Jim Zink: Crafting Furniture with Exotic Woods
Jim Zink, a student at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, created this beautiful Innu bench as part of the coursework for an instructional module on "Binding and Veneering." The bench has a curved profile and almost appears to be floating in thin air. The curvilinear style was a first for Zink, a woodworking hobbyist for 12 years, whose work is generally more rectilinear.
"I like the wood to stand out and be the focal point of the pieces I create," Zink says. "Here I saw the beautiful colors and grains as complementary. Each one is individually striking and yet compatible with the other. The shimmering, intricately-figured koa and the dense, opaque wenge just seemed to harmonize nicely."
Zink enjoys experimenting with different species and receiving inspiration from the beauty of the wood and the nature around him. "Perhaps it is all of the beauty that surrounds me that demands that I make furniture with utmost integrity," he says. "Being engaged in my environment allows me to set high expectations for the pieces that I create. After all, nature is already perfect. I can only try to emulate it."
"Working with some types of wood can be tricky," he notes. "The dust produced when sanding wenge, for example, can irritate the eyes, cause respiratory problems and cause a dermal irritation similar to that of poison ivy. Wenge splinters can be septic."
Zink selected ash wood to cover the edges of the bench, a pale, straight-grained wood that does not distract from the dramatic look of the Hawaiian koa. Both koa and wenge veneers are somewhat brittle. Bending them to accommodate the curvature of the bench was a delicate procedure. Working with wenge veneer was a challenge because it has a very open grain and the gluing process had to be done very carefully.
Zink has worked with a variety of other exotic species. He designed and built a coffee table and two matching end tables of solid African Bubinga (Guibourtia ssp.). Some of his other projects involved the use of Brazilian Yellowheart (Euxylophora paraensis), Purpleheart (Peltogyne ssp.), also known as Amaranth, African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii), Indonesian Amboyna (Pterocarpus indicus), and mahogany.
"While imported woods are generally more costly than domestic species, the cost of materials is not the deciding factor for people who buy fine furniture," Zink says. "The larger cost is for the time and workmanship involved. It's the craftsmanship and artistic design that people are mainly paying for."
Zink and his wife, Cynthia Roesch, recently opened a woodworking shop in Meredith, New Hampshire, where he now devotes himself to designing and fabricating custom crafted wood furniture. "My goal for the business is to translate customer designs and wishes into reality, using wood from sustainably managed forests, both domestic and exotic," notes Zink.
JIM ZINK / JIMZINKFURNITUREMAKER.COM
Frequently asked questions
What woods did Jim Zink use to make the Innu bench?+
Zink used Hawaiian koa and wenge veneers for the bench, with ash wood covering the edges. The ash is pale and straight-grained, so it doesn't distract from the dramatic koa.
What are the health risks of working with wenge wood?+
Dust produced when sanding wenge can irritate the eyes, cause respiratory problems, and produce a dermal irritation similar to poison ivy. Wenge splinters can also be septic.
Why is bending koa and wenge veneers difficult?+
Both koa and wenge veneers are somewhat brittle, making bending them to accommodate curved profiles a delicate procedure. Wenge veneer is especially challenging because its very open grain requires the gluing process to be done carefully.
What exotic wood species has Jim Zink used in his furniture projects?+
Zink has worked with African Bubinga, Brazilian Yellowheart, Purpleheart (Amaranth), African Padauk, Indonesian Amboyna, and mahogany, in addition to koa and wenge.
Does the cost of imported wood drive the price of fine furniture?+
According to Zink, material cost is not the deciding factor for fine-furniture buyers. The larger cost is the time, workmanship, and artistic design, which is what customers are mainly paying for.
Where is Jim Zink's woodworking shop located?+
Jim Zink and his wife, Cynthia Roesch, recently opened a woodworking shop in Meredith, New Hampshire, where he designs and fabricates custom crafted wood furniture using wood from sustainably managed domestic and exotic forests.