By Ngoc Vo

Pike County born and raised William “Billy” Powell has had a passion for woodworking all his life.

“My daddy is a carpenter so I just grew up doing it,” Powell said.

A retired forestry technician, Powell’s woodworking shop is adjacent to his house, which resides on the edge between Troy and Goshen. Powell spends most of his time in the shop, unless he’s doing other chores like keeping house and lawn work.

“I forget the problems of the world when I work in the shop,” Powell said. “I don’t make any (money) out of it. I don’t sell anything. I either give it to my kids or some of my friends.”

Many items in Powell’s house were made by his own hands from a stereo center to small tables to the swing in his yard.

“If I see something I would like to build, I build it,” he said. “I would order some patterns from different places and make the thing.”

Powell said during the years he worked as a forestry technician, he had accumulated some pieces of wood to work with.

With years of woodworking, Powell finds it difficult to point out his favorite piece. He said he particularly loves making birdhouses for purple martins.

Currently he is making a bed for his grandson and a mantle board for a friend.

Powell sometimes uses stencils to outline decorations on his wood pieces. However, he said he puts more emphasis on structure.

“If I build something, I want it to stay together for a long time,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in putting it together good.”

Powell said it takes a lot of practice to be good at woodworking.

“You have got to have some knowledge of how to use each piece of equipment,” he said.

“And you have to learn the technique to make (the tools) to do what you want them to. The more you use them the better you get.”

Powell said his grandchildren have shown some interest in learning his hobby. He enjoys spending time with them in the shop, “or sometimes going fishing or working in the yard.”