New life for old McLaughlin Cutter wooden sleigh
Woodworker Barrie Paul turns a piece of history into a coffee table
Barrie Paul is a man of many talents: Welder, woodworker, designer, restorationist, former horseback rider and so much more.
These interests have led him to a variety of projects over the years, but carriage restoration and repurposing will always be his favourite.
It all started when he was a boy. “I would go the the hardware store and buy Dinky toys, Meccano sets, balsa wood airplane kits. I would build forts, I was even into medieval stuff so I made myself a sword and shield.”
His introduction to carriages all started back in 1980s Kitchener-Waterloo when Mennonite friends asked if he could help them build carriages, as he had experience they lacked.
Paul worked for them for a number of years before the owner of the business said they wanted to retire.
Seeing his chance, Paul purchased all the necessary equipment and started his own business, Camelot Carriages.
As time went on, the quick learner eventually learned all about the old carriage-making techniques and was able to make them by himself.
However, after several years of carriage building and after moving from Brighton to Peterborough, Paul decided to change his life a little bit.
Selling the carriage making equipment back to the Mennonites, he went on to start making sheds.
This, however didn’t last.
He built sheds that ended up as far as South America, including some that were used in films and even making two for Sharon Johnston, wife of former Governor-General David Johnson, for their property called Chatterbox Farm.
Paul’s passion however remained carriages. Since he no longer had the equipment or the time really to make carriages Paul decided to go into restoring and repurposing them instead.
Because of his reputation in the industry an Ontario court judge approached him with a unique project, to turn an old McLaughlin Cutter (a horsedrawn sleigh) into a coffee table.
Paul said that the cutter holds a special meaning to the judge as McLaughlin was one the companies that would later make up General Motors Canada.
“The cutter actually lends itself to a coffee table quite well,” Paul said.
This was just one of the many unique projects he has done.
He has made a Roman-styled chariot, an old-style fruit-stand cart and a classic wooden wheelbarrow, all from scratch.
Paul is passionate about his work, carrying around a small photo album with some of his most notable creations
This cutter lends itself to a coffee table quite well’
BARRIE PAUL PETERBOROUGH WOODWORKER
and some from his past jobs in the carriage industry.
He is so passionate about carriages and hates to see one sitting out exposed to the elements. He encourages people to bring them or any other classic items to an expert so he can either rebuild or repurpose it so that its history is not lost. “Because once you scrap it it’s gone,” he said.