TWO CHERRY TABLES Old traditions with strong roots

SHOP OWNER: Kevin Post LOCATION: Rte. 32 Rosendale, NY

A friend of mine, Joe Mastro, cut and milled the cherry tree these tables were made from. We harvest a lot of cherry and walnut, and we work wood together from time to time. I used the best boards on the harvest table. The trestle table is made from the leftovers. I made another trestle table like it at the same time, but of quartersawn white oak and red oak -- a lady came by and offered me $1500 for that one, and I took it. I'd want $3000 for the harvest table, it's such beautiful wood. I'm not in any hurry to part with it.

By trade I am a farrier and a blacksmith, two skills I learned from my grandfather, Charles Kinkade, who was a woodworker in his off time just like I've turned out to be. I started learning from him about thirty years ago (he's been gone about twenty years). I keep learning every day. My work with the horses keeps me so busy I don't have time to do much ornamental iron or woodworking, just in the evenings mostly, for the change of pace. My wife's the one getting a computer - I don't want to get involved in that.

Right now I'm working with some terrific bookmatched cherry, building a small cabinet that will sit on a wrought-iron base, with rose tendrils and iron hardware. I've got iron pulls with brass inlay on it now, but by the time I finish the design I may change those. I probably will. Let's see what it looks like.