Iowa Farmer Makes Wooden Chain

Iowa farmer makes wooden chain FARM HOME Novelty Items 16-2-20 "Makes a great conversation piece in your office, den or shop. Guys look at it and can't figure out how it was made," says Bruce Buckingham, Iowa farmer and wood crafter who specializes in making wooden chain and accessories out of maple and oak. Buckingham says hand-carved wooden chains have been prized by craftsmen for centuries but because of the time and labor involved, few people could afford to own any unless they learned how to make it themselves. The secret to his success is that he learned how to do much of the work on a router. He then pieces the links together individually. The links are beautifully finished and Buckingham says most people can't see where they're joined together and assume they were carved out of a single block of wood. Each link is 3 in. long and 2 1/2 in. wide. The wood making up each link is 3/ 4 in. in dia. Five links make 1 ft. of chain. The chain sells for $18 per foot. Buckingham also makes a detailed block and tackle, complete with wooden nuts and bolts, that sells for $180. A wooden clock, which hangs on the end of a piece of chain, sells for $25. And a wooden chain link wreath sells for $75. Contact FARM SHOW Followup, Bract Buckingham, Edge Wood Products, Rt. 4 Box 234A, Mount Pleasant, Iowa 52641 (pt 319 385-9678).

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