David LaPinta

• Name: David LaPinta

• Age: 49

• Family: Wife, Kris LaPinta, and five children

• City of residence: Wheatland.

• Occupation: Engineer for Marriott Hotels

• Hobbies, interests: Woodworking

• What types of products do you make while woodworking? Anything from cabinets to furniture

• What type of wood do you use for woodworking? All hardwoods. I use a lot of exotic kinds for the furniture and natural wood, like walnut and maple, for the puzzles and other items.

• How long does it take you to make a piece? It depends. I can make a puzzle in an hour. The longest project was a piece of furniture, which took a couple of months. It's tough; I've got a real job.

• What brought you to the Nicolaus Parade Monday? I did it on a whim and brought a lot of toys and puzzles today.

• How many hours each week do you spend woodcutting? About 16 to 20 hours each week

• What is your favorite part about woodcutting? The end result. It's always nice to complete a project, put a stain on it and finish it. It comes to life.

• Favorite musical group: Gordon Lightfoot, he's an American folk singer.

• Favorite television show: I watch nature shows on PBS.

• Who do you most admire and why? John Muir for his environmental views

• Tell us about a life-changing experience: I married a woman with five kids.

• How would you describe yourself? Down to earth, simple

• What kind of pets do you have? Two turtles, we had three when the kids were home. Then the kids left, the turtles are still here.