A Toast to the Jack Daniel's Circassian Walnut Slab Project
Brown-Forman Corporation, corporate owner of Jack Daniel's Distillery, commissioned fabrication of a stunning live-edge Circassian walnut conference table for a new bottling facility located at the Jack Daniel's Lynchburg, Tennessee headquarters.
The table was crafted from two 21-foot long Circassian walnut (Juglans regia) slabs, and the entire design and fabrication process was completed in less than two months by Troy Malmstrom, Director/Fabricator of Digital Processes, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The wood itself, specially sourced from M. Bohlke Veneer Corporation of Fairfield, Ohio, was the catalyst for the ultimate design of the table, according to Malmstrom. "Live-edge slabs dictate or at least help inform the design of the piece of furniture," he said. "You start to work with a slab and carve it out to see what's there, how it wants to express itself."
A unique feature of this table is the electrical trough that runs down its center and houses electrical outlets, USB ports and telecommunication ports. Malmstrom worked directly with M. Bohlke to source two consecutive bookmatched slabs, meaning that the two adjoining faces face upwards and create a mirroring effect. The tree from which the wood was sourced, being wider at the base then narrowing somewhat in the trunk and widening out again where the branches begin, gives the slabs an hourglass shape, and this seen clearly in the shape of the electrical trough.
At one point Malmstrom found a nail embedded in the wood. He decided to leave it intact and worked alternately with woodworking and metalworking tools to smooth it out and allow it to enhance the character of the table surface. "Oxidation from the nail created beautiful black streaks which, due to the bookmatching technique, are mirrored on both sides of the table."
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Frequently asked questions
What wood was used for the Jack Daniel's conference table?+
The table was crafted from two 21-foot long live-edge Circassian walnut (Juglans regia) slabs, specially sourced from M. Bohlke Veneer Corporation of Fairfield, Ohio.
Who designed and fabricated the Jack Daniel's Circassian walnut conference table?+
Troy Malmstrom, Director/Fabricator of Digital Processes based in Cincinnati, Ohio, completed the entire design and fabrication process in less than two months.
Why did Brown-Forman commission the Circassian walnut conference table?+
Brown-Forman Corporation, the corporate owner of Jack Daniel's Distillery, commissioned the table for a new bottling facility located at the Jack Daniel's Lynchburg, Tennessee headquarters.
What is bookmatching and how was it used in the Jack Daniel's table?+
Bookmatching refers to pairing two consecutive slabs so their adjoining faces face upwards, creating a mirroring effect. Malmstrom worked with M. Bohlke to source two consecutive bookmatched Circassian walnut slabs for the table.
How does the Jack Daniel's conference table handle electrical and data connections?+
A unique electrical trough runs down the center of the table, housing electrical outlets, USB ports and telecommunication ports. The trough has an hourglass shape that reflects the natural form of the tree the slabs came from.
Why is there a nail left in the Jack Daniel's walnut table?+
Malmstrom discovered an embedded nail during fabrication and chose to leave it intact, using both woodworking and metalworking tools to smooth it out. Oxidation from the nail created beautiful black streaks that are mirrored on both sides of the table thanks to the bookmatching.