Timber Topia is dedicated to making your garage a source of joy. It’s an opportunity to be creative, share designs, build fun projects, and grow in the craft of woodworking.
I was fortunate to have a grandfather who had a small wood shop in his garage where he make small toys, inventions, and house projects. As a child I remember playing with hand made whirligigs and pulling animal pull-along toys by a string. I still have a few of these cherished handmade toys and my own two boys played with them when they were young. How beautiful is this — a handmade toy that is passed down the generations?
After my grandfather passed away, we inherited many of his power tools, but they didn’t make much of an impression on me. My grandfather’s table saw, for example, had an exposed belt that ran from the blade to the motor with nailed 2×4 lumber wrapped in old carpet to reduce the vibrations. I remember thinking, “Wow, that looks incredibly unsafe,” and so they sat collecting dust.
Then, on my 11th birthday, my parents gifted me a lathe. Not knowing what it was, I burst into tears, thinking this was the worst present a boy could receive. I felt my birthday was ruined. But when my dad showed me how to turn a hunk of walnut into a bowl, I became enthralled and that was the start of my true love for woodworking.
I hope Timber Topia inspires you to make some sawdust.
Build a wooden toy for someone you love. Stay young at heart, and see the world through the eyes of a child.
