Project: English Brown Oak Table

[Jim Becker]

Some of you may have caught my thread in the Neander forum (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=99937) regarding this table...it's my first project that was entirely "surfaced" with hand planes. About a year ago while on a trip to Hearne Hardwoods for some QS cherry that I needed for my vanity projects, I stumbled (almost literally) on a wonderful piece of natural edge English Brown Oak. I was unfamiliar with this species, but there was something very appealing to me...interesting because I generally do not like oak all that much. So the piece came home with me along with a larger piece of 8/4 material for legs and aprons. I knew that it would be some form of table...and so it is with my Christmas 2008 holiday project. I just LOVE the color of these stuff. Very rich. And the heart/sap contrast is great for a piece like this.

Because the width of the top is greater than the capacity of my J/P combo, I worked it with some hand planes, learning quickly what felt good and what the effects of grain changes could be. And as I eluded to in the other thread, I was sore, but happy with the result. So happy, that I also surfaced the legs and aprons with the planes after milling and resawing them respectively. No sandpaper was used in this project outside of a small piece of worn 150 grit to break the corners and some 400 during the finishing process for "nubbie" removal. Dimensions are 42" wide, 13-14" deep (top is bow-front) and 30" tall. The top is just under an inch finished thickness. Finish is two brushed applications of shellac on the entire project after BLO and two sprayed coats of Target USL satin on the top only. Total actual woodworking time was about 4-5 hours. Finishing (not including overnight time for the oil) was about an hour and a half.

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This one is living in the great room and will have side chairs on either side as soon as some additional rearranging it completed and they are, umm...acquired.

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[Ed Sallee]

That's a beautiful piece, Jim! I'll bet it's satisfying to have it turn out as it did using hand planes...... and hand tools.

Wow!

[John Keeton]

Jim, I am not normally a fan of sapwood, but that is outstanding. It really adds to the piece, and as I noted previously - the color is beautiful. Looks very much at home in the great room.

[Will Blick]

I agree.... I always viewed sapwood as waste, but not anymore....great vision when the board was sitting in a rack...

[Dewey Torres]

Jim,
It came out great and looks nice inside the house as well.

[gary Zimmel]

Sweet looking addition to your home Jim!

Great job. Did you get a little extra satisfaction doing some of the project the neander way?

[Jim Becker]

Jim, I am not normally a fan of sapwood, but that is outstanding. It really adds to the piece, and as I noted previously - the color is beautiful. .


I agree.... I always viewed sapwood as waste, but not anymore....great vision when the board was sitting in a rack...

Use of contrasting sapwood is very kewel if you plan for it and it suits the style of the piece. By example I leveraged it on the aprons all around to define the bottom and echo the light edges of the top. (I got lucky when I laid out for the legs and aprons before resawing the latter with how the long 8/4 board was featured) It would have been nice if the two side aprons had been able to be continuous with the front apron, but that wasn't possible with the wood I had to work with. But most folks will not see the slight variation in the width of the sapwood between these components. (The rear apron has almost no sap, but is, of course, hidden behind the piece and next to the wall)

I originally intended for the top to be a natural edge, too, but it was too damaged by the de-barker/sawyer to make that work, so I carefully measured back from the edge to straight-line rip the back edge and to band saw the curved front edge of the table so that there was still an illusion of a natural edge, despite it being squared off.

Will, it was interesting that while at Hearne, Robert Tarr, who was with me, also kinda saw "table" when I pointed out this piece. There was just something about that piece of lumber that "spoke", as it were. I have another similar thing coming up with one of my next projects...a buffet. I have two pieces of 5/4 cherry that I bought on speculation back in 2000 and they have always been featured in the back of my mind as the top for a buffet. Go figure... :p


Did you get a little extra satisfaction doing some of the project the neander way?

Yes, I did get some extra satisfaction from that, largely from the experience and also because the end result was so pleasing.

[Jim Tobias]

Jim,
I really like the table! The use of the sapwood edge is fantastic IMHO. The english brown oak is somewhat unique in color and makes for a very interesting piece. I consider the use of the sapwood as contrast as being similar to using a particular edge shape or a different species to frame the focal point of the project. But, with the natural sapwood, you are doing it with same species. I like your concept and execution!!

Jim

[Matt Crew]

Fantastic piece.
I love it when you can use the natural form to enhance a project. Like a sculpter finds the form the stone holds inside.

[Joe Chritz]

Very nice and a good "vision" to have.

I could have ran some Grand Canyon grooves in the top with a hand plane. I do fair with a #80 scraper but all the others seem to hate me with a vengeance not seen in some time.

Joe

[Dave Avery]

Jim,

VERY nice. Best. Dave.

