Wood has holes, knots and imperfections
According to granddad there are two types of wood: the one you can see and the one you cannot see (for instance the back of a cupboard). The first type of wood, the one you can see, must be perfect, so no holes, knots or imperfections. The second type of wood, the one you cannot see, does not need to be perfect, it doesn't even need to be wood. It can be chipboard because why bother, if you can't see it.
The Aude
I live in the Aude, not far from the Pyrenees and there I live, literally, between the trees. One third of France is wood, but here in the department of the Aude that fraction seems even higher. Everywhere you see trees and in all kinds of different ways I'm working with wood. We heat our house with wood. That takes about 8 m3 a year which we saw and split by hand. When we arrived here at Barot we planted many fruit trees. Now every year they give us a lot of apples, plums and cherries. Furthermore, we have a lot of other trees on our land. During a big storm sometimes one or more of them falls over, felled by the wind. The next day we take the motor saw and ax and the old Land Rover to clean up the fallen trees thus increasing the stock of fire wood or timber. Storms are not the only source of timber. Now and then I visit the sawmill to buy some timber.
Perfect
Granddad thought the look of a piece of furniture had to be perfect. I disagree. Now that I have seen so many trees in all their different states and so much raw wood I know that wood itself is not perfect. Every tree has its holes, knots and imperfections. That is just an integral part of the tree. A piece of furniture made of wood, may show those holes, knots and imperfections. With that it proves it really comes from a tree
About my furniture design
A notebook with squares, a pencil and an eraser. That is all I need in the evening to feel happy. For hours I can sketch and draw. If I'm satisfied the next phase plays out in my workshop. There I transform the drawings into a real piece of furniture. Sometimes during that process I become less and less satisfied with the design. In that case I adapt it. If that doesn't work, there is only one solution. It becomes firewood.
About the construction
Granddad taught me a lot and because I was so young I did not forget it. However, he never thought to teach me to work with wood machinery. I suppose I was to young for that. That was really a pity. When I ordered a number of those big woodworking machines, it was no fun to start working with them. Lots of buttons, handles and wheels, lots of noise and a fast, no mercy punishment if you make an error. Fortunately, with limited damage, I learned to use those machines and now I can operate them with my eyes closed.
Unique
That does not imply I can easily transform a design into a piece of furniture. The first time is always difficult. A second construction would be easier, smoother and faster, but in principal I construct only one piece from a design. After the noise of the machinery it is good to return to my notebook with squares.