Crafting Exceptional Wooden Toys for Tots
This photo of Jim Balestreri was submitted by Fred Wilmott. It appeared in the August 2007 issue of the Orange County Woodworkers Assn. newsletter, “Sawdust and Shavings.”
Five-Time Blue Ribbon Winner Makes Very Special Wooden Toys
Jim Balestreri was a member of an Orange County, California woodworking club that made toys to be donated to kids in need. In the past, they’ve donated several thousand toy cars, trucks, trains, and other wooden figures to children in homeless and battered women’s shelters. Many of these children may not otherwise have had much to smile about without the gifts. In addition to Jim’s generosity with the group, his work exhibited craftsmanship that went beyond your average wooden toys. Though all of the gift toys are nicely made, Jim would occasionally take on a special toy project that put all of his tools and talents to work. These are the models that won him five blue ribbons at local fairs and contests.
While on a recent visit to the Craftsmanship Museum, Jim brought some photos of his work. Those images can be viewed below, and more photos can be found in the link at the bottom of this page. Here is a little more background on Jim and his work.
Military and Industrial Training Set the Stage for Quality Work
Jim was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He joined the Navy near the end of WWII before graduating high school, and completed his diploma while in the service. Jim spent 2-1/2 years in the Pacific on a mine sweeper and a very old WWI era 4-stack destroyer. After his discharge, he went to work as an apprentice machinist with Nolberg Manufacturing in Milwaukee. At the time, Nolberg built the largest diesel engines in the world.
A closeup of the wooden Iron Horse passenger car that Jim built.
One of Jim’s wooden models, an old fashioned 4-4-0 steam locomotive, tender and passenger car.
However, Jim’s time as a civilian was short lived. Three years into a four year apprentice program he was recalled into the service for the Korean conflict. He would spend 18 months on another destroyer before being discharged as a 1st class machinery repairman. Jim’s second Naval discharge took place in San Diego. At the time, it was 30 degrees in Milwaukee, and the prospect of returning to that climate was not ideal for a young man in a position to make a change. He decided to stay in Southern California, and he found a job with Douglas Aircraft which enabled him to go back to school and take a machine design course. He then worked as a designer for over three years before the industry took a turn for the worse.
Looking for a more stable job in 1954, Jim went to work for Southern California Edison as a machinist. He worked there until his retirement in 1988. During Jim’s 34 years with Edison, he worked on all types of equipment used to produce electrical power, such as turbines, generators, and pumps. The last eight years of his career were spent at San Onofre Nuclear Plant as a maintenance engineer.
One of Jim’s toys, a wooden model of Cinderella’s Royal Coach.
These models involved a lot of detailed scroll saw work.
From Model Ships to Wooden Toys
Jim started building models in the mid-1970’s. Given his experience in the Navy, deciding to build model ships was a natural choice. He ended up joining a ship modeling club in San Diego where he was a member for two years. About that same time, he also attended a woodworking show where the Orange County Woodworkers had an exhibit. He was immediately drawn to a project they were working on, which involved making wooden toys as Christmas gifts for underprivileged youth. Jim would eventually join the Orange County Woodworking Club, and found the projects to be very rewarding. In a single year, they distributed 4,200 toys through approximately 35 different charities.
Pictured here is a model 1935 Duesenberg, which Jim made from a variety of different woods.
Throughout all of this, Jim still had time to use his woodworking skills for personal projects as well. Some of those projects are shown on this page, while others are in the link below. Though many are made from purchased plans, the quality of workmanship and finish is at a very high level. Perhaps more than anything, though, Jim had the satisfaction of seeing his craftsmanship bring joy to many children who may not have otherwise had the brightest of Christmas mornings.
See more photos of Jim’s excellent wooden toys.
We regret to inform that Jim Balestreri passed away at the age of 84 in late March, 2010.