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Show FOCUS 4E December 31, 1980 John Lucas Pappys Racquet By Nan Chalat He is one of those After the Depression, Lucas returned to his profession working mostly in the centers: septuagenarians whose' major industrial and Pittsenergy makes young folks feel shamefully indolent. Each day on his desk calendar is filled to overflowing with appointments and his log of the day's work. In fact, it's not unusual to find Pappy Lucas still down at his woodshop long past suppertime. I just like to monkey with wood, he will say, but what began as a hobby 'during the., depression, has now become e affair. There is a a six month long waiting list of full-tim- current commission jobs. Pappy about complains being swamped but it is obvious that he delights in the challenge. working, Im Im not having fun, he admits. John Lucas (aka Pappy) was born in Pittsburgh. Back n East he was a architect industrial and enwell-know- gineer. His photo album includes pictures of the largest bus body plant in the country which he designed right down to the installation ' of the machinery.' During the Depression, however, there Detroit, Cleveland burgh. His scrapbook reveals that he even had a part in designing The Needle, which was a major attraction at the Seattle Worlds Fair in 1962. In 1967, Pappy abruptly decided to escape from the rat race in the big city. He and his family moved to Utah to fulfill their love for mountains and horses. Pappy bought an Arabian stallion and started a line that has been continued by his daughter and in Draper. In 1972, he said to himself, Hey man, lets get busy." He moved to Francis and hung out his shingle son-in-la- w Custom Cabinetwork by Jac Kraft." Since then, he has acquired a nationwide clientele restoring old and valuable antiques and taking on custom orders for generation after generation of loyal customers. My racquet is antiques," he says pointing out the beauty of a mitered joint. and making toys. Well, I nearly starved to death, just like everyone else, he remembers but the income from his toys kept his drawers took, to scrounging wood-scra- ps head just above water. Pappy was paid a penny a piece for his puzzles, a dollar for a 100 piece handmade I wooden jig saw puzzle. was darn glad to get it too. Mitered joints, old-tim- e is gone over by hand. As an example of his attention to detail, Lucas points out a doll house he built 49 years ago. The windows and doors of each room are trimmed with an elegant European moulding and even the miniature mantel piece is decoratively finished. Toys are his- specialty. In one of his albums (they serve as a sort of catalog for future customers), he has pictures :of a cradle that he made in They just dont make things like this any mote. Pappy does though. He buys his nails from a company back East and his mouldings from Europe. The veneer woods come from a company that has been in business since 1812. He has saved wasnt much work, so Pappy One of Pappys dreams is to restore this circa 1890 wagon. When Pappy accepts an assignment, he takes it upon himself to go out to the customer's house to consider the surroundings. Back at the shop, he reverts to his engineering background and lays out the whole project on paper. His favorites are the - full of antique mouldings, which are used as patterns for his reproductions. When he is unsure about the authenticity of a particular design, he goes out to check it. Every splinter There is a special top for the chest which turns it into Noahs Ark complete with a ramp and pairs of wood carved animals. It is a piece that will probably be enjoyed in time by the little girls daughter and perhaps her granddaughter, too. Michigan. The mahogany rockers are set aside when - the child outgrows the cradle and it becomes a toy chest. finish nails and European mouldings are Pappy's signature. Of his long work hours, Pappy says, young! I want to die |