Brown Burr Oak Davenport

[Roger Berwick]

Firstly may I say hello - This is my first post on a transatlantic forum but am a cabinet maker in Norfolk England

I have been lurking in the background reading the posts for a for a little while but thought that it was about time I made my debut and not only introduced myself but let you see what I am currently working on.

The current project is a Traditional Davenport Desk constructed in Brown Burr Oak - a couple of photos are attached below:-

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4257.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4228.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4258.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4272.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4263.jpg

I am yet to make the internals which will be English Lacewood for contrast, and still got to look to polish it but am 47 hours into the project at the moment

I hope you approve and will update with photos when I have finished and polished it

Roger Berwick

[Bruce Volden]

Roger,

One word, WOW.

Where have you been? please keep posting.

Bruce

[Jeff Monson]

Very nice Roger, the design and final product are top notch. That wood is super, wish I had access to that!!

What type of finish will you apply, please post when done.

[Roger Berwick]

Hi Jeff,

The timber I have been able to use for this project has been in my wood store for a number of years having obtained it from a cabinet maker who was retiring and wanted to sell his timber - I'm not sure how long he had it prior to me but over here it is a bit likes "hens teeth" and I have been keeping it for the right project.

It is probably going to be finished with a traditional shellac french polish in due course once all the floors in the burr have been carefully filled.

[Jim Tobias]

Roger,
Really like the Davenport Desk. In most cases I woul dsay the wood fits the design, but I have a feeling that you came up with a special project to fit this very specail wood?? Either way, it looks great! I have only come across some of the veneer of Brown Oak Burl over here and it is indeed a specail look. I don't envy you filling the voids as I found that to be time consuming even on the veneer.

Keep us posted on finish.

Jim

[Bruce Page]

Roger, welcome to SMC! Your Davenport Desk is exceptional!
Please post pictures after you apply the finish. I bet the Brown Burr Oak will be stunning!

[Joe Hillmann]

Wow! I have never seen wood like that.

[Roger Berwick]

The Burr Brown Oak looks like this when its polished

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/photo-1.jpg

this was a small bracket clock made from some of the same stock a few months ago

Rog

[Joe Hillmann]

I think I would be afraid to work with wood like that for fear of messing it up.

[Michael Dromey]

I agree with the others. This is a very nice piece. I would also love to have access. Is it true that I have heard that much of the timber in Europe has controlled logging. Especially in Germany. That is how so many of the oaks grow to be mighty oaks.

[Roger Berwick]

Been working on the Davenport again today and have started making the rise and fall at the back of the desk.

Moving from tradition and the counterbalancing of this with weights I have fitted a pair of small gas struts within the carcase so that they are fully concealed but on releasing the catch this section rises very smoothly.

I am using English Lacewood for the concealed sections which will give a nice contrast once polished - will get the small compartments within this section completed tomorrow.

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4278.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4283.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4291.jpg

[Mark Patoka]

Welcome and thanks for jumping in the Creek. That is absolutely stunning work. Please keep sharing.

[Jim Becker]

Roger, that's an awesome piece you're working on. I look forward to more!!!

[gary Zimmel]

Great way to make a splash in the Creek! Welcome Roger..

[Todd Burch]

I can't wait see that figure pop! Tell me you're using an oil finish... ;)

Todd

[Roger Berwick]

At the moment i am actually undecided on the finish to be applied, oil would bring out the grain and give a "depth" of colour to the brown oak but would colour the lacewood too much.

May just look at a traditional French Pollish, brown shellac for the brown oak and white (Clear) for the lacewood.

Watch this space!

[Mike Wilkins]

That is an awesome build. That is on my list of future projects. And welcome to the Creek. I sometimes purchase one or 2 of your homegrown magazines, Funiture and Cabinetmaking. Lots of useful info there and really entertaining to read the UK twist on woodworking, especially the terminology. Keep up the fine work.

[Roger Berwick]

Hi Mike,Thanks for your comment, regarding our magazines over here I actually write for The Woodworker magazine and they follow my commission work.

getting back to the Davenport I Got on with the internals today - its nice using some lacewood for a change to the very hard burr timber. The lacewood i am using was from a butt of timber that I air dried myself a number of years ago and is particularly nicely figured, it even has some spalting. Hopefully it will give the contrast I am looking for when its polished.

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4301.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4296.jpg

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4304.jpg

Will hopefully get these sections completed tomorrow.

Rog

[Van Huskey]

I can;t wait to see it with finish! Excellent!

[Todd Burch]

What does the center brass latch do?

Todd

[Roger Berwick]

What does the center brass latch do?

