The Live Edge Slab Carving Starts

The carving has begun! Previously the participants outlined their plans for the slabs we provided. Now Rustic Lumber’s Live Edge Slab Showcase is getting started in earnest with the participants carving through the wood and piecing the components together, so now their chairs and tables are starting to take shape. Check it out!

Roger’s Chair: The Beginning

As Roger Casey said, he was planning to scoop out a portion of the wood and thin the whole back down. A piece of bark was exposed that turned into a large inclusion that Roger says looks awesome. As he progressed he set about adding more character to an already really cool-looking and characterful piece of wood. He describes it as having the most beautiful grain in it that he has ever seen. Woah. He’s begun on the seat and preparing to make the legs as well.

Roger says what he is really looking forward to is working on the outside of the slab, which has a beautiful white tap wood on it, which is a perfect canvas for creative carving. He intends to follow the grains as much as he can to create intricate designs.

In the video he has an array of circular saws, grinders and chainsaws to help him through the process. It shows the project really taking shape, with the various parts of the chair becoming more defined. He has the backrest and the back legs pretty much ready. So that leaves the rest of the seat, the front legs and the arm waiting to be carved out.

As Matt himself says, he would not be that daring with those tools, so what Roger has done with them is pretty amazing and impressive. Needless to say, there is much anticipation for the final result of this very creative endeavor.

Matt’s Table’s Smokin’

Matt Haberkorn of Colorado is going to shou sugi ban the edges of his slab. With this ancient Japanese technique, he aims to cauterize the wood that protects it from bugs and seals up the wood while giving it a nice color. This entails removing the bark and burning the rim. In the process of bark removal audiences will clearly see Matt’s cast, it is in a light shade of green and wraps around his last two fingers (not from a workshop accident but from his bike slipping on black ice), but it is clearly not slowing him down as he works on the wood. The video shows Matt working with fire, making several passes on the edges, and saying he will continue on with seven to ten more passes. That’s a lot of work!

Afterwards Rustic Lumber’s own Matt goes into depth on shou sugi ban, explaining that the company also does it for the wood siding it supplies. So it is fun to see the technique being used on furniture. As he says, it shows how much work is put into making quality pieces of furniture such as these. So everyone is looking forward to the outcome.

Takeaway

Those are the first two updates. Nate Halverson from Idaho (formerly California) and James Brough will also be updating Rustic Lumber audiences on their progress. We can’t wait to see what they’ve been up to!