August 2026
Time to make: 3 hours
Finishing: 1 hour
Original design: Bill Macfarlane
Something to know about Key West is that many of the families that have lived there for generations come from "Wreckers". In the 1800's a young man with a strong back and a boat could make his fortune if he could row faster than others and touch a wrecked boat before the others. The first to touch got salvage rights to the ship (after they saved crew and passengers) could claim insurance or sell the cargo. Wrecked ships became such an issue that there were calls for a light house. Now you would assume the light house would be built on the shoreline but this light house is inland on the island. Some say they chose the highest spot on the island while other say why ruin the wrecking industry and put it as far away from the shore as they could.
So while my wife was sick, I thought about the lighhouse we had seen the day before in Key West and got to work. Carved from reclaimed wood from cutting board, I wish I knew what kind wood this was because it was easy to carve while being stronger than expected. When I got home I painted it with hobby paints, gave it a couple of coats of Poly, and labeled it with waterslide paper.
