Live Edge Walnut with Extensions (Company Boards)
A beautiful 8’ heirloom table made from bookmatched claro walnut. The figure in this table made for an extremely nice and tedious build. Taking our time every step of the way and examining from every angle. Using touch to feel any inconsistencies within the wood. Planing and sanding until we achieved the smoothest finish possible. With the extensions this piece finishes at 10’ long x 48-50” wide.
This bookmatch features 2 live edge claro walnut slabs from the same tree. We used black resin to fill voids on the top and bottom. Claro walnut bow-ties were used to strengthen and reinforce cracks within each slab. There are 6 on the bottom and 4 on the top. Here is a quick video showcasing the method we use for inlaying our bow-ties:
Company boards were custom made for this table from claro walnut as well. We fabricated the custom connections for these in house. They are sleek and minimal. They give the live edge table a little extra seating during the holidays without taking away from the design. The metal also goes great with the black omega cast iron by Ares Iron.
A Relaxing Oasis in Boston, MA
Imagine waking up and feeling refreshed. Working and feeling inspired. When I look at these images I am reminded, nature is the true designer. Something so peaceful about the mix of materials, light and nature.
When I began working on this walnut slab, I envisioned it as a communal table in a restaurant. Piecing it back together with its other half when a large party wanted to sit together. How wrong I was... This piece wasn't meant for that. It was meant to bring a sense of purpose to this room. To say "I once was broken, but now I am whole. This is where I belong".
My Pith series has been my most unexpected success story in the shop. By taking these often discarded boards, and putting them back together we have found a new purpose. The "Pith", refers to the center of the tree and represent the 1st year of growth. It is a soft, spongy material and generally this board will split right down the middle because of this. But there is another meaning to this word, "The essence of something".
Crafting these pieces takes time, thought, and planning. It all starts at the mill. We take careful measurements when beginning our cuts because your 1st cut dictates how your last cut ends. These cuts are often planned to remove the pith from all other boards. Making them more stable and less likely to crack during the drying and building process. As I mentioned earlier, once these boards have dried they are likely to crack along the pith. We reinforce the cracked boards together again using a variety of techniques (Mortise and Tenon, Bowties, Epoxy, etc...). Here you can see our process and inlaying bowties (other names include butterflies, Dutchmans keys, etc...):
It is our hope that we can continue to salvage these boards to create truly one of a kind heirloom pieces for years to come. Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment or share below!