I’ve never understood people who build furniture using pallet wood and an Altendorf table saw. Well, I guess I understand them, I just don’t happen to sympathize.
When I buy materials for my projects, I can’t imagine skimping on the wood, the hardware or the tools I use in the shop. For me, it’s a lot like cooking. Getting a good meal from a typical grocery-store steak is difficult to impossible.
Today I made a trip to Midwest Woodworking in Norwood, Ohio, with woodworker Andy Brownell to score a teak board that I have been dreaming about for some months now.
I spotted the board during my first trip to Midwest (read about that here). It was stashed away in a storeroom filled with old doors and other unidentifiable stuff. It’s huge – 24” wide, 1-1/4” thick and 12’ long. Clear. Flat. And at least 40 years old.
I’m going to use this board to build another campaign chest for this book I’m working on – teak was one of the common woods used for these pieces. But there is nothing common about this board.
The owner, Frank David, was kind enough to have one of his employees surface the board on the company’s 24”-wide Italian planer. My jack plane was most grateful of this gesture. As the board emerged from the planer, I got that tingling feeling in my underpants that we are all familiar with. The tingling that comes with good wood.
If you can make any excuse to come to Cincinnati, make sure to visit Midwest Woodworking Co. and then go to Gordo’s down the street for a microbrew and and burger. You will not regret the trip. Bring cash and a big truck. And be sure to call Frank beforehand to set things up: 513-631-6684. His prices are as reasonable as his wood is incredible.
— Christopher Schwarz
