What separates an ‘OK’ woodworker from one who has a passion for the craft? Sometimes, it’s as simple as encountering someone who can show a new, interesting way of looking at things. For Wood Magazine’s contributing craftsman Jim Heavey, showing the way for others is something that – due to a family tragedy – he took to at an early age.

Jim’s dad passed away when he was in grade school. Out of necessity, Jim assumed a leadership role as the man of the house at an very early age. “Being the oldest of seven kids in a household with very little money, repairs and projects around the house fell to me. I think that it was there that I developed an appreciation for woodworking and the sense of accomplishment that completing a project brings.”

Later in his life, Jim’s leadership ability again came to the fore. He even served as his children’s school board president for 16 years – all this after doing his ‘day job’ as a firefighter. His years at this important position allowed him to hone his presentation skills considerably. “Having audiences both happy and irate – sometimes at the same time – kept me on my toes and helped me develop a style that people seem to enjoy. I don’t take myself too seriously and I think that I can relate to my audiences.”

Does he ever! Jim’s easily approachable style allowed him to marry his love of woodworking and presenting when he landed a position doing tool demonstrations for the Skil tool company at the now-defunct Builder’s Square home improvement stores. When Bosch bought Skil, Jim’s expertise was recognized, and he was chosen to present at national shows. One day in 1996 at one of these national shows, a Wood Magazine representative approached Jim to fill in for an ailing presenter. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jim has been teaching at the Woodworking Shows for Wood Magazine ever since. You can find Jim at the Wood Magazine demonstration booth, teaching tips and techniques to dozens of very interested woodworkers. While you might assume his presentations are just tool or magazine sales pitches, Jim always keep his focus firmly on helping the audience learn new techniques. “What I enjoy the most is being able to bring enough content to the presentations to touch some aspect in every attendee’s shop experience. We have a wide skill level in attendance at the shows and I am so glad when people will say, ‘Thanks, I learned something new today.’ The challenge is to remember that I’m not selling the tools, I’m imparting knowledge. A good tool sells itself and I’ll use it to its best advantage but I want them to learn something.”

Learn something they do. The day I met Jim at the Woodworking Show in Tampa, he was demonstrating a very simple yet elegant way to embellish a project by using an applique technique.

By cutting a shape out of a contrasting piece of wood – a leaf pattern, for example – and gluing it on the surface of the project, then sanding it down to about one sixteenth of an inch with a belt sander, anyone can create an interesting design feature with minimal work.

“I do like to watch the faces of the attendees when they see that a topic I’m talking about suddenly look so simple to them. It’s that ‘ah-ha’ moment. My hope is that attendees will try some of the techniques that I use. When they find success, they will take one more step that brings additional success. It’s very rewarding to talk to someone who had watched and tried something that they learned come back the following year even more excited about their craft.”

What’s the toughest part of the job? “The traveling part can be very tiresome. There seems to be a different TSA standard in each of the 30+ airports I’ll see in a season.”

“But,” Jim continues,”when you see the crowds at the door, you know it’s show time. They expect a good experience and I really do enjoy giving it to them.”

“In the end, a one on one discussion with a fellow woodworker brings out our commonality regardless of locale. It must be in the wood,” Jim laughs, “or maybe it’s the high from applying lacquer.”

There is nothing quite as noble and enriching as teaching others. It’s something that motivated people do so their students can go on to discover their own path to achieve great things.

Luc Rousseau, owner of Rideau Cabinetry, has learned from one of the best, and now is helping educate other woodworkers through his efforts. If the name Rideau Cabinetry sounds familiar, keep reading.

Luc’s woodworking education started at home. His dad was an upholsterer, so young Luc was always around tools and the woodworking craft. “I was good with tools and I noticed the little details that set quality woodworking apart.”

Eventually, Luc enrolled at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada, to become a student in the outstanding cabinetmaking classes offered there. That’s where he met one of his most important mentors – Danny Proulx.

Danny immediately recognized and appreciated Luc’s skill and work ethic. After graduation, Danny offered Luc a few jobs, as well as the motivation and guidance to continue his growth. “One kitchen, then two, then projects for his books and magazine and so on. Apart from my parents, he is the first one that really took the time show me and work with me as a friend and a partner. We got along really well.”

Work in the shop with Danny was marked by a great partnership and outstanding cooperation. “The day always started with an extra large coffee at his desk talking about hockey. Then we would plan the day or days ahead. Danny always had four or five things on the stove and ideas for years to come.”

Always busy, Danny and Luc were working on some articles for magazines and a new book, 50 Shop-Made Jigs and Fixtures in the autumn of 2004. Work was progressing nicely, and, with Luc’s help Danny had gotten the first two chapters written.

Sadly, on November 26 of that year, Danny passed away. Fittingly, he was on his way to a woodworking seminar to help teach the craft to others when he passed.

The news hit Luc and Danny’s wife Gale hard. “She went through the hardest thing someone has to endure in life, losing a loved one.”

After a month of intense grief, the two sat down to talk about the projects that were left incomplete. “I finished a lot of projects over the winter. Then in June, Jim Stack, the editor from F&W Publications, and I sat down and planed the other six chapters of 50 Jigs.”

The work proceeded slowly at first. Luc remembers seeing the notes and sketches Danny had left, and feeling overwhelmed by the work ahead. After all, Luc couldn’t simply ask his partner what he had intended. He had to rely on his experience of working in the shop with Danny decipher some of his ideas. Four and a half months of hard work later, and the manuscript was finally ready to go to print. “The day I mailed everything to the editor, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Danny was really gone.”

While some people may have one personality when dealing with the public and another in private, Luc says that was not the case with Danny. “He was the same guy in the shop, in the classroom, or his office, the same guy you folks saw on the forums. He was patient, relaxed, fun to work with. I never saw him panic or get mad or scream. He was always looking for solutions, new ways, new tricks. He was a great listener and not the kind of guy who would try to put one up on you guys.”

Today, Luc owns Rideau Cabinets and maintains the company’s online presence. He’s revamping the ordering system for books and hardware to make shopping at the site easy. “Hey, it’s 2008. I have to keep up with the times!”

As far as writing his own books? “Well, this might come later since I am only 43 and Danny started about 48. I think I have a few years to practice my writing before I start getting my own books published.”

As if he wasn’t already busy enough. Luc also took over the woodworking classes Danny had taught over at Algonquin College. No doubt, his students are being introduced to their own dedicated, knowledgeable mentor.