The commission
Quartersawn white oak was chosen specifically for its ray-fleck figure and its dimensional stability across the grain — a draw-leaf mechanism depends on the leaves running true in their slides regardless of humidity, which flatsawn stock will not reliably do at this width. A natural drying check near one end of the top was stabilized with a hand-cut walnut butterfly key rather than filled, turning what could have been a defect into a deliberate detail.
The draw-leaf slides are hard maple, chosen for its wear resistance against the oak runners. Extension is a two-person operation by design — the leaves are substantial enough that a single-person mechanism would be under-built.