Randy Benway
Member

About Randy Benway

Biography:

I've been a woodworker most of my life. Right out of high school, I served a carpenter apprenticeship under my father. He ran a millshop supplying millwork, cabinets, cases, stair parts, etc. to a large construction company. Half of my time was in the shop while the remainder was spent on the job site learning all aspects of residential and commercial construction. Most of my on-site work was spent as a trim carpenter.

In 1979, and with my father's encouragement, I got the rare chance to enter the wood patternmaker apprenticeship at Caterpillar Tractor Co. I was one of two wood apprentices in a 50 man wood pattern shop. It was a dream come true. At that time, all mock-ups and patterns for Cat earthmoving machinery came through our shop. Although reproduction plastics were being used in another department, the 'wood side' approached patternmaking with 'old world' craftsmanship and techniques. I was assigned a new bench every 6 months in a different area of the shop so I could tap into the immense knowledge base of all the journeymen. I remember telling my dad about the many techniques and odd tools they used. "They don't even HAVE a belt sander!"

By 1983, Cat began closing the shop; patterns could be made cheaper by out-sourcing. From Caterpillar, I began working as a patternmaker at a job shop catering to the aviation industry. Patterns for F14 and F18 fighter jets were commonplace. Many of the same techniques applied but more and more reproduction plastics were used to fabricate the tooling. Things really changed in 1985 when I was asked to glue-up a wood blank the size of a refrigerator and give it to the CNC mill operator. Three days later it was a Ford transmission housing pattern! We all just stared at each other when they told us "it came from Detroit... over the phone line!" I was young and felt like patternmaking would not outlast me. In 1986 I left the trade and went to engineering school full time.

I recently retired from John Deere as Senior Engineer after 26 years designing tractors. I have always remained an active woodworker in my own home shop. Over the years my woodworking/engineering background allowed me to explore another aspect of woodworking: woodworking tool inventions. I am the patent owner of Freud's Dial-A-Width dado and Rockler's Beadlock loose tenon system.

I'm now retired and am currently trimming our new house in a '30's Craftsman style.... lots of painting too!

Location:

Horicon, WI

Interests:

Grandbaby, woodworking, travel, old cars, shooting sports

Occupation:

retired