He makes the large water barrels that ride on the side of the wagons, and the smaller, rope-handled water buckets. Masters and Richardson have friends and business associates who search the outlands of the West and Midwest looking for original chuck wagon and cowboy paraphernalia, but even with help there are items that are slowly dissolving from existence. The old tin plates are difficult to come by, she said. The small coffee grinders that attached to the side of the chuck box or wagon are nearly gone as well. She makes 12 to 15 of those every year.
Masters also crafts a handmade sleeping bag of waterproof canvas, tucked over a small mattress.
It will soon get to where I must turn my work over to somebody else. I won't be able to handle all of it.