Regency (?) desk and strength of wood ?

[stef]

For my next project, i'd like to make something like this, or at least in this style:
http://www.fredericmeilleurat.fr/(jxgpm ... 3dkmnnk5je)/Galerie_Meubles_Style_1.aspx

Cant seem to get that linky to work, so here is another more "flamboyant" example !
http://www.artfinding.com/fr/Objet-Oeuv ... /2100.html

is that style called "regency" in english ? (it's regence in french)

it changes a bit from the square oak, heavy rustic style i have been working in in the past.

My question relates more to the strength of wood used for those.
I'd like to make it in pine, and experiment with dark dies/ aged paint effect to give it some sort of antique finish, for a fraction of the price of cherry. white/cream paint would be nice.
The original regency stuff was probably not pine. (what's "merisier" in english ?.. sort of cherry?) as pine is much weaker.
Will pine be ok though ? will the wood be strong enough ? what minimum section would you go down to on those legs ?

 

[bjm]

Hi Stef

Yes, 'merisier' is cherry. As for using pine, whilst I think it would be strong enough you may not like the texture you get with the earlywood/latewood you get in pine (or maybe you might?). You could always make the sections larger, dry fit it, then take more wood off if you think you can get away with it? It's difficult to give a definitive answer but that would be my approach.

Brian

 

[stef]

Hi Stef

Yes, 'merisier' is cherry. As for using pine, whilst I think it would be strong enough you may not like the texture you get with the earlywood/latewood you get in pine (or maybe you might?). You could always make the sections larger, dry fit it, then take more wood off if you think you can get away with it? It's difficult to give a definitive answer but that would be my approach.

Brian

maybe sounding daft, but whats earlywood/latewood ?
good idea though, to adress the stength issue !

 

[christoph clark]

merisier
= (arbre) wild cherry, wild cherry tree
= (bois) cherrywood

you could always try Sapelli

Nom scientifique du Sapelli : Entandrophragma cylindricum

Famille du Sapelli : Meliaceae

Autre nom du Sapelli : Sapele.

Implantation : Afrique (Nigeria, Cameroun, Cote d'Ivoire...)

Densité : 900 à 1050 kg/m3, bois mi-dur et mi-lourd.

Couleur : Brun-acajou, aubier bien différencié.

Très bonne résistance aux insectes.

 

[stef]

merisier
= (arbre) wild cherry, wild cherry tree
= (bois) cherrywood

you could always try Sapelli

Nom scientifique du Sapelli : Entandrophragma cylindricum

Famille du Sapelli : Meliaceae

Autre nom du Sapelli : Sapele.

Implantation : Afrique (Nigeria, Cameroun, Cote d'Ivoire...)

Densité : 900 à 1050 kg/m3, bois mi-dur et mi-lourd.

Couleur : Brun-acajou, aubier bien différencié.

Très bonne résistance aux insectes.

I thought Sapele was some sort of mahogany ?
I worked with sapele before, and to be honest, it doesnt look like my parents "merisier" suite! the sapele looks far grainier. closer to the 70s nasty looking living room pieces than the regency bureau plat !

 

[stef]

sorry, my mistake, i thought you were implying merisier was sapele. my mistake.
i could possibly try sapele, you are right. it would keep costs down whilst giving reasonable strenght. and if it's to be painted anyway...

 

[bjm]

Earlywood/latewood - also known as springwood/summerwood - are the two divisions of a growth ring. Softwoods are principally comprised of one fibre type that provides the support and water conducting needs of the tree. During a growing season (in a temperate, or seasonal, environment) the wood that is developed is generally used as a water conducting tissue so will be very porous and low in density (earlywood (springwood)). Later in the season, when water becomes limiting the wood tissue that is laid down becomes denser and less porous (latewood (summerwood)). In pine these bands are generally very distinct so in effect the wood is a lamination of alternating densities of wood fibre.

Hardwoods have two fibre type - one for support and another for water conduction. Wood that is described as ring-porous, such as oak, elm etc, tend to have an earlywood that is primarily composed of conducting elements and a latewood that is primarily support tissue. This gives rise to a similar lamination affect you get with pine. Diffuse porous woods, such as cherry, tends to have a more consistent division of fibre types across the growth ring so the overall texture of the wood is more consistent, but lacking in character.

Brian

 

[MikeG.]

This just doesn't look like a stained-pine project to me. I would have a good think about this before going down that route. My view is that stained pine will always look like stained pine, and this work is going to be intricate, detailed and skilled.

Don't spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar!!

Mike

 

[stef]

This just doesn't look like a stained-pine project to me. I would have a good think about this before going down that route. My view is that stained pine will always look like stained pine, and this work is going to be intricate, detailed and skilled.

Don't spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar!!

Mike

no, it's not just stained pine.
the stain aims at turning the pine into antique something(oak ?)
then, a few stokes of candle wax, followed by a few coat of white/pale blue/cream paint should give it a nice antique finish.
the grain of the wood will not show anywhere.
the stain will apear under the paint just on edges and where the paint didn't stick to the wax.
I saw this technique used on a pine desk (but not regency) in a book on traditional wood finishes. so there is no question the finish works on pine. it's more a question of strength of the wood.
also, i dont intend to make it as intricate as the real cherry/gold plated stuff ! there wont be any carvings at all, just the curve of the legs, and drawer fronts.

 

[MikeG.]

Then pine is unquestionable strong enough for the project.

The times I have used paint over a wax is when you then rub it back off randomly, to get an antiqued or distressed finish. You then have to seal over the whole thing. Again, that doesn't spring to mind as the first choice for this style of table, but it could be effective.....

I look forward to the photos.

Mike

 

[stef]

I like distressed..
in fact it's the only finish i do well, even if its not really by choice!
distress and rustic...
some of my pieces look more distressed than others..and somehow, not unlike laughter, the distressed look is very comunicative. the distressed look passes on from the furniture to the wife when i bring the furniture in the house..

that's how skilled i am :lol:

 

[Ironballs]

I'd still be worried about the finish on the pine, you also have to watch out for knots and make sure they don't bleed through into your paint/finish. Would tulip wood meet your needs instead?

 

[stef]

I'd still be worried about the finish on the pine, you also have to watch out for knots and make sure they don't bleed through into your paint/finish. Would tulip wood meet your needs instead?

i see what you mean.
I aim to use some sort of grain sealer (knoting ?) to prevent any bleeding throught he paint.
the main reason for using pine is cheapness and availability. I can get hold of some 100mmx100mm pine which i can use to carve the legs out of. and that's free. so the remaining pine should set me back a mighty 20pounds at the most. not bad for a antique desk ! (ok, i didnt factor the paint in..)
at least, if i mess up, it will be almost free.
but i really need to find a decent wood supplier around here, oak and pine is all i can get hold off for now.