In the workshop this month are a pair of live edge, burr elm, side tables. The burr elm slab used for the tabletops was picked up from Wentwood Timber Centre a few months ago. This is unusual, as most timber for AxoMan Design furniture comes from my own sustainably managed small woodland. I couldn’t resist this special burr elm board though!

Elm timber is relatively rare in the UK after Dutch Elm Disease killed most of the native trees in the 1970s. The ‘burr’ (‘burl’ in the US) is a bulbous growth on the trunk of the tree, highly prized for it’s beautiful irregular grain. The lumpy, spiky form created under the bark will be delicately cleaned up and form part of the live edge.

The live edge boards , flattened by router sled and finely sanded will sit atop ‘X’ leg oak frames to create a stunning pair of bedside tables. Photos show a mock up of the leg frames to help decide on orientation. ‘X’ legs parallel to the live edge or the cut edge?

Oak is a good match for elm and will be used for the ‘X’ legs and a cylindrical stretcher, separating each pair of legs. The two pieces of each ‘X’ are joined with a traditional halving joint which slots neatly together for a clean and simple appearance. The oak dowel clamped in the top ‘V’ of each leg frame in the mock ups will pass though the centre of each ‘X’ leg once assembled.

These two tables are for a commission but I have around half of the original board left. The plan is to use this for a coffee table. If you’d like it to be something else please get in touch!