45 days ago
A lot of old men get their kicks from sitting back and relaxing in their favorite chair. Not Lee Collins. He spends his time making them.
Collins can knock out an Adirondack chair in a day, from the wood shop in his basement. He says he does it because he loves it.
"...and to make a little money," he said as he laughed.
He sells the chairs for about $70 to $100, depending on the type of wood. He works with cherry, oak, pine, walnut and more. He also makes dressers, wooden toys, dollhouses, stands and just about anything else someone asks for.
It's unusual for someone his age. He describes himself as a young 91 and he's still as sharp as a miter saw. Since he started woodworking about 25 years ago, well into his 60's, he's spent several hours a day in his workshop.
"My friends who took it easy have all gone... There's a certain kind of pleasure in being able to finish something that people can enjoy," he said.
For 28 years, Collins enjoyed teaching voice at Tift College in Monroe County. Now a sander is music to his ears. Collins has several tools that can cost up to $1,000 each. He says his wife of 60 years, Cordelia, never drills him about his purchases.
"She has never griped about anything that I needed. I would say something to her about I need this and she'd say, 'Get it!' and that's important."
Collins wakes up everyday with a new project and a new passion for life, even after nine decades.
"It's so simple but it looks like it'd be very difficult," he said describing an intricate table leg he carved from a wooden block.
He doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon, but if he gets tired he'll always have a place to sit.
Collins often works with a partner, Bob Buckley, also from Forsyth. Buckley helps him do the heavy lifting.
Collins gets most of his orders from friends, family and customers who learned about him from word of mouth in Monroe County.
