Oddments of Oak

[Chas Jones]

Oddments of Oak and dark Mahogany, 110mm high.

CSS, 3 wheel buffed & Microcrystalline wax finish.

 

[Mike Stafford]

Chas, I like your turning and your frugal use of oddments but I have to say I do not find pleasing the clash of grain patterns on individual layers where one oddment butts up against another oddment. I know most people will not care but it is disorienting to me.

 

[Chas Jones]

Sorry the grain orientation clash, jar for you Mike, I find quite a few people see them as a form of decoration and choose the items over single piece constructs.

They do use up a few of the ever accumulating and reducing in size offcuts, and I get some satisfaction from fathoming out how to flatten and glue up the tapered layers despite the extra work involved.

 

[Bill Arnold]

... I find quite a few people see them as a form of decoration and choose the items over single piece constructs. ,,,

Your variation of grain pattern should be viewed much as a patchwork quilt, Chas. It's a great art form!!!

 

[Frank Fusco]

I start out disoriented so it looks fine to me. Actually, I complement you on those pieces and the fine finish. I do not care to work with oak for anything that is supposed to look good because of the open grain. I have never gotten a good finish on oak.

 

[Chas Jones]

...... I do not care to work with oak for anything that is supposed to look good because of the open grain. I have never gotten a good finish on oak.

Sharp tools are the starting point.
End Grain or anything approaching it, wet the surface and allow grain to swell during the final cuts, make sure you are slicing the cut not chopping it. Avoid 'pulling' the unsupported end grain.
If just wetting the grain does not help, try soaking in cellulose Sanding sealer to support the end grain.

When finishing open pored Oak try applying Carnauba wax with buffing wheel after sealing, it tends to fill the pores and helps smooth the look.
Wet sanding with sealer can fill very open pores without undue detrimental effect, as can wet sanding with first coats of finishing oils if larger surfaces are involved.

 

[Les Elm]

I like the looks of the clash of oddments which gives the form some unique character.
Nicely done.
Les

 

[Dave Hoskins]

It is nicely done. But, I also agree with Mike on the grain clash some. Not sure why, exactly. The angles and the mergings just don't appeal to me. Yet, I do recognize the workmanship it took to do that.