Reclaim, retask, remember…

Timber Bench for JLS by JLS – 2008. The name says it all with this project. This is simply a "slice" of a douglas fir timber that I have used to create a bench. This is among the most conceptual pieces I have created, and the nuance may go unnoticed at first glance. The timber itself is massive, and weighs around 150lbs. The terms substantial, solid, and planted, among others, come to mind when I look at a timber like this. Juxtaposition – the timber appears to float just above the ground, perhaps not as substantial, solid and planted as it should be. The initial user reaction is just that – one feels secure sitting on it until you see that it looks like it might not be as it seems, but is that even possible?

The work behind this one was far less that other projects (manual labor), but the sourcing took more time. Timber like this isn't widely available, and many sources charge through the nose based on this. As with most things, if you can get to the supplier to your would-be supplier, then you are better off. That was the case here, and I was able to find a better piece at a better price…but it also required a little road trip. Many retailers have offered ottoman-like or table pieces that are cut from similar timbers. Unfortunately, these and similar mass-market timber items are generally designed to fail. As you can see, my timber has a slightly warm hew – it isn't "raw" wood. This is purposeful. As I did my research, I came to better understand the relationship between the cellular properties of timbers and their size – the big guys survive longer as big guys because the ratio of exposed (face-cut) area to their length (cut

along the fibrous direction, not against) is high. When this ratio gets too low (I am sure that is some Gladwell-esk "tipping point", but I am not going to get that deep into it), the timber pieces simply dry out and fall apart, sometimes in short order. In order to prevent this, you need to bind the fibers, in essence glue the timber together before it falls apart. I accomplished this using a simple wood working oil finish with a natural tone. While my timber is not as "raw" as the trendy items you can find around the way, it will still be useful in its current form in five years. Mine also has a bit of character, a slight dent in the corner. This would simply not do for most retail customer, but in my case, it is part of the story. When I picked the timber up from the mill, the operations were closed (summer day off). My sales contact decided to roll along anyway and loaded the timber on the lift…and proceeded to drop it

within inches of my truck. He offered another piece, but in the spirit of keeping expectations reasonable and that I like my pieces to have a story, I could not bring myself to replace what had become "my" timber.

As with other projects I have discussed and plan to discuss on this site, the amount of information I learned during this project was worth it at twice the price. In this case, I am happily in the money on a mark to market basis, based on the comparable timber pieces I have seen around the way.

This bench is not for sale, but I would gladly entertain discussions with parties interested in the concept and in having something similar made to order.