[John Thompson]

You may not like oak all that well Jim, but I absolutely love it and would love to have as much of that fungus infected English Brown as I could get my hands on. The English Brown is somewhat hard to find but it has more character and a richer color than any oak I have ever seen. when quartered.

Excellent choice.. purpose and... worked well. I will reach deep inside and try to forgive your opinion of oak but... I hope it will kindle an attraction having to view it in your family room daily and start to grow on you just as the fungus did that got it that color. :D

Sarge..

[Jim Becker]

Thanks, John.

Don't get me wrong, I don't "hate" oak or anything like that. In fact, QS white oak used to good measure on mission is quite attractive to me, too. But I'm a cherry and black walnut kinda guy when it comes to fine furniture with a smattering of various figured maples sprinkled in. The grain and texture of oak is just less appealing to me...it's purely subjective. Interestingly, I do like ash, which has a similar grain/pore pattern to oak but with a lighter color in general, but only for chair and Nakashima style table legs. And turning tool handles. LOL

Hearne seems to like English Brown Oak and there was a good selection of it when I was last there.

[John Shuk]

Nice table Jim. Also nice that you got to use wood that spoke to you.
Buying wood on "spec" is a good thing.

[John Thompson]

I was just poking some fun as I am sure you know, Jim. And you are correct that walnut.. cherry.. mahogany.. etc. is better suited for the finer style period furniture or any style that is intentionally fragile with detail.

I love about every wood actually but... I mainly do A & C styling where oak shines for the masculinity and price for that matter. I walked in a supplier earlier today and ask for purple-heart and maple. Without a word they forced a thermometer in my mouth and called 911. :D

I had to explain I wanted maple and purple-heart for a small box for my neice. ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

Regards...

Sarge..

[Bruce Page]

Jim, it looks lovely against the rustic paneling. You might want to move it away from the register a little tho.

[Don Bullock]

Jim, This is the type of work that lured me back to woodworking. I love to let the wood "tell" me what to make out of it rather than stick to "ready made" plans. Your table is beautiful. As I have said in other threads, I like contrasting wood in furniture. Your use of sapwood edges really makes this piece stand out. Thanks for sharing your work with us.

[Jim Becker]

You might want to move it away from the register a little tho.

That's a return, Bruce...no danger...outside of dust bunnies. :D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful table Jim! I have to admit that I have never heard of this variety of oak before and am quite taken with the rich color! Doesn't look like any oak I have ever seen before! Really like the bow front and how it follows the sap wood. Very classy looking table Jim!

[John Michaels]

Very nicely done Jim. I especially like the sapwood on the apron that matches the top.

[Keith Beck]

Jim,

That's some beautiful wood! I'd love to come across some of that.

Great project!

Keith

[Mark Singer]

Jim,
Very nice! Working with hand tools makes it even better and more rewarding!

[Shawn Christ]

Simply beautiful, Jim. I like how the sapwood balances the top edges and as mentioned, how you followed the sapwood curve with the front arc. Nice job. Now if I could only figure out what I'm doing wrong because that would have taken me at least 20 hours to complete...

[Larry Fox]

Jim, that is outstanding, very nicely done. I also don't have much of a fondness for oak but the coloring on the piece you used there was very nice. Use of sapwod definitely takes this one to 11.

Hearne is an amazing place, I always have to be extra careful not to stumble over stuff when I am there as it tends to leave a dent in the ole wallet. I sure would love to be able to stumble over that big slab of waterfall bubinga they have leaning against the wall. :)

[Craig D Peltier]

Nice looking Jim! I myself have only heard of it but never seen it.I like the sapwood on this table.

[Mark Valsi]

excellent in all respects !!!

[Glenn Clabo]

Jim...
That is just one excellent table. Simple in design but elegant in visual results. Sweet!

[Tim Plantz]

Nice work Jim! I love what you've done w/the sapwood. As others have said, it's made me view sapwood in a whole new light. Thanks for the pics!

[Jerry Olexa]

Nice work, Jim. I agree: there are times when a handplane works the best and in many cases, its a smoother final finish than sanding...Looks good

[Von Bickley]

Great looking wood and a great looking table...... :)

[Jason Tuinstra]

Jim, I'm glad I saw this one. The brown oak looks fantastic. A simple style table that lets the wood do all the talking. My kind of furniture. It looks nice in the house as well. Just a perfect piece. You really did the wood justice. Funny how the lumber can make all the difference, eh?

[Jim Becker]

Funny how the lumber can make all the difference, eh?

Yea, George Nakashima got it right in his book, Soul of a Tree. I'm glad you caught this, Jason...despite you and I being "very cherry centric", I knew you would appreciate where I was coming from on this one. It's unique for me, but really looks wonderful in the great room up against the barnwood wall covering where it now lives. It also balances the sitting area in the way I was hoping it would.