Todd

I was waiting to see if anyone spotted that! 10/10 for observation Todd

The rising rear section, instead of being counterbalanced with weights is actuated using a pair of short 150Nm gas struts, the brass latch you see holds it down and when released the rear section raises smoothly under its own steam. the gas struts are completely concealed and housed behind the readed section at either side.

Traditional design/construction but concealed modern technology

Will upload a couple of pictures of what I have been doing on it today later

Rog

[Todd Burch]

Very clever!

[Roger Berwick]

so what have I been up to today??


Finished the inside of the top, veneered the front with lacewood veneer, and added a few mouldings/trims


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4310.jpg


Close up of the lacewood on the small detail drawers, I book matched the drawer fronts so they match each other.


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4313.jpg


And then completed the lining for the cupboard, again in lacewood


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4307.jpg


Next week looks like I will start the finishing as not in the workshop much tomorrow

[Gordon Eyre]

So impressive, wow!

[geoff wood]

it has the appearance as though it was carved out of a single block of wood. the burr oak gives it a very 'homogeneous' look. very nice indeed.

[Roger Berwick]

Well today I finished the construction of the Davenport, all internal linings are finished, the mounts and repro ink wells fitted, door lock fitted and drawers skim planed to fit smoothly.

Here's the inside now

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/IMG_00000087.jpg

Will be finishing next week as away for a couple of days so I will post pics of the finished article next week




Rog
Www.rogerberwick.com

[Mike Null]

Roger

Welcome to SMC.

The wood and the work is beautiful. The lacewood is especially striking.

[G Douglas Fowler]

Roger, it goes without saying that brown oak is simply smashing and perfect for this project. The execution and attention to detail is equally commendable. Glad I came over to take a look.

Doug

[Roger Berwick]

Well having had a couple of days off at the end of last week have hit the davenport again today and have spent all day filling the small cracks/voids with shellac stick and wax filled as well as grain filler to achieve a good smooth finish - But after alot of fine scraping and finishing the first coats of finish have been applied and I am going back to the workshop later this evening to continue on it.

The colour and grain have now appeared and all I can say is that I am over the moon with the appearance - it was just what I had hoped for and my client had requested.


Will hopefully get finished by the middle/latter part of the week so will post finished photos then.


Rog

[Roger Berwick]

Ok nearly at the end of the road!


After spending alot of time rubbing down, filling the faults in the burr and scraping etc the finish was applied revealing the true colour of the timber - I decided to use pre-cat rather than oil and sprayed two coats, rubbing down between layers and then de-nibbed with webrax before over waxing with Mylands light brown wax to bring out the sheen evident as I didn't want too shiny a finish but one more akin to an aged finish with a nice patina.


Just got to apply some baize trim to one or two places but otherwise its finished


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4415.jpg


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4410.jpg


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4442.jpg


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4428.jpg


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4437.jpg


Hope you all approve

Rog

[frank shic]

that is incredible work. nice massive mortising machine too!

[Roger Berwick]

that is incredible work. nice massive mortising machine too!

Its an SIP morticer nothing special, anyway what you hadn't noticed is that morticer is actually mounted on the end of the bed of one of my woodturning lathes!:eek:

[Bob Lloyd]

Amazing work, thank you for sharing it.

[frank shic]

wow, i stand corrected! that is MASSIVE lathe :eek:

[Don Jarvie]

Roger, what a beautiful desk. Can you post a picture or two of the piston system you used to have the top move up and down if you don't mind.

[glenn bradley]

That is a lovely piece. I was hoping the finish would allow that beautiful (and very abundant) figure show through. Well done. Love the lacewood too.

[Jim Foster]

Really nice project! Looks great!

[Jim Becker]

BTW, Roger, I forgot to mention that I "fell in love with" English brown oak a couple years ago when I scored some nice pieces of it at my favorite hardwood supplier. Not only was it great to work with, it was my first project done largely using hand-tools for surfacing the project components. Nice stuff that I hope to work with some more!

[Roger Berwick]

Well the Davenport was delivered to the client yesterday and is now residing in their home.

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq152/BogeyLR/DSCF4510.jpg

Rog

[Todd Burch]

Awesome!!!

[Zahid Naqvi]

you did justice to the wood is all I can say.

[Brian Brightwell]

Roger, Outstanding!!! Burr Oak. I never used any but I have one down in the bend of the river. It is better than nine feet around and very tall and straight.
I might have to sharpen my chainsaw.

[Gordon Eyre]

Definitely a work of art and it looks great on location. Well done, a tribute to your skill as a woodworker.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

and it looks great on location

That's what struck me. All the in progress shots were great, but it seemed

"out pf place", until the final shot, "in place" is perfect.

[Jerry Olexa]

That is extremely nice work!!! High quality. Very well done.