PREVIEW

Ahead of celebrating his centenary on Tuesday (01October2024) former US President Jimmy Carter received an unusual birthday present.

Researchers from the University of South Florida have collaborated with the US National Park Service and the Friends of Jimmy Carter to use cutting-edge 3D technology to preserve Carter’s famous handmade furniture for posterity.

Lori Collins and Travis Doering, co-directors of the USF Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information, alongside 3D Specialist Jorge Gonzalez, led an effort to digitally recreate several furniture pieces crafted by the 39th President.

In childhood, Carter developed a huge passion for woodworking, and continued his hobby as an escape from the pressures of politics and then into retirement.

“Since I was a child, woodworking has played an important role in my life,” he once wrote in an essay for FineWoodworking.com. “It has given me a sense of belonging and a connection to a wide-ranging and dedicated fellowship. The feelings of continuity and timelessness that the craft has brought to me are most gratifying. I know that some of my pieces will be used for many generations in the future, and yet there is also a strong connection with the past.”

Now, his creations will truly live on due to advanced techniques such as structured light scanning and photogrammetry.

The team behind the project, which began in 2022, has produced incredibly detailed, sub-millimetric models and measured drawings that will allow artisans to faithfully recreate the furniture pieces.

“Ironically, such high-tech tools are being used to preserve these handmade, utilitarian pieces,” Collins said. “But the precision of these 3D models — capturing details down to half the width of a human hair — ensures long-term preservation and the ability to replicate them for future generations.”

One particularly meaningful aspect of the project is President Carter's personal touches on many of the pieces. For instance, the initials "J.C." are carved into the underside of certain items, and a rose adornment appears on a chest crafted for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

Such personalisation offers glimpses into the less public side of the former President’s life.
Collins said that even the wear and tear from daily use, such as water rings on a coffee table and sun-faded fabric on a daybed, were meticulously recorded.

In addition to making the digitised pieces available online and as educational tools, the U.S. National Park Service plans to enlist skilled woodworking artisans from around the world to use the data from the digital models to create exact replicas.

The replicas will appear at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia. Additionally, replicas will enable the park to replace items meant to be returned to family members.

“He’s always been a model of humanity and hard work to me,” Collins said of Carter. “Our research has documented an important aspect of his life, and I hope these 3D models, like the furniture he crafted, continue to represent a life well-lived.”