This extra-wide set of walnut was chosen to be February's Item of the Month due to it's ability to stand out from the crowd.  Walnut of this size and clarity is definitely a special find.  The log has been milled to a 10/4 thickness which can be used for some massive tops.  Actually, with over 500bf in the set this log could supply the wood for many different projects.  So read through the IoM page to learn a little more about this specialty log, the history it contains, and our adventure in milling the monster.
 

It is exciting when wood workers and wood lovers look at a project through the same sort of eyes.  Clark Kellogg of Kellogg Furniture Design has an appreciation for his wood that parallels the feelings we have here at HORIZON.   

In discussing his craft and its raw material Clark says, "It is important to understand that wood comes from TREES.  Wood is not just a commodity to be purchased at the lumber yard, it is an extension of nature".  He goes on to compare his thoughts to an understanding that food comes from the earth, not from little boxes that appear on the grocery shelves.  We hear ya, Clark!

In creating his "Shizen Table" Kellogg didn't just cut into his wood, he analyzed it, looked at the grain and took advantage of its uniqueness.  He shaped his table to follow the curve of the cherry flitchs he purchased from HORIZON.  He made the best of the consecutively cut pieces that HORIZON provided him and created the lower stretcher from  wood that was sawn from the same log, containing the same sweep of grain and color characteristics as the top.  The graceful uniformity of his piece could not be obtained any other way.  Regarding the table's construction, Clark says, ".....all the parts (minus the drawer sides and bottom) were milled from the same two boards I received from HORIZON.  This was partly to ensure grain and color continuity from the table top, but more than that, it just seemed like the table should be made from one tree."