Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Carr.
Hi Jerry, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Daytona Beach and my grandfather owned Daytona Beach Millworks. In the 1960’s, my family moved to Orlando and grand parents moved to Astor where he built a sawmill.
I made my first lefty guitar out of the Cherry wood he harvested.
The smell of fresh cut wood and the idea that someone could take a tree and create furniture and art got in my blood.
Fast forwarding to the 2000’s (all along making things from wood when I could find the species I wanted) I went to work for Walt Disney World.
I was a manager of fire alarm systems and one of the executives realized I loved the outdoors and added property management to my responsibilities.
It was this job that I found contractors that were thinning and harvesting trees were looking for pine trees, usually for pulp wood. Within a stand of older pine trees were other species of trees that included invasive and other hardwoods. I found these were the trees the loggers didnt want but were exactly what I wanted for my shop.
I had these trees felled and taken to a sawmill where they were cut especially the way I wanted them.
Over the last 20 years, I have created a stockpile of wood to dry (1 year for every inch of thickness).
After they are dry, I look at each piece of wood and visualize what each piece could be.
My taste change depending on the shape and look of each piece of wood. Each piece is original and I dont use any plans, other than whats in my head.
I really enjoy making furniture from repurposed materials, old fence post, cow hides, driftwood etc.
I entered and won a Walt Disney Imagineering repurposed art contest.
It was a coffee table and end table made from old fence post and cow hide. That gave me the confidence to continue to create art from repurposed materials.
I dont do a lot of commission work as I like the freedom to create what ever I feel the wood leads me to.
Other than my grandfathers introduction to wood, I have never had any lessons or classes. I think this gives me a “no limitations” attitude toward shaping each piece of wood completely uniquely
.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has always been a fun and non-stressful road as I have never been financially dependent of my projects.
I go to sleep most nights thinking of what and how Im going to make my next project.
This really helps coping with life’s conflicts and challenges.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started working for Orange Cablevision (local cable tv company) in the mid 1970’s.
After changing different cable companies, I went to work for Walt Disney World in the 1980’s in the design and engineering department designing cable tv and fire alarm systems.
After moving into other departments,
I took a test for Electrical Fire Alarm license and help the license for the fire alarm division. I was then promoted to manager of fire alarm systems and monitoring.
In the 2000’s they added property management to my responsibility.
I retired in 2020
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I really enjoy perusing Pinterest and Facebook to see other woodworkers projects and ideas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Southerncarpenter.com
Image Credits
Lidia Carr
Agri-Timber
