By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Skills learned long ago are now being put to good use.
Chuck Shoemaker of Niles retired about four years ago and really wasn't sure what he was going to do with his time.
For the past eight to 10 years he has been working on and off on different wood working projects, but with all the time he since his retirement from Tyler's Refrigeration, he has found himself working more on more difficult projects.
Shoemaker said he often just sits back and thinks about the different things he would like to create and then does it.
Shoemaker makes a variety of wood crafts such as birdhouses, lighthouses and address signs.
Shoemaker said he gained his woodworking skills from his father Bob Shoemaker Sr. who used to make wooden yard ornaments was quite well known in the Niles area.
Shoemaker said, "I have been around this kind of stuff my whole like and when I was younger I never really thought that what I was learning would be useful. Now I am really glad that I learned what I did from him."
Shoemaker added that he now works side by side with his grandsons teaching them the skills and safety in working with power tools that his father taught him so many years ago.
Shoemaker said the doesn't do his woodworking for any type of business, just as a hobby.
Shoemaker added that when he gets to working on the four to five projects that he has going at one time, the time just get away from him and he gets wrapped up in putting the special little touches on the pieces.
He added, retired people don't really think that they can do a whole lot with their lives once they have retired, but if they just take the time to sit down and find something that they are really passionate about, it will take up their time.