It’s starting to feel real! Urban Tree Company has been hard at work on our headboard this past week, and I took a trip to their woodshop out in the Hill Country to check in on the progress. I expected to find that they had made some headway (pun intended) on the sanding and shaping, but I did NOT think they were going to let me get in on the action!
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Scott and Jenni explained that this part of the process is the most tedious. They first flipped the root ball over, taking care to get the “stump” as level as possible so the rest of the structure is stable. They then set up a router and frame around the root ball so sanding it down is as painless as it can be. Finally, they added a canopy over the top so the wood will stay dry and easy to work with. The process right now is all about getting the surface of the headboard level, Scott said, so it’s about finding that lowest common denominator where they expose the portions of the headboard they want, and can start to see the shape taking form.
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When Jenni showed the process for using the router, I was impressed with her skill and ability to make it look so easy. When she turned to me and asked if I wanted to try, I was terrified! LOL But then I remembered that I caught and filleted my own fish earlier this year in South Padre, this wasn’t scarier than that! So I stepped up to the plate and began pushing the router slowly towards the slab of wood we were slowly shaving down. Scott warned to be ready for it to potentially catch or jerk, so my arms were tense and nervous. As it turns out, though, it was oddly satisfying and relaxing!
If you ever wondered if I would look cool sanding a headboard, the answer is no, no I do not. But I FELT cool!
The best part? Now I can tell people I made my own headboard. 😉 Ok maybe not on my own, but I helped with 0.00005% of the process! I left that afternoon with the headboard in the capable hands of Urban Tree Company, who now has about 5000 more hours to go before they can shave off the slab of wood that will become our headboard. It’s coming down to the wire for a Christmas installation, but I think this is a good lesson in learning to appreciate the time and detail it takes to create something truly valuable. Fast fashion and fast furniture should be left in 2021 in my opinion, so I’m just thrilled to see the process and gain a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship that it takes to build something with your own two hands. To be continued!
XO,
A
