The Heavy Life

Furniture made by hand in a small workshop on the Bellarine. Classical Chinese joinery, marquetry, parquetry — in Australian timbers, made the way it's worth making, or not at all. Writing about every joint, every jig, every failure and every success.


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What the Fú?

In the commission pipeline is an "inserted-shoulder tenons" coffee table in Tassie Myrtle (ah, blessed relief from Red Gum! Only three more Red Gum pieces between here and there!) that I'm very excited to start, and

10 July 2026 · 6 min read

What the Fú? What the Fú? Disptach: Sanding, sanding, sanding. Disptach: Sanding, sanding, sanding.
The first time a chisel bit into a piece of timber the lie of the digital world was exposed.
Read the manifesto →

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Bench Mark

Deep workshop writing on Chinese joinery, marquetry, furniture design, and the pieces I'm building.
What the Fú?
10 Jul 2026 · 6 min read
Bench Mark: So What the Heck Is an Àn Table, Anyway?
15 May 2026 · 6 min read
Bench Mark: Eight Millimetres
17 Apr 2026 · 3 min read

Essays

Longer pieces on whatever's on my mind. Sometimes the workshop, often not.
Essay: Why the Way We Make Things Matters
2 Jun 2026 · 17 min read
Essay: The Anova Paradox
31 Mar 2026 · 7 min read
Essay: On Camping
13 Mar 2026 · 3 min read

Dispatches

Weekly letters from the workshop.
Disptach: Sanding, sanding, sanding.
3 Jul 2026 · 2 min read
Dispatch: Deskbound
19 Jun 2026 · 2 min read
Disptach: Dovetail keys, champagne, and the Domino question.
12 Jun 2026 · 2 min read

Brush Notes

Quick notes from the bench. Short, unpolished, honest.

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