Every good craftsman sees wood as art in its own right. The uniqueness of a slab is what draws us to it. Here we have these fibers and grains growing in unpredictable ways, making every piece unique, and yet each one starts from a tiny little seed. The sheer magnificence of its existence should amaze us. Having wood in its rawest form is the reason we get so excited about slabs. It makes our furniture come alive, mixing the beauty of craftsmanship with the wonder of nature.
Okay, enough gushing about slabs. Let’s talk about this slab. Most people would see it and think, “Oh, what a huge check. No thanks.” Those people can’t see with our craftsman’s eyes. To us, the check increases the wonder of the slab. It adds to its story. Many would just fill the check and butterfly it. If they’re bold, maybe they’d leave it open and put a few butterfly’s in it. Hogwash. We need to do more. We need to accentuate the story.
Some options
What makes a craftsman a craftsman is he can stare at a piece of wood and see a finished piece. As I look at this gorgeous checked Monkey Pod, I see a joint begging to be used. Imagine a top; let’s say it’s round. Better yet, let’s say you found a large crosscut and needed the perfect base. I’m spying the perfect use of this slab as a bridle joint so the slab goes through the top of the table, exposing the end grain. You’d unite the two pieces with a wonderful wood-to-wood connection that displays the natural beauty of the check.
Another thing you could do is take that check and finish it off. Drive a wedge into the check and keep driving until the slab cracks in half. You now have two perfectly bookmatched live-edge slabs. You could put anything in the space between. If it’s for a beach house, you could fill the gap with a piece of custom-cut glass and install a small, thin box underneath to hold sand and seashells—a little window to the beach. A country piece could have another piece of wood cut to fit between the two slabs. In a modern home, maybe polished concrete.
The Skinny
There are so many options with this slab. Take your time and study it. Think outside the box and tell a story. Don’t ever follow the crowd; lead it.
