My name is Charles D. Arkon.  My wife & friends call me Chuck. My Grandkids call me Pop Pop.    I’m a life long woodworking enthusiast.  Growing up in southern Arizona, I gained an appreciation for fine wood work and quality tools from my Grandfather.  He was, among other things, a Finish Carpenter, and a Gunsmith, in the days before power tools.  When it came to doing things, he was sort of a perfectionist in that it had to be done right or else.  His standards were high, and he taught my brother & me to always do the best job we could, regardless of what it is.  Through the years I’ve tried to carry this through into my woodworking.

 I am a Viet Nam Era US Navy Veteran (’62-’86).  Most of my naval career was spent aboard ships (mostly Destroyers), except for my in country tour of duty in Viet Nam (Northern I Corps ’68-’69) and a couple of short tours of shore duty.  I also served onboard two ships on station in the Persian Gulf (’80 & ’84). 

When I retired from the US Navy in 1986, my family & I made Sparta, Tennessee our home, where we reside today.  My wife’s name is Betty (Mama to the Grandkids).  We have two children, a daughter, Bobbie, and a son, Chuck Jr.  Both are grown with families of their own.  They have blessed us with three wonderful grand children, Marissa, Jacob, and Taylor.  Fortunately they all live close by, and we get to see them fairly often.

A few of my main interests and hobbies are family, woodworking, carving, metal working, tool collecting, gunsmithing, gardening, and home improvement.  I am a Life Member of the Handyman Club of America.  I recently took an interest in the Internet and eBay.  What a wild place that can be.  I am still learning the ropes there.

I also enjoy making metal parts as needed for restoring older tools and machinery or creating new ones.  Many of the hand tools I use are shop made, sometimes inspired by an antique tool, but other times created out of necessity for a unique purpose.  I enjoy using traditional tools and methods, and at the same time appreciate the convenience and accuracy of modern power tools.  That’s why I use both of them.  Everywhere I go I try to learn something, whether it is a new idea, or a new “Trick of the Trade”.  I love to share my ideas and techniques, and never give up a chance to “Talk Shop”, especially about woodworking.  So…..Come on in and Welcome.  Have a look around.  If you have any ideas or comments you would like to share, go ahead and drop me an email. 

All of the companies, products, or services endorsed here are personally used and approved by me, Pop Pop.

Some of the recent projects in progress or planned at Pop Pop’s Shop are: renovating the shop area, including applying “Dura Coat” floor coating; building a new shop storage hutch; building a power miter saw station and tool storage cabinet; installing a dust collector system; rewiring the shop for all the power tools; restoring a vintage Powermatic Model 95, Variable Speed Scroll Saw; remodeling my home’s entrance foyer and kitchen.  Many more projects are planed and will be reported as they come to be.