Bill Heywood with a mahogany dresser top which he is restoring for a client at his new workshop in Kamo. Photo / John Stone
Bill Heywood loves to work. Talk of retirement is not on his radar.
But the 79-year-old cabinetmaker with more than 50 years of experience is easing back a bit.
Trading as WO Heywood Cabinetmakers, Bill's company has operated in Whangarei since 1973, when he opened the firm on the corner of Maunu Rd and Porowini Ave.
Since 1979, he had been operating from a site in Port Rd.
He's just completed a downsize to new premises in Waipanga Rd in Kamo where he is renting space from fellow joiner and cabinetmakers Smith & Parker.
Mr Heywood said he was giving up on the cabinetmaking side of the business to focus on restoration work.
Ahead of the shift to Kamo he auctioned off a warehouse full of native timber which he had accumulated over many years. There are still a few bits and pieces to sell.
He had actually considered retirement previously. In 2007 he tried to sell his premises and business as a going concern. But no one suitable came along so he decided to keep going.
His more-than-50-year career in cabinetmaking began with the completion of his five-year apprenticeship with Nigel Swann after starting out with Bill Tomlinson, a cabinetmaker located in Rathbone St, who died during the third year of Mr Heywood's training.
It was during his time with Nigel Swann that he met Albert Smith who had completed his apprenticeship with Bill Tomlinson.
This relationship continued during the ensuing years with Mr Heywood recently approaching Mr Smith with the idea of renting space from him in Waipanga Rd.
Mr Heywood's first position as a qualified cabinetmaker was with Birwood Joinery where he worked for about three years.
In 1972 he went to work for Morris Fleming. Morris' father asked Mr Heywood to help him out because his son was deaf.
He obliged and also helped resolve some of Morris' financial challenges.
But he wanted more than just a job. He also wanted to own his own firm. And so his business career began in March 1973.
Mr Heywood said he became interested in the trade after being unable to find an apprenticeship in boatbuilding, which was his first career choice.
He did eventually build his own boat which has given him many years of enjoyment.
He was until recently, due to an injury, a regular diver and water skier. He still does the odd bit of fishing and plans to get back into diving and skiing once he fully recovers.
The water and wood connection continued when he started Town Basin Hire in 2000.
Mr Heywood designed and built the self-propelled aqua cycles which are still in use today. He sold the business in 2007 (now known as Pupurangi Hire & Tours).
He said as a result of experimenting with the technology for the aqua cycles he filed several patents relating to stingray generators - an oscillating hydroplane concept in power generation - which didn't include the UK.
Recently he was made aware of a Shetlands Islands energy company's tidal stingray generator system which he thought was exactly like the technology he had patented. He wishes had patented it in the UK as well.
Mr Heywood said one of the most memorable pieces he had worked on was an oak wall unit which included panels he carved to the instructions of the client. The job took several weeks.
He would experiment with carving using scrap wood before doing the actual cutting, which would be done as shallow as possible. He also recalled making a clock cabinet for a client based on a 17th century original which was extremely detailed.
He is a self-taught carver - it comes naturally as he is also an artist. He has used this skill to craft numerous detailed pieces over the years including custom designs which ended up on the corner of cutting boards.
At his new workshop he plans to stick to mostly restoration work. He said he never got fully remunerated for all the time spent on each job. Mr Heywood has employed four apprentices during his career with one staying with him for, in total, 11 years.
The point of difference between modern mass-manufactured furniture and bespoke pieces, which he has mostly done during his career, is the quality of workmanship in most cases and being able to choose the timber.
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