Tom Bazis • Philadelphia

[Woodman]

Over a 49˚ rainy weekend visit to a Fine Craft Fair I reacquainted myself with a carver first met decades ago.  At that time, I *think* I was looking for large timber.  Interesting fella.  Could not place when we met but his daughter had been a mature-looking minor, that I remembered    She is now "45 or 50". So I was at his place in the mid-late 1990s. Wow!  And Tom is now 79 years old.

 

His place is hard to find. The city tore down most area homes and businesses and moved streets in the 1960s with a redevelopment plan which came to a complete stop.  Possibly the southwestern-most residential street in the city.  He lives and works at the home his great-grandfather bought in 1880.

 

Tom is known as The Rocking Chair Guy but I watched as a Peruvian-born Canadian admired and bought a simple and elegant wall piece of African wood.

 

I sat, with his urging, with my bag of wood samples and small magnesium bronze plane, making shavings for identifications, and heard more of his story.  One of my first questions was, "Where did you learn to sharpen your tools?".  1960s, from a master carver in Ecuador .. 

    

[Phijohnson]

Tom Bazis is the GREATEST hand wood-carver I've ever seen as well as the GREATEST football coach ever(Bartram)-Phil Johnson 

 

[John Morris]

I can't believe I missed this topic. What an artist! I would love to sit with him and just listen for an entire day. 

His rockers are amazing. Thanks @Woodman for introducing Tom to us here. 

[Grandpadave52]

7 hours ago, Phijohnson said:

Tom Bazis is the GREATEST hand wood-carver I've ever seen as well as the GREATEST football coach ever(Bartram)-Phil Johnson 

 

Welcome to The Patriot Woodworker. Glad you found us and rang in on this topic. Looking forward to your ongoing participation with us. Lots of great talent here too. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about the site.

[John Morris]

Just thought I'd install an image of Tom's work, very unique.

 

Source of Image: Sam Feinstein

[John Morris]

@Woodman, are these pieces hand carved by human power, or does Tom use a combination of muscle and power carving tools? Thanks! There's obviously a ton of fine power sanding happening here.

[Gene Howe]

Very nice. 

Edited July 23, 2022 by Gene Howe

[Woodman]

2 hours ago, John Morris said:

does Tom use a combination of muscle and power carving tools?

I'll get a few video clips of him speaking about his carving methods, but I believe he uses every trick in the book. He did describe using a power circular saw to place multiple scribes across a seating area, then going back with a chisel, in removing stock.

 

What was neat is that he wanted me to stay in his booth, fiddling with my hand plane and wood scraps, making a mess with the shavings, chatting between customers.  I felt like the pupil before the master.  

[John Morris]

4 minutes ago, Woodman said:

What was neat is that he wanted me to stay in his booth, fiddling with my hand plane and wood scraps, making a mess with the shavings, chatting between customers.  I felt like the pupil before the master.

 

That is the most important part of this interaction, what a neat guy!

[Thad]

Great story!  I love it when the heroes are real people!

[Woodman]

Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen • Fine Craft Fair

October 09 2022 • High Noon

Tom Bazis speaks of how he became a woodcarver.

 

 

(Audio attached)

 

 

[Grandpadave52]

@Woodman. Awesome interview and story. Did you do the interview?

[Woodman]

18 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Did you do the interview?

Interview?    Tom Bazis is eager to share experiences.  All I did was point him in a direction or two.  A few gestures when expoundiation was agreeable.  The iPhone quickly ran out of video storage; should have reset the resolution?  And gotten him to slow down, so that I could create ten-twelve videos instead of three long ones?

 

All of the artisans are set up along city streets, around a large park. Road noise & interruptions. A remote mic will be wanted next time. The video, while having a few gems (Tom uses Titebond II.  Also room-temperature epoxy, sometimes with powdered epoxy additive as a thickener, sometimes with tints), is largely unusable in its raw form.

[Grandpadave52]

5 hours ago, Woodman said:

Interview?    Tom Bazis is eager to share experiences.  All I did was point him in a direction or two.

Well, whatever "it's" called, "it" was great. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to record and post. Truly appreciated Jim.

[Woodman]

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2022 by Woodman
No reason in particular ...

[Woodman]

Here's the last of the Autumn Chats with Tom Bazis

 

 

 

 

 

[Grandpadave52]

Thanks Jim. Looking forward to watching these.

[Grandpadave52]

Watched them last night. Quite enjoyable, entertaining and informative. 

[Valerie]

I was privileged to meet Tom at a Craft Fair along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg PA about 1999 and purchased one of his magnificent rocking chairs - AFTER he approved of where it would reside in my home.  He actually brought the chair with the chisel marks still on the runners and base to my home and we sat and chatted for a couple of hours.  My home passed inspection and I have enjoyed it ever since.  It looks as beautiful today as the day I brought it home.  It has his distinctive "sliding dove-tail joints" and use of mixed wood with every woodworking aficionado and anyone who appreciates fine craftsmanship applauding Tom's skill and artistry.  I would attach a picture, but can't quite figure out the technology and don't know what a "URL" is. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cal]

Thanks for the post Valerie, welcome aboard - glad to have you here