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  1. 20th May 2014, 02:24 PM #1
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    JohnnoM
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    Default Finishing new American White Oak furniture

    Hi to the collective wisdom on the Forum,

    I've taken a liking to the Gustav Stickley Mission Collection range of furniture and have almost finished my version of the 89-411 small cocktail table.
    I've never used American White Oak before & I'm getting close to the finish & wondered what the general thoughts were on finishing Oak.

    I'm going to fume the table with ammonia before applying any finish...and my thoughts were maybe tung oil & U-Beaut Traditional Wax.

    Is the Oil going to be a problem ?
    Is the oil even necessary ?

    My general "go-to" finish is usually FW Sanding sealer & MW wipe on poly...& sometimes a bit of wax on top to soffen the look...but my usual timbers are Australian hardwoods or NG rosewood...generally close grain stuff.

    This table is a bit of a test run before I tackle a Morris Chair & a 89-220 Prairie Settle as a eclectic range of bits for my professional office...assuming that is I'm allowed to remove them from the shed and by-pass the home living room !!!

    Thanks guys
    John'o !!
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  3. 21st May 2014, 06:38 PM #2
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    Why the ammonia. I have seen it done once before by David Marks on DIY network but can not recall why.

    Also my understanding is the white oak is pores timber so the finish you use will highlight the grain.
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  4. 26th May 2014, 03:13 PM #3
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    The ammonia reacts with the tannins in the timber to give the piece a darkened and aged look.
    I've read a little more and I think the Stickley furniture might be shellac over oil...so unless someone yells out soon to warn me about any pitfalls, that might be the way forward.
    Thanks everyone.
    John'o !!
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  5. 5th June 2014, 11:18 AM #4
    jcge
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    Try here....

    http://www.google.com.au/url?url=htt...US_nIkSKqkGrCA
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  6. 5th June 2014, 02:12 PM #5
    Robson Valley
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    There are two really old-fashioned processes to darken wood. Certainly depends upon the tannin content and oaks (red group or white group of species) have plenty.

    a) ammonia fuming. Not liquid application. Got a plastic bag big enough for the table?
    b) iron acetate. Made by dissolving superfine steel wool in vinegar (took a week).

    I'm almost ready to do experiments with both of those in birch heartwood = lovely figure and grain. Enough tannin? I don't know yet. Everything got put on hold for a task which had a deadline. Should have been done with pics by now.

    Plus, there's another trick with strong tea to dope up woods which don't have enough natural tannins Another carver has promised to fool around with that, I know nothing else about it.
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  7. 5th June 2014, 08:27 PM #6
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    Thanks guys...Hey jcge...I thought the Australian Tax Acts were complicated...that Stickley finish technique just made me want to stick with tax law...bugger anything that hard !!! Thank you for the link though, & it shows just how much technology goes into some finishes that we generally can't do at home. Food for thought.

    Robson Valley, Thank you also for that. I've done a few test pieces in the ammonia plastic fuming tent but the sapwood is a problem. There is almost no oxidation on the sapwood and it stay's quite white. As for the heartwood, the brown finish under a little tung oil is very pleasing & I'll probably go with it for the finished piece.

    I've never posted photos of my work but I'll attempt to do that soon. Thanks all
    John'o !!
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