Thread: Pink Silky

My experience with Silky Oak has always been that what you've got is what you'll get.

Yes, it will darken a bit.

i don't know if the client will accept it.

Mate, never give anybody the option. As I tell people, I always retain absolute artistic control beyond any generally agreed aesthetic. I see no grounds for rejection, unless of course they're prepared to pay for every piece of wood and the prep time that they reject.

On a technical note, how are you planning of reinforcing the corners? just curious.

My experience is that the Silky changes to the familiar honey gold colour when any finish is applied.

I have tried to retain that pink colour you often get with fresh cut Silky. But it always ends up honey colour.

I was getting all excited to see some "Pink Silky Oak" - Alloxylon wickhamii but now I'm unsure if you have "Southern Silky Oak" - Grevillea robusta or "Northern Silky Oak" - Cardwellia sublimis? Hard to discern in the photo.

I have had problems trying to maintain the pink of "Pink Silky Oak" and have found that for small work CA finish is the most successful.

"Northern Silky Oak" can be various species or sub species, variants grouped under the one "trade name" by some vendors so identifying what you actually have can be questionable. For Cardwellia sublimis the fresh sawn timber tends to be pinkish but darkens with age to a warm brown.

I tend to avoid commissions due to the very reasons you now face. Mostly the rejections I have seen or personally experienced are second thoughts / buyers regret and trying to weasel out of the "contract." It's not such an issue if the item is readily saleable, but if a unique type of request always get a non-refundable deposit.

I was wondering if it was that Brazilian timber that was brought in and sold as "silky oak"?
Rgds,
Crocy.

Thanks for the replies, it is definitely Silky Oak and is the Southern variety. The photo is not the best as i tried to brighten it up and show the Pink more.

The client has paid up front and did offer to pay more after rejecting the knotted material but i was happy to let it go as i personally was not happy with the knots (it is an urn? for their stillborn child) so i would not push it on the client and they are big pieces 450 x 190 so they won't go to waste.

I am normally very firm when it comes to "you chose the timber so that is it" but this is a touchy subject and not one where you want to upset the clients further.

In their sketch to me they had corner splines shown and there is a Northern Silky trim around the lid insert so the splines will be the same.

Originally Posted by double.d

I am normally very firm when it comes to "you chose the timber so that is it" but this is a touchy subject and not one where you want to upset the clients further.

Understandable given the circumstances, I hope you create a wonderful resting place for their child.

Originally Posted by Old Croc

I was wondering if it was that Brazilian timber that was brought in and sold as "silky oak"?
Rgds,
Crocy.

The species are Roupala montana, Roupala cordialis among others known as Leopardwood, brazilian lacewood, South American lacewood, Ropala lacewood (Wikipedia)

As an interesting aside, on another forum a member had been given a turning blank, in Sydney, known to have most likely originated in FNQ and took it back with him to the USA. He was asking for an ID and imo was our Northern Silky Oak, however the US federal Forest Service maintain it is a Roupala species.

The wood I have that is purported to be Roupala is quite different in the medullary flecks as it seems to have a gold halo around each fleck.