91yearold Woodworker Was Told A Table Saw Was Too Dangerous, So He Built His Own

The 91-year-old carpenter was told that table saws were too dangerous, so he made his own.

When a 91-year-old learned the table saw was "too dangerous" for his age, James Bass built it himself. This morning I went to El Cajon to visit John Zevelli, the carpenter.

In a seemingly ordinary house, I met the most extraordinary person. "This is where I live and this is my workshop," said 91-year-old James Bass.

He lives in a retirement home where he has transformed his 10-by-9-foot bedroom into an imaginary wooden playground. "It's a windmill, it's a covered wagon, it's a carousel," James said.

Most people living in a small house feel trapped, but not James. James, who was born in Texas in 1931, said: "No, he's a man of my world. I would sell it for free."

James builds his wooden projects by hand every day. He built a jack to commemorate his work in the oil fields, a boat to commemorate his service in the Navy, and a beautiful dollhouse for his granddaughter Aria. "It opens and closes on the side," Aria said with a big smile before hugging her grandmother. "Oh baby, I love you," James said.

She raised her daughter Sandra, Aria's grandmother, when she was two days old. "Best thing I've ever done in my life," James said. "He's my best friend. He's amazing and never ceases to amaze me. He can't do anything," Sandra said. "He wanted to see the painting, I said no, it wasn't good, so he did it himself."

Jacob showed us the table saw. "It's a small 24-volt motor," James said. I asked the housekeeper if James could work with power tools in his room. The answer is yes, because James is also a master. "An exercise for the mind", says Aya Gloria.

"Show him your top, your teeth," James shouted. The nanny said she could fix anything that was broken, like the bathroom or the electricity. Not even Gloria toothpaste? "Yes, I have money, so I took her to James," Gloria said. “I'm a handyman, I fix everything here,” laughs James.

He did all this with nine and a half fingers. "I got it from the West Texas oil fields in 1948," James said. Texas is a big state, but pales in comparison to the expanse of James Bass's imagination. "I took it out of my mind," James said. "It's like a second childhood, only better than the first."

James lived a long life. Advice for those seeking happiness. "Do what you want, I did it," James said. He sends free drawings to his friends across the country. He said if he got the money it would be like a job and he was happy about it.

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91yearold Woodworker Was Told A Table Saw Was Too Dangerous, So He Built His Own

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