Will Sampson talks about the unique and timeless attraction of natural wood but also how new technology responds to the demands for wood. His guest is Bob Lennon, president of ThermalWoodCanada, a company that specializes in thermally modifying natural wood.
This episode of the Woodworking Network podcast was sponsored by FDMC magazine. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
You can find all of our podcasts at WoodworkingNetwork.com/podcasts and in popular podcast channels. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Thanks again to today’s sponsor, Wood Pro Expo. If you have a comment or topic you’d like us to explore, contact me at will.sampson@woodworkingnetwork.com. And we would really appreciate it if you fill out the survey at woodworking network.com/podcast-survey. Thanks for listening.
Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Intro:
Welcome to this episode of the Woodworking Network Podcast. Join us as we explore the business of woodworking big and small and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
Today’s episode is sponsored by FDMC magazine. My guest is Bob Lennon from ThermalWoodCanada. We’ll be talking about thermally modified wood and a new substitute for ebony. But first I want to talk about:
The magic of wood
There’s an attraction and a romance with natural wood that is hard to explain. For me it’s akin to a gut reaction that I can’t control. If I see natural wood with spectacular figure and grain or used in some outstanding way, it takes my breath away. It’s not just marveling at the craftsmanship; it’s the draw of the wood itself.
Not far away from my house in Maine is a lumber yard called Rare Woods USA. It specializes in exotic hardwoods from all over the world and has multiple warehouses full of amazing wood. I’ve written about the place before, and I could spend hours there, just checking out the wood. Seeing and touching new species, the smell of the place, the inspiration to make something from a special board — it all combines for a magical experience.
James Krenov famously wrote about keeping special boards in his shop until they spoke to him to inspire him to make something. I typically buy wood for specific projects, so I seldom succumb to the urge to take possession of a spectacular board without already knowing what I want to build. But I do know people who are self-described “woodaholics.” One gentleman I know has a whole barn full of some of the most spectacular wood you have ever seen. It’s way more than his custom furniture shop needs probably for beyond his lifetime, but he still keeps buying more wood.
After years of design trends for cabinets being dominated by paint, designers tell me the wood look is back. But that includes increasingly realistic synthetic substitutes that mimic the look, color, grain, and texture of natural wood without the finicky workability issues that wood sometimes imposes. That’s good, because demand for the best natural wood continues to outstrip supply. Environmental considerations mean we might not always be able to obtain highly sought after species. And new technologies such as thermally or chemically treating natural wood are allowing more widely available and renewable species to stand in for some exotics or even to compete with synthetic materials in exterior applications.
Still there is something intangible about spectacular natural wood. Marveling at the chatoyance of quilted maple, or the intricate swirling grain of a burl, running your fingers down the rich chocolate surface of some perfect black walnut, or enjoying the dynamic surprise of stripes of ray lines as you open up a quartersawn white oak board for the first time. These are things that feed the magic of natural wood in my soul.
It helps to remind us that working with wood is working with a unique and living material. No two pieces are identical. It inhales and exhales the moisture in the air, expanding and contracting constantly. No matter how perfect the board is, it is not entirely homogenous, and those who treat wood as if it were homogenous are destined to experience failure. I’ll take that challenge any day just to savor the magic of wood.
Before we get to our interview with Bob Lennon, let’s pause for a word from our sponsor.
FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Now, let’s talk about thermally modified wood with Bob Lennon.