Motorbikes, trucks with "American cabin", jeeps of various makes and models, with emphasis on Land Rovers, Volkswagens Beetle, motorcycles with sidecar ou knits. From the hands of Francisco Assunção, from empty beverage cans, comes a huge variety of miniature vehicles, toys for grown-up people.
Alentejano de Aljustrel, but living in Loulé “for thirty years”, where he worked as an electrician and, above all, as an employee of the Secondary School, Francisco is 68 years old (almost 69) and now dedicates his free time to his “arts workshop », where he produces the pieces that he later sells at Queda do Vigário, in Alte. It has already been sold at Fonte Grande, but now, even with little water as we are at the end of the summer, it is the cascade of the Alte stream that attracts the most visitors and, therefore, this is where the artisan settles.
The material he uses are beverage cans and the more colorful the better. Many are given to him by friends they have at gas stations. "But it's all disinfected before I start using it."
How many days does it take to build a motorcycle? Sul Informação. «I do this in a puzzle, first I make the pieces, then I assemble everything, so it's faster. That's why, in three days, I make three motorcycles».
Each of the vehicles reuses the material from the cans as much as possible. The wheels, for example, are made from the bottom of the cans, connected with very small rivets. The door handles of trucks or some parts of the motorbike engine are made with the rings used to open the cans. «I use everything!», he guarantees.
Sometimes, they ask him for specific models and Francisco Assunção first makes a cardboard model of the vehicle, then breaks everything into pieces, to make the molds, then line it with the can and produce all the necessary pieces. It is, in short, a work of imagination, but also of skill and patience.
How many pieces do you make per year? Francisco thinks a little, but replies: “I have no idea, I never told”.
And when did you discover this vocation for crafts? “I've been doing these things since I was little. Back at Aljustrel, I was guarding goats and, with a penknife, secretly from my father, I made my toys out of logs of rockrose, which I picked up there. I made mopeds, I did other things. At that time, there was no money to buy toys, we made them».
Their pieces are not cheap, but the work they give, the meticulous execution, the necessary creativity, justify the price. A motorbike costs €25, a truck with a trailer €50. But, explains Francisco, of all the pieces he sells, 5 euros are delivered to Refúgio Aboim Ascensão, in Faro. Because, he says, «Dr. Villas-Boas was my commander in Mozambique», during the Colonial War, and that resulted in a friendship that lasts until today.
Francisco Ascensão's pieces are already decorating the shelves of homes around the world. «In the morning, six motorcyclists from Setúbal were here who bought two motorcycles. They're going to give it to their father, who can't ride a motorcycle anymore, but he likes it». explains.
Picking up his cell phone, where he keeps hundreds of photographs of his works, some sent by buyers, Francisco says: “Do you see this truck? I have a collector, who is Portuguese but lives in the United States, who has already bought me some. A few days ago I sent a truck there. I have another collector who is French and even sends me friends here. There are others in Quarteira, in Mem Martins, in Spain. A lot of people like these things I do».
Protected from the summer heat by an umbrella, Francisco is also a kind of receptionist and information post for those who want to visit the Vigário Falls.
A couple arrives, with a small child: «Good afternoon! Is the Vigário's fall that way?”, they ask. "Yes, yes", he replies, with a smile, pointing to the beginning of the path that descends to the waterfall and the catch. "And now there's water?" «There is little. Fall is beautiful, for those who don't know. But be careful with the sun, which costs a lot to go up and without the beer it's even more difficult», he jokes.
On the way back, the kid, who takes his time dating the bikes, manages to get his parents to buy him one.
He chose a motorcycle made out of a bright blue can, but he was undecided, because he also liked another one, red. What colors sell the most? «Everything is sold. But the color I see that catches the most is the one I make».
While he waits for his customers or simply for the mirones with whom he likes to chat, Francisco Assunção prepares some very light and malleable aluminum tubes, which will be the chassis of several motorcycles. “You can't stand still, this is even good”, he guarantees.
Anyone who wants to contact Francisco Assunção can find him at Queda do Vigário or contact him by phone or by whatsapp to 969696992. There is also the email [email protected] .
See here the photographs of the numerous pieces:
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