Human Interest: Carpenter Makes Long Chain in Memory of Wife

[Barb73]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi- ... rint.story

ARTICLE:

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When Markley Noel lost his wife to lung cancer, the southwest Michigan carpenter comforted himself the best way he knew how: by working the wood.

It took him eight years to do it, but he has finished carving what could be a record-breaking chain of wood.

Noel, 56, of Kalamazoo County's Ross Township, said the 3,000 hours that he spent making the 487.5-foot chain helped him get through the death of his wife Anne in 2003.

"Mark went into his workshop and put on his earphones and just carved," his sister, Melinda Scott, recently told the Battle Creek Enquirer. "It was his solace."

Noel said he also had a longtime urge "to do something artistic."

The chain has 1,993 links, each of which is 4 inches long and 1.5 inches wide.

There are no seams or glue joints. Noel carved it from a single plank of silver maple taken from a wooded lot owned by his father, Lester, also a carpenter.

The chain is on display at the Art Council of Greater Kalamazoo's Epic Center.

"It's the planning part that is really phenomenal," Scott said. "The fact that he knew it would be 500 feet before he started blows my mind."

The longest continuous wooden chain recognized by Guinness World Records measures just under 440 feet long. Noel said he hopes the organization will declare him to be the new record holder.

"It's all one continuous piece of wood," Noel said of his creation. "That was one of the guidelines set forth by Guinness. They want to make sure it's legitimate."

If his chain sets a new world record, he said anything could happen.

"We don't know what's next," he said. "Maybe Letterman."

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(Chicago Tribune, Ross Township, Mich., October 18, 2009)

[RandyW]

WOW!!!!!

[jaminkw]

WOW is right! I have a particular admiration for people who do art with wood. I would love to see this so I'll check out the link. Thanks Barb.

Judy in Key West