Soulcrafting with Austin
The story of our dining table
The first thing I noticed when entering Austin’s Dancing Grains workshop, was the copy of Iyengar’s “Light on Yoga” laying on his desk and the yoga mats rolled up on a shelf below a piece of equipment I’d later learn was used to cut wood into straight lines. I’d never done any woodworking or metalworking before, so everything felt foreign except the yoga paraphernalia.
Bryan and I were meeting with Austin to design our dining table and Soulcrafting experience. We had seen the sliding doors Austin is known for and thought that they could make a cool farm style table. The doors are made out of reclaimed barn wood and framed in steel. We wanted the same aesthetic but formed into an 8x3 dining table. We also wanted to be part of the experience. Although Austin was confident he could deliver what we were envisioning, he first needed to solve for two unknowns — a leg design that could support the long, weighty table top and a finish that would protect the surface with out too much shine or darkening. He outlined the process of making the table and highlighted the steps where our labor would be most useful. Our goal was to participate in the design and fabrication. We knew we wouldn’t become expert metal or wood workers but were excited to learn some skills and have a hand in the construction of something that would become a prominent item in our home.
Our first job was to select the boards for the tabletop from a stack of salvaged wood — pine, redwood, cedar, and painted white, red, gray, blue planks. The wood comes from ReSource, an awesome source for reclaimed building and architectural materials in Boulder. After cutting and gluing the planks together, we returned to Austin’s workshop to chisel, sand, and burn the surface into a smooth, even plane. This is normally the most labor intensive part of the process, and by participating we were not only able to learn, but also able to knock off a couple hundred bucks from the price of the table. While Ralph, a kind, quiet guy that works with Austin, welded the frame and legs, we spent an afternoon working on the top.
Austin is a master. He makes each step look easy but was patient and generous as we asked a million questions and awkwardly chiseled the edges of each plank to round it into the next, sanded the boards so they were smooth to the touch, and burned the surface to highlight interesting knots and grain. We spent three hours laboring alongside Austin. With each splinter and divot, our connection to the table grew. As we worked, we also got to learn a bit of Austin’s story.
Austin grew up in San Diego and came to Boulder via Utah where he led outdoor adventure programs for at risk youth. He’s a self-taught craftsman but the work is in his blood; his dad is a business person turned house builder and his mom is an artist. He enjoys experimenting with different designs, all with a modern aesthetic that highlight the beauty of the wood. I asked him how he first found customers and he replied, “by knocking down doors.” Not literally, but in his early days he’d go from shop to shop in Denver to see if they’d be interested in carrying his pieces. Today he sells his custom products primarily direct to customers who find him through Etsy and now, Soulcrafting. He likes being able to work directly with customers and sells about 100 pieces per year. Although clearly an artisan with a love for his craft, Austin also has a unique business sense. Currently, he’s exploring the possibility of vertical integration to directly source and mill the the wood for his pieces. He’s considering a small business loan or a Kickstarter campaign to raise the required capital.
Soulcrafting our table with Austin was unexpectedly satisfying. I was nicknamed “Woodchuck” and laughed at for all the breaks I took to remove splinters from my hands. Austin observed our stylistic differences; Bryan was deliberate and focused, careful not to make mistakes yet slow to progress. I dove in and went for it, recklessly hacking away (that’s how I earned the name Woodchuck) but advancing quickly and calling Austin for help when things went awry. “So you’re a big picture person and Bryan’s a details guy,” Austin noted. Yup, pretty much. Yoga instructors often remind students that our inner-world on the mat is a reflection of how we are in life. I guess the same is true for woodworking. When we weren’t asking questions, we flowed naturally into zen-like periods of silence, concentrating on the angle of the chisel and the texture of the surface, while pouring love into our table.
Next, the surface was fit into the frame, coated and waxed. I returned with my dad who was visiting from Boston, to finish the steel. He learned how to weld about a year ago and enjoyed participating in the creation of our table. I was glad that my dad’s labor was a part of the table’s story as well.
We left each work session energized. “What a great way to spend an afternoon.” Not only do we have much more appreciation for what goes into handcrafting a table, but our table now carries a story. The scars from our labor are reminders of our perfect imperfection. The order of the planks and the finish of the steel are conversation pieces for future dinner parties. We will sit around it with family, friends, and new acquaintances. We’ll talk about what we’re grateful for and dissect our days and discuss the ills of the world and the changes to be made around this table. By Soulcrafting it, we designed a beloved piece of furniture and made it our own.
