The Workshop

is a one-of-a-kind place where every square inch or centimeter has been carefully planned and is filled with the maximum number of spare parts, equipment and tools. It boasts a band saw, circular saw, drill press, grinder, sharpening tools, special vacuum, router, and a large array of gauges for which he has turned his own wood handles.

"I now work on a Viceroy Short Bed Lathe which I bought second hand in England," says Charlie, "I use gauges and skews like everyone else. I have no particular preferences and am willing to work with anything called wood. I like the challenge of trying different designs so I have few duplicates".

Workshop Apprentices

Charlie's good luck was finding two teenage helpers who liked wood.

The first was a 12 year old Russian immigrant, Misha Grinkrug, a natural problem solver with golden hands and a creative spirit who is today completing his studies in computer engineering at Technion. Some of his Judaica creations have been exhibited in the Museum of Italian Jewish Art in Jerusalem.

The other was 15 year old Reuven Luskin who had spent parts of his life in Canada, Russia, Australia and Israel. He was willing to devote himself to woodcarving and woodturning for a few years before he went to serve in the army. He did some amazing sculpture and turnings.

Charlie gave both boys basic wood training with his own teacher, Israel's top woodturner, Eli Abuhatzira. The big bowl with the baby inside is a Reuven work which includes cutting up the felled pine tree and lugging the log to the workshop. From time to time, both young men drop in to visit and "to touch wood."