An Air Force veteran contacted me for a coffee table that could display memorabilia from his Air Force career. Being an Air Force Academy graduate he also wanted his 1979 class crest prominently displayed. A collaboration began that resulted in the table you see here.
Each side of the table houses a shallow drawer under glass to display items. The center panel’s class crest is done in hand-cut marquetry within a border of aluminum inlay. The table is made of walnut. The drawer bottoms reflect the Academy’s terrazzo pattern using ash burl and holly.
The finishing recipe included a faint orange water-based aniline dye stain for the walnut to restore the color lost through kiln drying. This was followed by GF Seal-a-Cell, Gloss Arm-R-Seal (to build a foundation), and final coats of Satin Arm-R-Seal. Sanding and surface prep occurred between coats. A hand-rubbed paste wax coat completed the finish.
The detailed marquetry work for this project posed an enjoyable challenge. The table now resides at its home in Colorado.