Sylvan putting together his chicken plucker which incorporates recycled materials.

by MELISSA WICKHAM

ONE MAN'S TRASH is another man's treasure, the old adage says.

And it certainly rings true for Sylvan Boyce.

Anyone passing along Alleynedales Village, St Lucy, will see a heap of old scrap metal piled high next to a modest wooden house.

Though it might look like garbage to the average eye, it is Sylvan's most precious possession. For out of that pile of junk comes the means by which he makes a living.

A welder for the past 15 years, he recycles just about any old piece of metal to make functional machines and equipment; but also incorporates new metal into his projects.

The SUNDAY SUN caught him working on a number of his creations recently, namely a chicken plucker, a wood and metal cutter and a band saw.

Old metal bed posts, discarded car parts destined for the dump find new purposes in the hands of this creative tradesman.

Ironically, if it wasn't for a job on a farm, Sylvan, 45, would have never realised his true calling.

"I used to cut canes and I did a little farming – all sort of things. My last job was working for a gentleman doing kitchen gardening; and he was a welder. I would help him out sometimes and I just picked it up from there. Nobody taught me how to be a welder; I am self-taught," he boasted.

From there, he decided to take the bold step to start up his own little business. As with any new business things started out slow but he had an advantage. As they say, the most important thing to remember in business is location, location, location.

Sylvan has the prime spot – his house is visible from the Highway. It is the cheapest advertising he could ever
ask for.

In fact, that is how he gets most of his business. People travelling along the highway usually catch a glimpse of him hard at work and pull over their cars to make enquiries.

When it's over, Sylvan usually has a few orders to work on.

While the money is good for the most part, it doesn't always come in like a flood.

"It is a good living when business is coming in, but sometimes two weeks pass and I don't get no work. Then at other times, it just pours in.

Recycling

"When things get slow I raise chickens and sell them. I even made the chicken pens from old bedsteads by welding them together – it is recycling. People bring bed frames from all over the place for me," he said.

Sylvan is glad he's doing his part to help the environment by re-using old materials. For example,
his chicken plucker uses a differential gear from an old vehicle to rotate a large drum where the chickens are placed. Small rubber parts known as "fingers" then go to work removing the feathers from the birds. And to make sure there is no mess, he usually builds a chute at the bottom to hold the feathers when they come off.

His job isn't without its hazards though. One mistake with a torch can be deadly. He has managed to be careful so far but warns that even experienced welders can make a mistake sometimes.

"It can be very dangerous especially when you're using a torch. You have to be careful not to look at the flame and always use a welding mask because you can get what we welders call 'arc eyes'. The light is bright, bright, bright, and your eyes can't cope with it so you get 'arc eyes'.

"I had that before on several occasions and let me tell you, it wasn't fun. It feels so bad, you want to take out your eyes. You can't sleep and you usually have to put a wet towel over your eyes or keep washing them out. It takes a couple of hours before it goes away," he said.

Despite the dangers, Sylvan continues to make a name for himself by producing quality products and he is even passing on the trade to the younger generation with his son as his apprentice.

"It might not be an easy job but it is an honest living. I love it," he said.

melissawickham@nationnews.com