05/15/2026
You know “that customer” - uncompromising, critical eye, exacting…
Her custom dining table build was an enigma. Her vision: a masterpiece, clear in her mind, and a mystery for me to unravel.
She had to have my best wood. I knew what I was getting into with her custom build as I’d been there before. The pain of making / installing several fireplace mantels before she accepted one resonated with me, yet here I was again - a glutton for punishment.
Every aspect of my build would be micro-managed and vetted through real wood-working professionals, like ChatGPT. I proceeded cautiously, purposely procrastinating, knowing she would change her mind several times throughout the build process.
The resin pour had to be perfect - “black, but not too black.” This indescribable color had to match the palette in her mind - invisible to me, yet I should know.
Precision dimensioning was critical - surely she would be checking behind me. I measured everything six times before considering a cut - it had to be perfect.
After countless hours of tedious work, the table was finished and in place. The moment of truth - did I meet expectations? Was the vision captured?
Fortunately, she loved it! It’s not easy working for your wife…
