The Heavy Life

I'm Jake Lunniss. I make furniture by hand in a small workshop in Ocean Grove — Ming Dynasty joinery in Australian timbers, marquetry, and whatever else takes too long. I write here about the foolhardy business of doing it all the hard way.


Latest

Brush Notes: The Dovetailed Cross Brace and frayed nerves

Chinese panels - whether that's tabletops, doors, side panels in cabinets or anything else you can think of - are all constructed the same way. A thin panel floats in a groove in a mitred frame, supported by

22 April 2026 · 2 min read min read

Brush Notes: The Dovetailed Cross Brace and frayed nerves Brush Notes: The Dovetailed Cross Brace and frayed nerves Brush Notes: The Mitred Through Tenon Brush Notes: The Mitred Through Tenon
The first time a chisel bit into a piece of timber the lie of the digital world was exposed.
Read the manifesto →

Essays

The longer pieces — the ones worth forwarding
Essay: The Anova Paradox
31 Mar 2026 · 7 min read min read
Essay: On Camping
13 Mar 2026 · 3 min read min read
Essay: The Boys Made the Pastry
23 Feb 2026 · 3 min read min read

Dispatches

Notes from the workshop.
Dispatch: Roy's Micrometer
11 Apr 2026
Delayed Dispatch: Death of a Chicken
5 Apr 2026
Dispatch: Headwinds
27 Mar 2026

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