. Delta Drill Press makes all the holes for the dowels.
I have a Delta mini lathe I use for top and bottom finials on some.
I love the carving and painting part, and hate making the slats.
They are just too boring to me to make, and even more of a pain to sand.

PM Woodboss Chainsaw, Whirly made for my carver friend JJ and wife Angie. He made me the welcome carving on my home page, so I had to make something for him.

Whirly, made for my brother Don, 2011, carved from red cedar, with cedar strips, and painted with acrylic paints.
Eastern Collieries Shovel and Truck
“Mining 42 Coal” ca 1945 This scene I carved is important to our Gent family, as my Dad worked underground at the Eastern Mine,
his brother, Jim Gent was Superintendent there, and his brother in law, Herman Widdifield, was a mechanic, who worked on this 75B shovel.

Whirly made in April 2010, for my brother Wayne as a special birthday gift
M&S Train Whirly This is my version of the M&S coal train located at Bienfait Sask.

Roller Derby Whirly for daughter-in-law
Wheels turned on this one

Moose Whirly- This was a whirly I made for friends, Dean and Sue Bergstrom in Terrace, in the summer of 2009,
Since Dean is a moose hunter, and has given us bones for our dogs, and samples of the meat which is great,
I decided to carve a moose in the center for them.
The center is carved from one piece of cedar, which is the same on all my whirlys.
I never carve the same image twice. Not yet anyway!
I use scrap cedar for all my whirly work.
I am a recycler wood worker for sure. Learned that from my parents. Another persons scraps, are my treasures.
This whirly was looking a little sad after 6 years outside, so in 2017 it received a complete overhaul, cracks patched, all repainted, and re-varnished.
I have refinished 3 of the whirlys over the years, so don't throw them out!
I also recommend bringing them inside in the winter, and placing them in a semi sunny area, as direct sun does affect the varnish coating.
If they are kept inside by a window they last forever.

Bell 206B Jet Ranger Whirly, made for my son Andrew.
Since he worked for Hayes Logging, in Duncan at that time, it was painted in their colours.
The main rotor and tail rotor all spin.

Sunflower Whirly under const photos, made for my daughter
This one only spent a short time outside.

Canadian Theme Whirly for my niece who lived in the States at that time.
She asked for some Canadian stuff, so she got the works,
Maple Leaf, Flag, and even a relief carving of a Beaver.
She tells me it gets the attention of everyone, and they all know where she is from.

Zephyr Dog Whirly for friends Rod and Sue
This whirly was actually constructed twice…,
it endured a small accident, and actually broke in half,
I had to glue it back together, including reconstructing a missing leg for the dog.
After reinforcing the sides, with black walnut splines, removing the fancy mirror reflective tape, and installing more mirrors,
it turned out better than the original version.
I tried as an experiment some car prism reflective tape, which looked great, but did not stand up at all outside on wood.
I have since gone back to small 1”round mirrors, which are embedded and glued in the cedar
These stand up to all the elements, and provide the reflecting effect as they spin.

Spring or Chinook Salmon, for a neighbour.
In my opinion one of the better ones I made.

Harley Logo- One for my next door neighbour, Looked easy to make, but was one of the harder ones to carve
Those letters are close together, trust me!
and of course it's carved the same on both sides.
You can guess what he rides..

Killer Whale for a niece
First experiment with a solid wood dowel through the whole piece.
Now I use 2 pieces, and reinforce the sides of the center.
I like the look of the open area better.

Bottom of the Kermodei Bear Whirly
I made for friends in Estevan
no picture of top finished product
It hangs at River Bend Nursery in Estevan, I heard it blew down in a major storm, and survived the 8ft fall with no damage.
Not sure if it survived the flood! Yup it did, still hanging in 2017!

1957 Ford Crown Victoria
pictures under construction, made for friends, The Richeys
no pictures of finished product
This was my first attempt at a wider center portion,
than the 1 “ wide slats, top and bottom.
Since this whirly, I have used this wider technique
as it allows a more 3d look, rather than a 1” wide squished look.
This one has never been outside.

Basic Double Elevator Whirly,
the first one I made for myself, Nothing fancy carved here, just a very basic shape cut out with a jig saw.

Basic Hummingbird for my wife
2nd one I made, and first one in more carving detail.
I might remake this in the future, using my newer methods.
In the first 2, I used a coat wire in the center, which didn't work out as well as I thought.
Since then I use a 5/16 wood dowel, glued to each slat, in the center.
I also nail each slat as they are assembled, which makes them a lot stronger now.
Still I recommend they are only outdoors in the summer, and brought indoors in the winter months.
I use standard acrylic paint, coated in at least 2 coats of a quality outdoor varathane.
Still being made out of wood, they will deteriorate over time.

Made an Eagle head whirly for my son Terry, no photo yet

Made 2 Elevator whirlys,
one for my Mom, of the Estevan Mathieson Elevator, my grandfather, her dad, Gus Gesell operated.
It spent one summer spinning in the gazebo at Hillview manor in Estevan
then a couple years hanging from the ceiling of her room, until she passed away.
It is now in edmonton at my Neices place

I made another one for the Ingrid Beahm family, of the Bienfait SK. Elevator,
given to them for their work on the Bienfait 2005 reunion.

Other than the salmon, this Bienfait elevator is my other favourite
and possibly my very favourite one,
and Ingrid tells me it has never seen the outside, so should be in just like new condition.
This is one I will be trying to recreate one day.
One error I made was narrow railroad in front should have been wider, down to narrow, opposite what I did.

Made one for my other neighbours, Rick and Brenda, and it got a battery clock for an insert.
I noticed it does need some refinishing now. It got totally rebuilt, and then I made Rick another one
with a 1972 Triumph in the center.

One of my latest Whirlys
Made for ECI Reunion June 2017, silent auction


Bought by my friend Lester Hinzman

Washoes game

Endless Sudoku board for my daughter Amber
Never need a pencil for this one.

Wood Replica Coal Cart Funeral Sympathy Card Holder I made for my brother Don's funeral Aug 2017


I made this out of recyled wood from a display barrel, and metal stell banding, cut down to size.
Wheels were made on my lathe then carved to shape. Of course the cart moved on the track
This was a replica of the Coal Cart on display at the Estevan Miner's Memorial.

I have made other items, but no pictures available yet.

Page originally created on Dec 8, 2005

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