Woodwork hobbyist Tom Mack of 105 Mile says he is proud of the model wooden houses he builds, but his hackles go up when anyone calls them dollhouses.
"They are man houses!"
The 50-year-old doesn't know exactly how many he has built, but they're all different, and at an average of 1.5 metres in length, and half a metre tall, they demand considerable space.
The ones he's made can all be found tucked away in protected corners of his yard.
Mack constructed his first “man house” in 2005 as a Christmas gift for his wife, Heidi. He was inspired by the memory of a model barn built by his dad several years prior, but for his premiere project, he chose to craft a log home out of doweling.
To aid in the building process, he made frequent trips across the road to a log home construction site to gather ideas on how to build his model. When the project was finished, he was pleased with the result.
From rambling ranchers to a skyscraper that stands taller than he is, Mack has explored many different styles of architecture for his pieces and often falls back on his trade as a landscaper to add the finishing touches.
Most of his new work is intricate models of mansions and his design ideas come from magazines, books and calendars. He tweaks each plan to suit his own taste and adds custom elements, such as tinted glass windows and rock-work chimneys. Tiny cedar roof shakes are painstaking cut by hand and installed one at a time.
When finished, the hefty homes weigh anywhere from 150 to 250 pounds (68-113 kilograms) and can take from 120 to 185 hours to build.
Cedar wood is Mack's preferred building material because of its ability to naturally withstand the elements.
"It’s soft and easy to work with and it lasts forever. Every piece has a different grain, so it looks good."
Visiting birds to Mack's yard are spoiled with deluxe accommodations. He's built and installed a fancy two-level, country charm style birdhouse with a rock fireplace and inviting details on the outside.
While the interior of this one is open-concept, the majority of his houses are fashioned with interior walls.
As Mack has a limited amount of space to display his “man houses” and they are too labour-intensive to make on a commercial level, he searched for other ways to satisfy his passion for woodworking. He contemplated making mini facades for the movie industry, but decided he'd have better luck building outdoor cedar planters and various other useful items.
With the winter months being prime time for working in his backyard workshop, Mack says he plans on having several pieces to haul along to summer craft sales.
Mack recently had his “man houses” featured in a two-page spread in Our Canada magazine. Four months after sending photos of his work to the publication, he received a reply.
"I'd thought they weren't interested and then I got an e-mail asking for more photos and a written piece with a description of my craft."
In return, Mack received a copy of the issue, which featured his story and a one-year free subscription.
"It's neat to be in a magazine that runs across Canada. It's kind of rewarding to have your work exposed after all the work you've put into it."
