Selection & Soul: Starting the Week in the Maida Vale Workshop

There is a quiet moment in the workshop before the machines start up—the process of selecting the timber. For a maker, this is the most important part of the journey.

Today on the bench, I’m working with a mix of species. From left to right: the honey-toned warmth of Tasmanian Blackwood, the chocolate depth of American Black Walnut, and of course, our local icon, Western Australian Jarrah.

To some, these look like simple boards leaning against a workbench. But as I mark them out (you can see my chalk notes for ‘Jarrah’ and ‘Walnut’), I’m looking for the specific grain match and structural integrity that a permanent memorial requires.

If you look closely at the Walnut, you’ll see a yellow circle I’ve marked out. That’s a natural flaw in the board. While some mass-producers might let that slip through to save on timber costs, I mark these areas early to ensure they never make it into the finished vessel. It’s about ensuring that every urn is structurally sound and visually flawless before it ever leaves my bench.

Why the ‘Raw’ stage matters

When you choose a solid timber urn from A Cut Above Woodworking, you aren’t buying a mass-produced product from a warehouse. You are buying a piece of furniture that started as these rugged, honest boards.

By hand-selecting the timber here in my Maida Vale workshop, I can ensure that the grain flows seamlessly around the corners of the box—a process known as ‘grain matching’—and that the joinery is precise and enduring. It’s a slower way of working, but for a final resting place, it is the only way that feels right.