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The Impossible Dovetail . . figure it out if you can!
2000

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Q: What was the very first restoration piece that you ever worked on?

A: Yes. I remember that quite well. That was 1946, since we were burned out in 45 we didn't have any machinery, nothing left, at the farm so we borrowed a hay mow from my neighbours to do the job. My dad always hated borrowing things from somebody else and he couldn't get a new one right way I said to dad 'why don't we fix up the old mower again' dad says 'you cant do that it wont work.' I asked 'can I have it' and he said 'yeah you can have it' so when I had spare time I would put new pieces on it and it worked again 7 or 8 years. That was my first restoration job I ever did and I did it on my own and it worked. I never got paid or nothing but everyone could see that it worked and still worked to 53.

Q: What is it about restoration that makes a piece important to you?

A: It's a challenge to do that because most people say 'that thing is no good anymore' nobody wants to do it. It's important to do. A lot of people who are technical say they appreciate it because a lot of them don't. It's not to make money; it's to show people what you can do.

Q: In terms of the restoration work that you have done, is there any one particular piece that you point to and say that's my very best?

A: I always liked the first engine I got that I started on. It was a big job. The more effort you put in you get it done right the better you make it for the hobbyist. To other people it doesn't mean nothing. The first engine I got was from 1910, it was used in world war to get the electric light bulbs for the generator. The farmer used it as a light plant and as a water pump. In 1921 he got electricity and he put it outside the house and put an electric motor on it and it's been sitting there since 1921 and I bought it in the early 70's. I got it going again, and it was sitting outside the house for all those years. That was the first engine and I did a lot of work on it.

Q: Do you still own it?

A: Yeap. It's in the museum there.
Q: Was that one the most challenging?

A: No every one of them is challenging.

Q: What are the different types of things that you work on when you do restorations? I know you work a lot on …

A: Mostly agricultural machinery because that's what I grew up doing. My dad never had any technical machinery. He only had 3 tools, a hammer, a pair of pliers, and a old rusty pail (?). I had to pick everything else up some how. I was always interested in mechanical things, that's what I like. Should have gone to a technical high school but I never had the chance to go.

Q: Do you ever restore any wood, ceramic, or glass?

A: No. Wood I do. I made that clock there, that gingerbread clock behind ya. I had all the parts and just put them together.

Q: You carved that?

A: Yeah.

Q: It looks identical. That's amazing.

A: The boys helped with that one.

Q: They're interested in that too.

A: Some yeah. Some of them make cabinets for somebody else. They make money at it. It takes them a little while but…

Q: George does restoration in machinery as well?

A: George is mostly machinery, not as interested in cabinetry as the others.

Q: Your also a volunteer with the Osgoode Township Museum, so one of the things of course is how did a man that came to Canada from Holland al those years ago, settled eventually in a small town of Vernon, raised a family, how did you ever become involved in a Historical Society?

A: Well, because I'm interested in the history of it. That's why I'm interested. I wasn't a member of the Historical Society at first when it started but Lorne Craig took me in, he had an interest in engines same as I had and he has the same philosophy as I had, old things need to be restored and see what can be done with it. And if he had a challenge he asked me and we helped each other out to get things done. We tried to do any possible thing to get that thing going again, we had both same interest in it.

Q: About how long have you been a director for the Historical Society?

A: Oh, I don't even know it could be 10 or even more.

Q: You saw the agricultural building come to be.

A: Yeah. That's just about the time I joined. Lorne Craig of course couldn't come anymore so I did.

Q: They all call you the curator of the agricultural building.

A: Yeah, that comes with it. I don't do the paper work I'm no good for that. I do al the work and I know how the machines are supposed to be because I have a hay mower in the basement that I'm restoring now.

Q: Did you have any final comments that you would like to make?

A: No. I don't have anything.

Q: I think sometime when I have you out in the Ag building I would like to take some pictures of the engines in the barn.

A: I took my display to the Metcalfe Fair and it filled with water.