Shifting from pine to oak.

[cherilton]

Hi ! I'm new to your forum but been viewing for quiet a while and of cause find it very informative. I make Pine furniture for a living working mostly on my own in a small workshop in Stanley Village, Derby and am now thinking of doing some furniture in Oak to see how it sells. Not used it very often to be truthful and will be trying to make chests, robes in fact everything that i now do in pine. Are there any major differences i should be aware of like tolerances for expansion gaps etc, my pine tends to expand 'when cold and humid' but shrinks back when dry and warm in customers houses. Will the oak do the same? Would you recommend finishing the oak with Danish Oil ?

Also : How can i post pics for you guys to see my projects as and when i do them ?

 

[Scrit]

Hi

Oak doesn't move quite as much as pine (so you can make to finer tollerances), however it is a lot harder on your tools, hands and muscles and you'll need a set of chisels sharpened for it, too! If you don't already have one invest in a mosture meter and build yourself a conditioning box - hardwoods are best dried to the same RH as the environment they're going into. Other than that the only other major thing to watch for is the grain direction on things like frame and panel doors - much more important (and noticeable) than for pine so matching becomes very much more necessary to achieve a harmonious piece (and quarter sawn looks lovely on panels). Oh, and one other "niceity" - add water to oak in the presence of iron or steel (e.g. steel wool, chisels, steel pins and screws, etc) and the tools and wood, etc will go indellibly black (tannic acid oxidises iron), so be careful what you use - that's why cabinetmaker;s use brass screws with oak and pilot drill/pre cut with a steel screw before inserting the brass screw.

Sorry this is a bit of a ramble.....

Scrit

 

[Gill]

Hi Cherilton

Welcome to the forum .

There's a tutorial on posting images here.

Gill

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Cherilton

Welcome to the forum.

Good luck in your new venture.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Waka]

Cherilton

Welcome to the forum.

I use a lot of oak and sometimes find it a pain with the grain, but the results are worth it. I agree with Scrit you need some very sharp tools.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[devonwoody]

I have purchased a supply of oak and noticed that it cups in storeage if it has not been stacked in a proper manner, whereas that pine out of the skip is reasonably stable.

Best of luck with your new direction and please post on your later experiences.

 

[cherilton]

Thanks for positive help, and regarding posting pic tutorial, will i be able to use my web site as a host from which i can select pics to place on here?

 

[wizer]

welcome to the forum cheriton.

Yes, you can use your own web site and link to it from here.

 

[devonwoody]

welcome to the forum cheriton.

Yes, you can use your own web site and link to it from here.

I found this week it can be easier to BLOG. It saves messing around with your web page and all that coding or mouse work.

blogstop.com works for me, and there is a current thread running in General Chat.

 

[edmund]

Welcome to the forum!

On the shrinkage question you could have a look that this calculator
http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/shrinkulator.htm, rather nattily called the Shrinkulator (courtesy of our cousins across the Pond). I don't think the available data will cover all woods that we have available in Europe but the tool might be of some help (for example, I've used American White Oak a fair bit).

I agree with the comments regarding the need for sharp tools and use of brass fixtures/fittings. You should also bear in mind that inhalation of oak dust is not very good for you in the long term, so some appropriate dust extraction/protection is probably a must if you are using machinery.

On finishing, you have a wide choice open to you. Oil produces a particularly nice effect (I've used Tung rather than Danish oil) but will need continued periodic application. Selection of finish would really be driven by the use to which your finished item is being put. I personally like shellac finishes which are then waxed. Synthetic varnishes are probably the easiest and most durable for table tops that will be subject to wear and tear. There are some good finishing books around and I'm sure members of the forum would be happy to chip in with there own thoughts as and when. Regards, E