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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1992-11-04, Page 13CQMM1 INITY Times -Advocate, November 4, 1992 Pape 13 Woodworking a labour of love for Exeter's Jack Doerr By Ray Lewis T"A Staff EXETER - When people in the community mention the name of Jack Doerr, for most it automatical- ly conjtues up a vision of a won- derful artist at work. For over four decades, area resi- dents saw Doerr behind a camera as one of the best photographers in his trade. But what many probably don't know is that Doerr had another pas- sion long before he entered the world of photography; that of woodworking. "It's never been a business, just for family," said a modest Doerr. "It's my third love. My wife first, photography, and this." Born and raised in Exeter he re- tired from professional photogra- phy after 42 years. Surprisingly, since his retirement he doesn't even dabble in the trade. After being so busy during his first years in the trade, Doerr explained he never had the .chance to do many of the things he wanted. "Now that I'm doing the other things," laughed Doerr, "I don't have time for photography." Doerr's love for woodworking began when he was very young. He had an uncle with a cabinet- making shop in Kitchener where he used to visit, but he really fell in love at the ripe old age of six. He recalled fondly how he would ley had a very strong understand- ing. "He allowed me to stand there as long as I didn't cross the threshold or speak to him; time was money. He didn't want any interruptions, and 1 was just fascinated." Most of his Doerr's work is per- formed in a downstairs shop where "It's my third love. My wife first, photography, and this." stand for hours watching the peels of wood come off as local cabinet maker Harry Gidley skillfully carved. In those days, it was all hand work as there were no power tools. "It was a very busy business," confirmed Doerr. "He had a little shop and if mother or father ever missed me, I would be standing in the doorway of that shop." According to Doerr, he and Gid - he keeps his machines, but lately he has been getting away from them and doing more work by hand. "I just pick out projects which I think will be a challenge," smiled Doerr. "My biggest fault is not sticking to just one and having sev- eral on the go at once." Doerr recently entered a Windsor chair at the prestigious Upper Can - `'ick Doerr works or one of the many projects he has on The go in his basement workshop. ada Woodwotting Championship in Woodstock placing a commend- able second in the amateur class. He especially appteclates chairs particularly the Windsor, respect- ing them as an engineering marvel. The average Windsor weighs about 10 lbs. and appears very deli- cate, but easily holds 20 times its weight. Black cherry has become Doerr's favourite medium, and was used for his chair. It can be seen in many of his pieces, including a gorgeous grandfather clock, built as an anniversary gift for his wife Flora in 1966. The movement it- self came from Germany, but the cabinet is mostly hand -carved and took a considerable amount of both time and patience because of the lack of power tools. "It was a labor of love at the time," confessed Doerr. "It was something I had always wanted to make." Doerr does a tremendous amount of research before he even begins a project, but said the hardest part throughout the years has been to acquire the proper tools. In his ear- ly years, new tools meant a trip all the way to Ottawa, but nowadays most of what he needs can be . found in London. His current project is a replica of a desk circa -1750, once owned by John Marshall, an author of the Declaration of Independence. Once again, Doerr chose cherry as his medium, with the top featuring an exquisite piece cut from a log the cabinet-maker picked up in 1967. It has remained tucked away in his workshop since then waiting for a worthy project. Proudly, Doerr said the desk also contains 183 hand -cut dovetails. In addition, the cabinet maker builds scaled model planes, exactly to the specifications which he learned while receiving his formal training while in the air force. For him, these particular projects easily trigger fond memories. He enrolled in the Dominion Youth Training School in July 1939 signing a clause which stated that he would be called upon in the case of national emergency. "But that was all right because I knew I would did up in the air force anyway," agreed Doerr. Doerr attended Galt Aircraft School and then transferred to an- other school in St. Thomas. There he began to work in areas such as hydraulics, eventually coming full circle to woodworking which he re- callecVed to a rather humorous in- cident after a mix-up. "They never read our files after we transferred to find if we had al- ready taken woodworking. But they found out after the first project when we turned out 85 perfect ones, and we were out of there in a shot and sent to stations because they were crying for men." Doerr ended up in an engineering branch, right where he wanted to be. Asked if he flew on his own, he commented only tests because of his size; he was too tall for the cockpit. Doerr is very grateful for his air force experience, and especially his tutors. His fust two courses on woodworking came under an old English apprenticeship program. His first teacher was a guild cabinet maker brought out of retirement in Canada. "He was a marvelous instructor, the best you could have had," Doerr remembered. It was valuable training which spurned a hobby. Doerr purchased tools whenever he could along with a good selection of wood, and grad- ually honed his skills. "And occasionally I would even cut myself," he laughed. For now, Doerr is quite content with his hobby as just that. His creations are labors of love and ad- mits there is still one project he has always contemplated, but has yet to begin. "I've always wanted to make a vi- olin. My father always had one." O .1. th sop ' e t o Orthosrhpaerodpie puy tO aP SOISCV.0o11s festSe\e< hooks GOOktp vs 'Pe Sets geptoy sets Ga\ pated Ma iteeN Exeter 235-1331 Rigftillovv At Your Southwestern Ontario Chevrolet • Geo • Oldsmobile Dealers. The storm is clearing. Two of the artist's finest .pieces include .a.grandfather clock and a Windsor chair which captured second place in the ama- teur class of the Upper Canada WoodwoMing Championship held recent y 1n • Woodstock. ,nntQ hi an dice nut utii' • BEST SELLER NOVELS 424 Mntn(St. Exeter (519) 1134 • .\.4o,O.ip0pmN.•usk- ,e � � Storm Will Uu You Proud Lost Your Civic Prick. 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