WINOOSKI - Tom Locatell makes benches the same way people did 200 years ago: hand hewn, with no power tools, from dead trees found in the forest.

The 65-year-old Winooski woodworker makes benches, tables, and more for the city of Winooski. Several of his works decorate the Gilbrook Nature Area, where he sources his wood. Woodworking Table

"These giant dead trees at Gilbook just fascinated me, and I was wondering, could I do this? And sure enough I could," Locatell said with a big, infectious laugh.

Locatell's process is fairly simple: he finds dead trees fallen in the forest, cuts them down with a hand saw, loads them on to the back of his electric bicycle, and wheels them back to his shop. At the shop, Locatell uses a sledge hammer and wedge to split the wood, an axe to chop the wood, and hand planes to shape the wood with smooth, even surfaces.

"I've stuck with the hand tool thing," Locatell said. "No saw dust, no noise. It's irritating using machines."

Working out of a small room in the O'Brien Community Center, Locatell has become a fixture of the Winooski community. On Dec. 26, five kids who were playing basketball in the center stopped by Locatell's shop to see what was going on.

One of the young kids, nicknamed "Ji," has been helping Locatell around the shop. In return for his help, Locatell crafted Ji a piece of his choosing: a wooden sword.

In the future, Locatell is aiming to work with the O'Brien Center to expand this informal mentorship into a full-fledged youth woodworking program.

With 40 years of carpentry under his belt, Locatell retired several years ago due to a disability. When the pandemic started, Locatell took up hand hewing, which is now the main thing that keeps him busy.

"It may be good for me, I don't know," Locatell said, laughing. "But I'll keep doing it for as long as I can."

Professional Woodworking Tools Contact April Fisher at amfisher@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @AMFisherMedia