Help needed with Dinner Service

[davegw]

I've been asked by a friend to make a full dinner service for her narrow boat, and I'm not sure what wood to use.

Criteria, it has to be a native british species, preferably one that grows in the park that she is a ranger at (that way we can keep the cost down) and I'll probably have to turn it green.

Once in use it'll have to be able to be eaten off, and washed up.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Dave

 

[wizer]

Well Sycamore or Beech would be my first choice. With a oil varnish finish, thinned a bit with naptha.

 

[Bodrighy]

Beech and sycamore are the best for anything to do with food, sycamore in particular supposedly has antibacterial properties. . An oiled finish is also the best. Put a good coat of oil on then let it soak well in and repeat a couple of times. Make sure that the wood is sanded to a high degree first. Sycamore can be sanded and buffed raw to a shine without any finish.

Watch out for the way the grain is as well, you need to do them cross grain, no end grain as this can soak up liquids etc too easily and would need scrubbing each time it is used.

Pete

 

[cornucopia]

As tom and pete have rightly sad sycamore and beech are both good choices-other native's worth considering are alder,lime, field maple or a fruit wood.

 

[Bodrighy]

As tom and pete have rightly sad sycamore and beech are both good choices-other native's worth considering are alder,lime, field maple or a fruit wood.

Wouldn't lime be a bit soft George, I know that the lime I have used has been easily marked so maybe that was a one off. Just thinking of it being attacked with a knife and fork LOL

Had a thought. I saw Toby whaotsisname making a load of dinner plates out of London Plane at a Yandles show once so that could be another choice.

Pete

 

[penman]

Hi
I use beech bowls and plates to eat all our meals off of. When I first make them i treat them with foodsafe oil, There after they just get a wash in plain hot water and and wiped dry then allowed to air dry before putting away for the next meal. The bowls I make are about 8" diameter and a wall thickness of just short of 1/2" You will find that tis way the food is still nearly as hot at the end as at the beginning of a meal (especialy stews and soups) :lol: :lol:

Malcolm

 

[cornucopia]

As tom and pete have rightly sad sycamore and beech are both good choices-other native's worth considering are alder,lime, field maple or a fruit wood.

Wouldn't lime be a bit soft George, I know that the lime I have used has been easily marked so maybe that was a one off. Just thinking of it being attacked with a knife and fork LOL

Had a thought. I saw Toby whaotsisname making a load of dinner plates out of London Plane at a Yandles show once so that could be another choice.

Pete

Thinking about it Pete-your right- it could be a tad too soft to be used with metal knives etc- but it does make fantastic fruit bowls

 

[davegw]

Thanks everyone, I have some Alder and fairly sure I can get Sycamore and Beech (although don't get the recipient started on whether or not Sycamore is native).

The Alder is very green, it was only felled in December, so it should all be very exciting

I'll try and let you know what how it goes.

Thanks again.