The 5 year production of a one-off coffee table.
I approached Tim, a seasoned cabinet maker, some 5 years ago about making a coffee table for Cyber Graphics. He suggested an idea of a sleeve with open sides as illustrated in the Lion match box, appealed to me. I can put stuff on top and inside. My cats can play simple games like, you run and I chase you through the table. I proceeded to sketch the table with coasters to the dimensions of my Subaru SportsWagon for transport and gave him the plan.

Little did I know that you don’t just order an artwork from a cabinet maker that works with rare hardwood, but that you have to wait for the right piece to appear by chance. You can’t just buy it. One day Tim saw the odd railway sleeper and said to himself,“ keep it aside for Jan, it looks promising”. When he split it with his killer circular saw, has was amazed at finding an almost black piece of wood, with yellow sapwood edges. He has only found something similar about twice in his career.

It was the rare Chacate wood that grows in Mozambique and South Africa that was felled for railway sleepers over a 100 years ago. Now a rarity because of the felling. The Tree: Smaller than most of its close relatives (Bubinga), Chacate still attains a height of about 90 ft (27m) and diameters usually in the range of 20-30 in. (51-76cm) range. Clear boles are attainable up to 40 ft (12m) in length. The Timber: The heartwood is dark brown near black with lighter honey brown longitudinal streaks. Moderately lustrous. Grain is interlocked and fine textured.

About a 5 months ago he found the wood for the sides. He called me and said to come and have a look at this sleeper which was a lighter and more streaky Chacate wood. I approved and marked it on the spot. He continued to split the sleeper for the sake of the photo documentary of the making of the table that took 5 years to complete.

It was worthwhile waiting for something totally unique made by a master craftsman. You will never again find wood even close to it never mind a craftsman that works with hardwood!