And now, for something completely different.

I've been making a few things for my partner of late. She's been so lovely about me spending most of my waking hours thinking about boats, so I think it fair that I apply my newly forming woodworking skills towards things she will find beautiful.

We're similar in some ways, when it comes to timber, and nature, and leaving them a lot like how they are. We share some similar tastes when it comes to natural wood finish, and for pretty and simple things that are non-fabricated en-masse by Ikea, though GOD IS IKEA ALSO AMAZING.

So, I found a piece of slabbed Elm going for 20 bucks. It was a little rough, but it's becoming a natural edge writing desk for my lady.

What it used to look like.
(not my photo)

I've never built a table before, so here's hoping it doesn't fall over. The legs are formed from discarded pergola bracing that was hanging around on our property and so the total cost of the table so far is $20 + a few screws and a tin of varnish. The legs aren't varnished, nor is the underside of the tabletop (for gluing purposes), but I couldn't resist showing it off. Those areas still to be varnished will get done up nicely in the coming two days or so.

Sooo shiiiny. The bubbly areas that look rough are natural knots in the wood that I have left for the prettiness of them. The table still feels extremely smooth overall.

Gratuitous timber-grain shot .

From the rear, with a nice clean edge.

Another shot of the varnished grain.

I had a few extra offcuts from the end of the elm slab, so I flattened them out also (the slab had a fairly huge cupping problem when I first got it, with a warp depth in the middle of about 12mm), and they've had their first coat of Tung Oil for due service as chopping and food serving boards. They're roughly an inch thick now, and flat as they come. I've kept the natural edge also. Seems a shame to lose it. They'll get one more coat tomorrow (Tung oil wants ~24 hours between coats) and then voila, artisan chopping boards for...wait... $0.

Board 1, about 30cm x 18cm

Board 2, roughly 24 cm x 18cm

The pair.

So it isn't that I don't do my blog and am lazy, I just get occupied and obsessed with things in waves. I leave things for a time and then return to them, just as obsesses as before. I've been more obsessed with doing, than writing. This might be a sign that the waves are turning, and that writing might be coming back for a few weeks.

Until next time.
Little Cat Ember.