Uniontown man brings joy to others as he shares his chainsaw carvings
Phillip Thomas uses a chainsaw to carve a butterfly out of wood in the back driveway of his Uniontown home. Thomas carves for hours at a time, and says unless there’s snow on the ground, he’ll be outside carving.
Kelly Tunney
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
The bear is one of Uniontown chainsaw carver Phillip Thomas’ most popular motifs that he carves as gifts, and his bears have made their way as far south as the Carolinas to feature in friends’ yards.
A visit to the National Road Chainsaw Carving Festival in Addison four years ago changed the life of a Uniontown man, who’s now using his interest to bring joy to others.
“That’s when I fell in love with it,” said Phillip Thomas of the chainsaw carving he discovered at the festival that June. “I bought my first chainsaw that September.”
Thomas, 73, retired as a refrigeration instructor at SCI-Greene near Waynesburg after spending 25 years operating his own commercial refrigeration business. He and his wife, Susan, have three children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Thomas had no formal training before deciding to take up his preferred art form.
“I can’t even draw a straight line,” he said with a smile. “I go up to the chainsaw festival every year and spend all three days asking questions. They have 40 to 50 chainsaw artists — men and women. It’s amazing what they can do. They’re very helpful people.”
The festival, which celebrated its 13th year in 2016, attracts chainsaw artists from all over the country. Sponsored by the Confluence Lions Club, the festival benefits the Somerset County Blind Association as artists donate pieces for an auction with proceeds given to the charity.
It’s that same feeling of benevolence that Thomas carries out in his own chainsaw carvings as he donates most of his work to others.
“All my neighbors have a couple and the Jewish Community Center and Chestnut Ridge Christian Academy,” said Thomas, who appreciates his neighbors’ tolerance of the noise made by his chainsaws and their curiosity as many stop by to chat.
A golfer in the morning, Thomas works on chainsaw carving afternoons in his backyard until dark. That includes allowing an hour to an hour and a half for clean up each day.
In the winter, Thomas said, “I put on my long johns and work in my driveway .”
A trip to the backyard during this recent visit revealed the butterfly Thomas was currently creating.
For his work, Thomas has three chainsaws of different sizes. He alternates tools so the motors won’t overheat. A tank of gasoline lasts 45 minutes to an hour.
“I use a lot of gas and a lot of chainsaw oil,” he said.
Thomas said he works with “any wood I can find.” He acquires wood from sawmills owned by Tom Cesaroni on the Farmington-Ohiopyle Road and Matt Ruff in Connellsville as well as people in the tree-trimming business.
“I followed one guy around two Saturdays ago,” he noted.
Thomas originally used 6-foot-long, 20-inch-wide logs that weighed up to 700 pounds. But now he prefers the smaller 4-foot, 18-inch pieces that weigh up to 400 pounds. He bought a lift and a cantilever to move the logs into place for carving.
Thomas, who wears ear muffs to guard his hearing, had an accident in December 2015 when a chainsaw cut his leg, causing him to receive 12 stitches. Now he wears Kevlar chaps for protection.
His working spot is not far from a collection of his sculptures that he borrowed back to show for this story. Most are animals: a black bear, grey wolf, blue jay, cardinal, eagle, snail, dog and turtle as well as an angel.
Lately, he’s been making snowmen out of wood after being asked to create one for a cousin.
“I ended up making 22 of those snowmen,” said Thomas, who has two greeting visitors in his own front yard.
Thomas keeps a few pieces and occasionally charges a small fee for someone who asks him to create a special work.
But, most of the time, Thomas is simply passing off the good feelings he derives from chainsaw carving as he gives his sculptures away, hoping to bring some happiness to others.
“It’s relaxing to me,” said Thomas. “That’s what I want — something to help me from going stir crazy.”
Thomas estimated he’s created up to 100 pieces in the past four years. They’re not all in his neighborhood. An angel went to the Town and Country Garden Club in Brownsville and a bear went to the Fairbank Gun Club. Family members have taken pieces to Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. He’s given pieces to ladies at the couple’s church: St. George Maronite Catholic Church.
Not to waste anything, Thomas also gives leftover wood to his two sons and the sawdust to his daughter for her horses and chickens.
“He really enjoys it and he gets to be the nice guy because he gives people presents,” said Susan Thomas.
In return, Thomas receives appreciation.
“I’ve got a lot of thank-you notes. It’s nice to have them,” said Thomas. “I keep them all.”