The Chronicles of Moby Plank #1: Thus it begins.

If you’re going to get a start, it might as well be dramatic.

I’ve gotten my first commissioned piece, which when finished should resemble an outdoor bar made of pecan and mesquite. The slab of pecan has been in the client’s garage for a decade, since it was harvested because their new bedroom was going to occupy the same space. It is presently 12’ long, 4” thick and 19” wide. Not bad, considering I already had the diesel pickup to haul it with.

My country-girl wife and I stuck one end on a convertible dolly (turns out, it had to be the light end…) and then schlepped this whale up into the barn/workshop, caught our breath, and began the assessment process. I think we’re going to need an assembly table a la Marc Spagnuolo, an electric hand plane, a new Forrest table saw blade, and maybe three or four of those sexy Lie-Nielsen planes I’ve been lusting after (DON’T tell the country-girl wife I said that, please!!)

My task will be to turn it into a 6’ long, “L” shaped bar, semi-rustic, with mesquite legs, stretchers, and shelf. Not a bad thing for a galoot looking to get back into shape. As soon as I figure out how you all embed photos in your blogs, I’ll do the same thing, or at least mirror it on my other blog. Suggestions welcome.

As we begin to attack this monster, I’ll keep posting pictures. I’m going to even try and post the 3-D renderings I used to sell the folks.

-- There's no tool like an old tool...