John Roberts Chainsaw Woodcarvings

In an Antelope Valley Press article, 'Chainsaw John' - He massacres wood to make works of art, by CAROLE THOMPSON, she writes:

PALMDALE - John Roberts is quite a character.  When you talk to him you're never quite sure when he's telling the truth and when he's aspoffin' you.

For a couple of weeks each year John and his wife make the turn in road on Sierra Highway by the railroad tracks their home and John sets up shop selling woodcarvings.  What makes John's business so interesting and unusual is all his carvings are done with a chainsaw.

"Yep, I've got to sell a lot when I'm on the road," he says.  "I only do this three months out of the year."

And what does he do the rest of the time?  "I go hunting and fishing," he says with a big grin on his face and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Seriously, I own a taxidermy shop in Klamath Falls, Ore., but my wife can run that during the day and I can sneak off and go fishing.  It's a hard life but somebody's go to do it," he adds with a peel of laughter.

While they are on the road, John's wife stays busy reading and "going to town every day."  "It's worse when we set up near a flea market," says John.  "She loves to shop0 and we always go north with more weight than we come south with."

John, who has been wood carving with a chainsaw for the  past "five or six years," finds new projects a challenge.

"This fellow came up a few days ago and asked me if I could carve an orangutan.  I told him I couldn't even spell it!"

But that didn't deter John.  With a rough sketch of the ape in hand he set to work.  He found a piece of cedar, the only type of wood he uses, and began planning his design.

The orangutan should take John about 14 hours to complete.  The man who is purchasing it stopped by the other day to see how the sculpture was progressing.  John stained the fact so he could see how the finished ape would look.  The oranges color matched an orangutan exactly.

When asked how much a custom p9iece like that would sell for, John answers quickly, "It's larger than I thought it was going to be and it's going to take longer than I planned.  So I don't even want to tell you the price I told the guy."

Other pieces of John's work sell for less than $100 wile larger pieces can run into thousands of dollars.  Some of his creations are rather whimsical while others are very dramatic.  One of his best sellers is a large eagle, its wings outstretched high above its head.  The intricate detailing on the wing feathers is impressive.

John also has what he calls his "bread and butter" piece.  A nosy-eyed raccoon peeking out of a hollow tree stump.

"I make one a day," says John.  "They only take about two hours to do and I can make them fast enough.  I've got four back orders for them right now."

He also has life-sized carvings of bears, Indians in full headdress and sailors ready for the roughest seas, dressed in rain slicker and hat, standing at a ship's wheel.

Probably the most unusual piece John has ever sculpted was a five-foot high "Puff the Magic Dragon."

When John is finished with a piece of work, he meticulously sands the rougher edges and applies a polyurethane coating "so people can leave them out on their patios all the time."  Some he leaves natural or stains, while other he paints.

Watching John at work can be a little dangerous.  He likes to tell the story about the day a television crew came to do a feature story about him.

"I was at this mall when the cameras stated running.  I kinda fancied it up for them and was just cutting away, he says, his arms flailing around in the air as he recreates the scene.  "This big ol' chunk hit the blade and shot off like a frizbee and hit this woman right in the neck."

John travels with hi trailer full of lumber until his wood supply runs out.  Then he heads back to Oregon.

"One time I ran out of wood real early so I went and bought some railroad ties.  Firs I had to cut off the outer layer to get rid of the creosote.  The wood did nothing but splinter.  It was the pits.  I'll never do that again," he recalls.

For protection while he is working, John uses goggles and ear muffs to drown out the noise of the chainsaw, something everyone needs while watching him work.

"Sorry, I've only go one pair," he says as he starts the motor to his saw and off he goes, ready to create another work of art - his style.

For more information about our products or services, write John Roberts at johnroberts@oregonwoodcarver.com.  For general questions or comments about us or our website, write webmaster@oregonwoodcarver.com.

Last modified: December 06, 2003