One rarely thinks about the origins of a piece of wooden furniture, or the process that created it, but it is a fascinating story, and one that local craftsman H. F. (Herman) Wells knows intimately. He has been crafting classic Adirondack style chairs, old time porch swings, and other types of sturdy outdoor furniture for almost fifteen years now. Starting with logs of cypress, pine, and red cedar, he and his brothers run them through his sawmill over on the mainland, slicing them into planks of raw lumber. Using a set of metal tongs, and their own wiry strength, they rotate the logs into position. Each log is positioned by hand on a metal slide and carefully locked into position. The depth of the cut is set on the giant Wood Miser band saw's control panel, and then the blade is touched to the wood. Herman walks along behind the saw to guide it as the metal teeth slip through the green log as quick as a hot knife through butter. In ten minutes time the eight foot long log is sliced into pieces. The rough bark covered outer slices are set aside to be used as hog pen boards, while the lumber cuts are stacked in large squares to be air dried The brothers work in silent unison, their moves concisely choreographed by years of cutting logs together. The air around them becomes hazy with sawdust, and smells of sweet cedar and tangy cypress. 
Herman (left) and his brother Jimmie (right) position a log for cutting.
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Herman guides the bandsaw blade through a log.
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Most of the logs are bought up in Cross City at the veneer mill. Herman comments "logs are a lot harder to get now-a-days". He can saw dry or green wood, but the moisture content of green wood makes the sawing easier. Because he air dries the wood, fresh logs have to be cut almost every week to allow for a ready supply of material to craft his furniture with. He and his brothers usually spend three days cutting and stacking the fresh lumber. It may take as long as six months to a year for the raw boards to air dry enough for the next step in the process. 
The island workshop on 5th Street.
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Once the raw lumber has dried it is taken back to Herman's workshop where the boards are run through the planer to remove the rough cut edges and create a smooth finished surface. They are then cut to length, edged, and cut to width for each project. Using templates of his own design for precision, the boards are contoured, the edges routered and the assembly holes drilled. Using galvanized screws and bolts the projects are assembled and ready for sale. The wood is left untreated so that it can age properly to a silvery gray patina. Herman does suggest that buyers give their pieces a coat of oil to help seal the surfaces while still maintaining the coloring of the natural wood.
Herman is willing to bet that there's probably a piece of his furniture in every Sate in the Union. His furniture has also been purchased by a couple in Holland for eight years now. They were vacationing in Cedar Key and fell in love with his chairs. 
Finished pieces ready for sale.
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His pieces include Adirondack style chairs (that he has added his own design enhancements to, making them some of the most comfortable outdoor chairs around), deck tables, folding tables, porch swings and a folding scissor style chair. The workshop/showroom is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. It is located on 5th Street in a charming old weathered building, and Herman and his cocker pup Misty Ann just love to have visitors. 
Misty Ann waits to greet visitors.
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