Wood-be talent

Deepa Bharath

Wood shavings were all over his hands. They clung to the end of his

long-sleeved shirt.

But Chester Maharaj was paying attention only to the two pieces of

wood he was shaping on a lathe.

Maharaj, a member of the Orange County Woodworkers Assn., was at

the Orange County Fair on Friday with other members, giving fairgoers

a taste of what he and many others do for fun and for charity.

Maharaj was making a wooden pen for the national Freedom Pens

Project to send to American soldiers stationed abroad.

Focused on his work behind a Plexiglas barrier, Maharaj carved out

the items using a lathe, as Mina Mengler of Riverside, whose late

father was a carpenter, looked on from the other side.

“I could watch him do that all day long,” she said, shaking her

head as if to express a degree of amazement at what she saw. “I just

like to see him carve it down from a big circle of wood, down to a

little piece. It’s awesome.”

Debbie Porter of Yorba Linda said she likes to go to

demonstrations at the fair because it’s something people don’t

normally get to see anywhere else.

“I like to see people work with their hands, doing something

artistic,” she said.

This is the fifth year the association, based in the Tustin Senior

Center, has showcased the woodworking demos at the Fair, said member

Craig Chambers.

The association’s major endeavor each year has been to make wooden

toys to donate to needy children during the holidays, Chambers said.

“We make everything from cars to wagons to rattles for babies,” he

said.

The demos at the fair grab people’s attention, Chambers said.

“We get pretty good response,” he said. “People want to know how

we do it, or if they can buy the items.”

The goods they make at the demos are not for sale, Chambers said.

The goal of the association is to raise awareness among the

public about woodworking as an art and a craft, he said.

The satisfaction he personally gets from pursuing the hobby is

twofold, Chambers said.

“First is the joy of making something for someone and to see them

enjoy and appreciate it,” he said. “Secondly, it gives me a sense of

accomplishment when I do something better and excel.”

Woodworking demos are scheduled for 2 p.m. today and Sunday in the

Visual Arts building at the fairgrounds.