wedge

In all my time working in wood I have never actually tried a wedged through mortice and tenon joint before this point

my third wedge broke going in and I realized I should have done all the wedges in oak
lost another three along the way

there's a raw brutality to the freshly glued joint
and a really humble finish

stands on its own, good sign

time to cut down the legs

forgot to take a single photo making the wedges, really nothing you haven't already seen

What do you do with that really gnarly off-cut of poplar that can't be used on anything else?

Trimmed up the overhang

solid

and the whole reason I made this, a trip to woodworker mecca
Keim Lumber in the heart of Amish country
seriously the best selection of high quality wood, clearly labeled, priced, and sorted alphabetically. Each piece squarely cut on the ends and (no shit) sanded both sides

This is just one of the multiple aisles of lumber
I found the three slabs myself and an incredibly humble and helpful fellow lead me to the cut off pallet in one of the numerous other buildings for the 12/4

All at less that half what I would have paid here in the 216
I indulged in a modest and fulfilling lunch in the upstairs cafe overlooking the most glorious sight of every single item I've ever seen in a woodworking catalogue
except for the hand tools, never found those

contrast

This is wood

but not like any wood you've ever known
this wood is from a tree that sprouted from a seed long before any white European ever set foot on this continent
it was cut down by a white European and nailed to the side of his building
it will now adorn the top of a piece for Matt

this is also wood

wood from a tree that was more than likely grown on a tree farm specifically to be harvested and put on a rack in your favorite big box store

it is also for Matt

I will give both my undivided attention

and try to do my best to make the most efficient use of all of it

though just through the simple act of what I do, it will still be an incredible waste

see

that was only the first round

the final outcome sans two movable shelves

thaw

I am very conscious now
of the vast spans of time
that must be earned
and fought for

the time neglected
and stolen
the times of triumph
and awe

I'm transformed and almost complete
surprised with every entrance
all four stand in unison
in conversation

I pause
and touch
sometimes I pull one out and sit down
just for the hell of it
I'm intrigued by my decisions
and ponder their influence

more than ever before the desire to see the table comes to hand
the prototype has been tweaked
dimensions coerced
aesthetics refined

a head-long plunge is all that awaits
I may have to install a chainfall for working the top
the massive underside cove will only shed a few pounds
and the walnut breadboard ends will easily make that up

motherload

Monday I took a journey

I did the craigslist rounds, and got nowhere

it's mind boggling that so may folks who sell lumber don't know what 8/4 means

I realize it's the language of the woodworker
but still
how can you properly illustrate what you are selling if you don't know the lingo

several hours, promises I've heard before, no way I'm going all the way out there with cash

then I got lucky,
not on C L

I got an answering machine first, figured: crap
then I called back on a whim
and I got Jared at Ohio Woodlands
taken by his demeanor, granted this is after a day of C L: "yea, I gots some boards...been sittin' here 25 years er so..."

Jared actually knew about the trees, had an intimate knowledge of each slab and the anticipation of what he would find after the cut
and I do say slab
there is little under 8/4 if any
and what is more, almost all are live edge
so each has caracter you must decipher, though distracted by its natural seduction

three years I've been making pointless calls
waiting on others to come through
and all I had to do was come here
wish I'd taken some pictures now

first I was led into his house, his basement showroom
I was asked if I needed a water or anything
WOW
wait... what?
that was really nice, and totally unexpected
thanks, Jared!

we traveled from there to the family property, forest like I remember growing up
a cloud of dust and an endless string of rights along a roller coaster dirt road
and I'm greeted by the biggest damn slab of poplar I've ever laid eyes upon
not just one, but two
and a book-matched set, nonetheless
fourteen feet and a good five feet wide between the two

there's more lumber in here than all the woodworkers in Cleveland could possibly hew in a collective lifetime
each and every slab, he carefully pulled back and held as we examined the next

and then I found what I sought

seven feet of twenty inch wide almost 10/4 perfect black walnut
no voids, no crazy crap to work through, straight grain, tight
damn
Oh the chairs are calling out
and to its right
all the legs I can make
a graceful S curve, live edge, no screwing around here

I had entered wood mecca

glad I brought more than enough cash
I'd set a limit
but had not gotten close

courteous does not even begin to describe Jared, he moved all the boards to show what was behind, carried everything to my truck, and all this through my protests that I could and have always been doing it myself

his knowledge and experience are second to none, he doesn't profess to know woodworking, just lots about trees

I don't know what to say

other thank THANKS!

so anyone in the Cleveland/Akron/Youngstown area, you are seriously in luck
help support local, family run businesses, help promote and nurture sustainable practices
give Jared a call, and arrange for a visit
anyone else; he does deliver
you can find Jared here and here.