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Show 24 HILL TOP TIMES Friday, Novmbr 22, 1985 Toymalring sergeant known .,s V ? . .p &&s:.& if as Santa's special helper By Nancy Ragan There's a special toymaker here who brings joy to children all year long and it's truly a labor of love. From the home workshop of SMSgt. Hyrum "Hy" R. Bates, sometimes called Santa's helper, there's a continuous parade of trains, cars, trucks, roadgraders and airplanes, along with doll houses and doll furniture, rolling off the production line. When he's not playing.Santa's helper, Sergeant Bates is an individual mobilization augmentee from the 9019th Air Reserve Records Center at Denver, Colo., serving at the USAF Hospital, Hill. He has his own helper, too. It's a Shopsmith with a combination saw, planer and router, band saw and lathe. Sergeant Bates had never done woodworking before taking up this hobby four years ago, so there was a lot of trial and error, he said. Part of the problem was the wood. Some woods are not easy to work with and also are expensive, Sergeant Bates explained. He tried using some wood that ended up with unwanted dark sap stains. "Now I use mostly white pine," he said. "White pine is easy to work with, it's soft and it doesn't split or chip as much," he explained. "It looks real pretty and white." There are several reasons he took up woodworking as a hobby: to keep busy after retiring, have fun and make a profit. But profit is the least of his & fa- HHHi motives for carving. "It's also very relaxing," he said. While he has taken a few special orders from close friends and charged only enough to cover his expenses, many of his toys have ended up as grandson, gifts for his Bradley. "I make them more durable for him to play with. I tell him if you break one, bring it back and I'll fix it," he Air Force News Service "i & wmmmimMmmmmsmmmsmm, immmimmmmmm said. Sergeant Bates really likes making toys. "I like toys because when I give them to children, their eyes light up," he said. He usually works on two toys at the same time. Sometimes it takes up to three weeks to finish a project. "It takes about 40 hours to finish one train," he said. Once he finished two trains the day before Christmas. A train is the most involved toy he's made. It has five cars the engine, coal car, baggage car, coach and caboose. The engine alone has 18 parts the wheels move, and the other cars have sliding doors. Sergeant Bates doesn't use any mec tal parts. He uses only glue because most of his creations go to children. He's already started making bigger items, such as baby cribs for his daughters. He's made a rocking horse, M W; C 'f f"'r 1 'Ay non-toxi- ? ail ::5i:::SS:BB:Wiffi wmm wmmmm too. Sergeant Bates feels especially good when he gives one of his creations as a gift. "I get a great deal of satisfaction from giving my family things I hope will last forever," he said. mm mm (U.S. Air Force Photo) SMSgt. Hyrum "Hy" R. Bates, a Hill AFB individual mobilization augmen- tee, holds one of his Woodworking creations. r Virti 'n tfiri'Siiiriifyti')tt--irii"r- WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF USED LOW MILEAGE JAPANESE ENGINES AND TRANSMISSIONS. LUXURY Guaranteed for 6,000 miles or 6 months internally lubricated parts. HEC35EC3 RETIREMENT "WJ. LtlMtK umwM., twites you to. visit Open 8:00 Mon.-Fr- i. Sat. 8:00 ZUtfO p.m. 3192 S. Midland Dr., Ogden gdenV ttufiy 621-425- 4 unique .ftetiAernent coitncptfff A p.m. a.m.-5:3- 0 a.m.-12:0- 0 Three nutritious meals a day, served at your table! A 9 Transportation on our a r- - conditioned heated van! Maid, laundry and linen service! Jj Beautiful, spacious apartments! Great Beauty barber shop, exercise Paid utilities! and much more!! $6.25 Order Now For November Delivery Mailing is available. Call today for your personal tour!!! The Popcorn Place 3 5637 South 1900 West Roy, Utah 84067 Come experience the luxury you deserve!!! Ask about our complimentary luncheon! Ddeas! Real Gourmet Popcorn is a variety of flavors including Carmel, Cinnamon, and Pina colada with several gift pack prices starting at area, craft room, dining room! 479-165- Giffft or Call ' Illllll II ' 776-400- 4 For every order taken "FREE" Movie Pass j .... . |