Heavy Goods

Cutting Board Nº 3 – the Fishtail Cutting Board
Black Walnut, Quartersawn Red Oak, Padauk, and Ash with mineral oil and wax.
Made in June 2024.
WNC.

Personalized EDC Tray.
Quarter-sawn white oak finished in danish oil and wax.
Made in June 2024.
WNC.

Cross N° 1.
Walnut and brass.
Made in May 2024.
WNC.

I’ve been mulling over this minimalistic design for a walnut cross with a brass inlay for a few months now. While this isn’t the final design, it’s pretty gratifying being able to begin to realize it. I’m still playing around with the crossbar-to-stipe length, with this prototype having a shorter ratio of 2:3. The next version will be 2:4 or 3:5, taking on a dagger-like shape. I’m curious to see if adding softer pointed edges or a small, contrasting nameplate from an exotic wood, like padauk, osage orange, or purpleheart, would be appealing approaches. More to come soon!

“We shall see…” Plaque.
Pyrography on red oak.
Made in May 2024.
WNC.

Ouija Board.
White Oak and a metal-lined lens with a polyurethane-based finish.
Made in April 2024.
WNC.

I had the pleasure of crafting this ouija board for our family friends’ eldest daughter. At their request, it was roughly replicated from and inspired by the spirit board from the fantasy TV series Charmed.

We fell, milled, and dried this beautifully patterned white oak slab harvest from our property, which, after trying to find the right material for the project, felt like the most natural choice. Using GIMP, a free and open-source alternative to Photoshop, I scaled, recolored, and tiled the reference images to bring the design to life. With careful precision, I overlayed and carbon-transferred the text, numerals, and symbols, before burning them into the slab and planchette. To ensure durability and longevity, I mixed and applied several coats of a poly-based finish, each coat getting a little less mineral spirits and oil and more poly.

This piece was a labor of love and care, creating such a novel oddity that will surely spark enchanting moments for our friends’ little mystic.

IYKYK 💀

Cutting Board Nº 2 – the Charcuterie Board
Black Walnut, Padauk, Cherry, and White Oak.
Made in March 2024.
WNC.

All I’m gonna say is I’m incredibly pleased with how the shape, grain, and color came out on this charcuterie board commission.

Cutting Board Nº 1 – the Griddle Cover
Black Walnut, Ambrosia Maple, Cherry, and Padauk.
Made in March 2024.
WNC.

This edge-grain griddle cover was crafted specifically for our client’s stunning stainless steel range, complementing their beautiful tile backsplash. As my inaugural venture into creating cutting boards, this project presented a welcome challenge. Though primarily serving as a convenient resting surface for utensils and seasonings, the occasional need for coverage prompted the creation of this versatile solution.

Seeking a balance between rustic charm and refined elegance, I selected wood species and crafted a unique form to fulfill both practical and aesthetic requirements. Considering the proximity to heat vents and cooking surfaces, I meticulously shaped the board to minimize heat exposure and potential obstructions. Its end-grain boasts an elevated trapezoidal shape to shield it from stove and grill heat, while its side-profile adopts a parallelogram form to mitigate vented heat from the rear. This design ensures easy handling and functionality, whether used as a cover or a cutting board flat atop a counter, as there’s always at least one edge bevel available for an accessible grasp.