Someone commissioned a five-foot charcuterie board–and I thought that was a tall order, just on the face of it. But the lady also wanted a special handle, something not ordinary. A double challenge!
I chose a slab of apple wood that was about five-and-a-half feet long and seventeen inches at its widest. It was about an inch thick. It had promise. It also had an interesting void in the widest part. I looked and looked at that part, and the unusual grain eventually suggested the shape and placement of the handle.
Making the Form
I removed the bark from the edges and sanded (and sanded) the all the surfaces. Then I smoothed out the edges of the handle.
The piece was coming along well. There was a harmony of grain and form. But I had to deal with the void (even an out-of-the-ordinary charcuterie board should not have a rough well in it). I finally decided to own the real tall order here: learning how to pour epoxy.
Sidebar: Kintsugi, the Real Tall Order Here
Yes, here is an interruption in the narrative to discuss the Japanese method kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with gold. [I referred to this technique (https://thelindenwoodstudio.com/blog-2/) when discussing wabi sabi.]
To fill in the void of the charcuterie board was to me a variation on kintsugi (or kintsukuroi). It would be making a “repair” that would improve the original. Here is a better description of kintsugi: “This unique method celebrates each artifact’s unique history by emphasizing its fractures and breaks instead of hiding or disguising them. In fact, kintsugi often makes the repaired piece even more beautiful than the original, revitalizing it with a new look and giving it a second life” (https://mymodernmet.com/kintsugi-kintsukuroi/ ).
Learning a New Thing
Learning how to mix, color, pour, and cure epoxy cannot be covered adequately in this space. Suffice it to say that with the advice of a knowledgeable employee of Rockler, the unwavering faith of my wife, and frankly the necessity of getting this piece done propelled me headlong into using this mystical substance.
Taping underneath the void and leveling the board are crucial steps.
Since it was only 40 degrees in the shop, I did this in the laundry room. (Her idea. Really.)
Mixing and pouring must happen quickly.
Mix, tint, pour, and wait. (Okay, and worry a little.) But the epoxy began to set, and soon it hardened. Twelve hours would have been fine, but I gave it another day. My wife said that the void now looks like Lake Baikal. Kinda does.
Finishing Up that Tall Order
More sanding, to make the surface even with the “lake,” required about another two hours. Then I stained the wood with Special Walnut. The next day, I polished it with Odie’s.
And here is the finished piece. You can see it was a tall order.
