Behind the Scenes
Meet John
Learn what John does and everything involved in custom urban timber processing behind the scenes.
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Tables & Desks
Live-Edge Black Walnut Executive Desk & Dining Tops
- Category
- Tables & Desks
- Species
- black walnut
- Dimensions
- Custom full-slab dimensions · Surfaced up to 51" wide
- Location
- Whitmore Lake, MI
This live-edge black walnut piece began as a salvaged local tree brought to our Whitmore Lake yard. Rather than letting a wide, character-rich trunk go to a chipper, John opened the log on the band sawmill to preserve the sweeping natural live edges and bookmatched heartwood figure.
After air seasoning, the slabs were dried in our low-temperature vacuum kiln to 6%–8% moisture content, flattened on our 51" wide abrasive planer, and wide-belt sanded through 120 grit before final finishing.
Stage 01 · Salvaged Timber
Stage 02 · Milling & Kiln Drying
Stage 03 · Finished Surface
In-House Services Used
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Videos from the shop
Log Preparation
Why We Paint Log Ends — Moisture & Checking Control
Why we paint and seal the ends of hardwood logs to control moisture loss and prevent splitting.
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Shop Tour & Inventory
Meet John & Shop Tour — Live-Edge Slab Inventory & Wood Knowledge
Tour John's shop in Whitmore Lake, explore live-edge slab inventory, and learn about hardwood species.
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Vacuum Kiln Drying
Vacuum Kiln Drying Process & Moisture Testing Explainer
John explains how vacuum kiln drying works, moisture testing, and why it prevents wood checking and warp.
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Reclaimed Logs
Monster Log Showcase — Reclaimed Hardwood Timber
John shows off a massive urban salvaged monster log at the Whitmore Lake shop.
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Tutorials & DIY
How to Epoxy a Table — Step-by-Step with John’s Urban Timber
Step-by-step masterclass on pouring, sealing, and finishing live-edge epoxy tables.
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