A note from Len Conway, Principal at the Building Crafts College, updating the progress in creating a table from a massive bog oak:
I just wanted to let you know what is happening over the summer break.
Many of you will be aware of the College’s involvement with a project to make a table out of a tree trunk of bog oak (also Fenland Black Oak) that was extracted from the Cambridgeshire fens in 2012.
To make a table out of bog oak is fairly remarkable in itself but the trunk found measured 45ft (13.71 metres) in length and is about 5000 years old. The trunk was planked in-situ and the 10 boards it produced were seasoned in a specially constructed kiln at Gibbins Road. After 10 months the moisture content of the boards was reduced to about 18% and 400 gallons of water had been extracted. As a trunk of this length and girth must be unique it was decided that the boards should be kept in length and from them a 13m long table should be made. The trustees have spent a considerable amount of time fundraising and finding a suitable venue (available to the public). With sufficient funding (to make the table top only) now in place and a venue agreed, for 18 months, at Ely Cathedral the table top can now be made over this summer break at the BCC.
Chris Ward will manage the project on behalf of the College and will work with Hamish Low, Mouro, Steve Cooke and a number of BCC student volunteers.
You will find info about the project at – www.thefenlandblackoakproject.
