Firewood or furniture?

I had the misfortune to have an 80-foot-tall black cherry tree fall on my house several years ago. My initial plan was to chop all that wood up and stay warm for a bit. Once the beauty of the wood was uncovered, I decided to take a different path. That is when I shifted gears, quit my job and enrolled at Haywood Community College. It was a wise decision. I’ve begun to learn the craft so that I might utilize this unexpected treasure in a more useful way. Living in the woods as I do, I have access to many resources. A local sawyer helps me transform the logs into boards that will then be crafted into something else. It is a joy to see the process from start to finish.

The Buchanan Buffet

…was inspired by an article I read in Fine Woodworking Magazine. The author stated that “boring projects create bored woodworkers.” I don’t fare well with boredom. My desire was to incorporate some of the design elements from the magazine article into my graduation project. This goal presented me with a steep learning curve and many problems to solve. It took way longer than I expected and I’m pleased to say that I learned a lot too. Every mistake provides a lesson in how to refine the craft. There was lots of refinement. This piece features gun stock miters on the lower legs to create a pleasing curve. The doors feature bookmatched, quartersawn sycamore panels and handcrafted pulls. The materials for the Buchanan Buffet were sourced from a cherry tree that fell on my house in downtown Asheville. The sycamore came from a local supplier in Swannanoa, NC. It was a pleasure to build.

The unique patterns found in quartersawn wood are as unpredictable as they are hypnotic. The medullary rays of this particular species provide an almost snake skin like appearance. While this may have an exotic look, it is a common locally grown tree.