Ian Nylander shares his woodworking passion Myall Coast Myall Coast by News Of The Area - Modern Media - January 2, 2025 Ian with some of his assorted works in wood modelling and carving. PASSION for a heartfelt hobby is so good it has to be shared, as woodworker Ian Nylander has done. Perhaps known around town as the voice of a Myall Coast Radio show featuring classics from the 50s, 60s and 70s, Ian has moved on to focus on his hobby of woodworking, producing some amazingly detailed and remarkable models. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Vintage cars have been his main foray in recent years, but as he enjoys the time retirement allows he has now branched out into wood carvings of abstract and various forms. Ian retired from his career as a sales engineer with a valve manufacturer in south-western Sydney about eleven years ago and moved to Tea Gardens with his wife of 53 years. “I prefer to work with soft woods like maple, pine, walnut, and even had the chance to try some huon pine once,” Ian explained. “It is more a hobby, not so much to sell them. I spend a lot of time in the garage, it keeps the mind going.” Ian’s hobby involves working with plans from overseas, applying his engineering mind to measuring and cutting the pieces one at a time, then assembling and finishing the wood himself. The attention to detail is staggering, the vintage cars even have leather upholstery, wheels that articulate, and the Big Mack Rig is truly impressive, as much for its size as its detail. When asked why he does not paint, the answer is simple. “Staining brings out the grain of the wood, much more appropriate to the medium, and paint would just cover all that up. “One of my favourite pieces is a 1931 Ford, the older models had so much more design features given to them, whereas modern automobiles all seem to have the same lines and shape.” Beyond the selection that Ian presented for NOTA, were several images of past projects, each one more detailed than the last. He appears to have an appreciation of woodwork in his genes as his father and grandfather were also into it and he remembers seeing their works around the house as a child. Ian also made train sets that were very popular as kids toys, even though a single carriage would have dozens of parts, and he made quite a few sets. By Thomas O’KEEFE Ian has even upholstered and given leather tyre straps to the vintage models. A classic red fire engine is one of the few painted pieces in Ian’s collection. One of Ian’s more recent works as he moves into carving somewhat abstract forms. The Big Mack Rig needs to be seen up close to really appreciate the details. A horse carved from maple, a silent statement of equestrian pride.
