The
The cross is made of bronze and wood, stands eight feet by four feet and weighs approximately two hundred pounds. Foliage and a bunch of grapes and Easter lilies are embossed on the cross to signify the reverence for nature which is characteristic of the
The following article by Karen Olson was taken from the
A gift will be coming next Sunday to Union Presbyterian Church in
They hope to hang their gift on Easter in the church’s chancel. The men built it to do something for their church. “I don’t want this to sound like I did a big deal. God gave me this talent to work with my hands,” Stauffer said. “I’ve used it to my advantage. Now I’m giving a little back to Him.”
“They didn’t believe it was going to happen,” said Jim Love, who also lives in
“We were laid back for a while, but then I said to my son, ‘Holy smoke, we’d like to get it done this year.’”
In January, Bob, who lives in
The almost finished cross, made of hand beaten bronze and wood, stands eight feet tall and four feet wide. It’s modeled after a 10th century granite cross of
“Actually, it’s a reproduction of a reproduction.” said Bullock, explaining that Stauffer worked from photographs of a copy of the original.
“And Charlie added some changes, personal touches.” Those touches include a host of fine swirls, curlicues, circles, squares, leaves, lilies and a bunch of grapes.
Stauffer did all of the carving on the basswood patterns for the molds from which the bronze was cast. One bronze panel boasts carved lilies and leaves to symbolize Easter and eternity. The top panel has a crown of thorns. The circular design at the transept, or “T” of the cross, represents everlasting life.
Although Stauffer insists that each man should be credited for his effort, the others say Stauffer is the master. “He never said: ‘Hands off.’ But well, he’s an artist.” Jim Love said. “It’s almost unbelievable what he can do with a piece of wood.” “I always loved woodwork” Stauffer said. “When I was a young lad, I made fishing lures, and I carved boats. I’d go down in the cellar and amuse myself. I carved little animals, birds, and gave them away.”
Jim Love and Stauffer are retired patternmakers and are used to working with their hands. Stauffer worked “for forty two years and eight months” at Washington Airbrake in Wilmerding.
Jim Love worked at United Engineering and Foundry Co. (became Wean United) in Vandergrift for forty three years.
Stauffer’s training as a maker of intricate brake pieces helped him meet the challenge of carving the small wood designs.
“You have to have some patience with intricate things or you’ll spoil them while you’re working on them,” he said.
“I have 70 hours in that piece,” Stauffer said, pointing to the bottom panel. “It has 36 circles, four lilies. When we were getting pushed for time, I started to sand, too. Both Jim and I had bloody fingers.”
Stauffer and Bullock know of only two reproductions of the original tenth century cross in this country: at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in
The project began last summer when Union Presbyterian began a renovation. Stauffer built a quarter scale plywood model to show members what the new church would be like. People from the church noticed there would be an empty space in front of the chancel.
“It needed something up there, and someone said it’d be nice to have a cross,” he said.
Bullock, who had been lobbying for a cross, showed Stauffer pictures of the cross at the
Stauffer then set to work on the cross. He and Jim Love thought the bronze work as one piece would be too big for a local foundry to cast so they decided to make bronze sections. “The original patterns for the two cross reproductions were destroyed in the mid 1960’s,” Bullock said.
Stauffer began carving the basswood patterns in September. To keep things smooth, Jim Love assisted with the sanding.
Bob Love had the patterns imprinted onto fine sand molds at Nail City Bronze Inc., a
There was a multitude of problems in casting the intricate molds. “For example, no one could figure out how to separate the bronze casting from the actual sand mold itself,” Bullock said.
“The fellow doing the casting came up with the idea of using baking soda, same as when you make a cake. You put flour in the pan to keep the cake from sticking, same idea with this.”
The castings were finally completed and Bob Love sent them back to Stauffer along with another donation, white pine and oak for the cross’s frames.
Stauffer cut the cross’s frame, then mounted the bronze pieces on it. Before he proceeded, Stauffer and the two Loves had their names engraved in the back, along with the date, “
Now, he’s finishing up oak trim along the cross’s sides.
Stauffer doesn’t want his effort to seem too “sensational.” “I did spend hours and hours and hours on it. But it’s something I enjoy. I’ll keep on doing it as long as the good Lord lets me.”
Bullock said the whole experience has been enlightening. “What’s been especially interesting is the degree of pride they take in the quality and beauty of their work. The cross doesn’t draw attention to itself. It’s not ostentatious. It’s really a thing of beauty. It’s going to be around a lot longer than any of us will be. There is no doubt about that.”
