12" 100 year old Oak

[Bob Bergstrom]

A friend brought me this oak from Tennessee. It is close to 100 years old and in one area the rings are so tight(represents 20 alone) that the pearl white looks like a wide line. It was dyed black with India Ink (2 coats), then sealed with a couple coats of clear lacquer. After drying, I mixed pearl white (Pearl - Ex) with paste wax and generously wiped it into the pores of the oak. I then lightly steel wooled the surface to remove some of the Pearl - Ex off the surface. After letting the wax dry for a day I sprayed two more coats of lacquer on. The white pearl has a silvery look to it. Comments and critiques always welcome.


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[Brian Kent]

That tight grain is spectacular!

So intricate, and your coloring system really highlights it.

[Jon Lanier]

I like this kind of treatment on oak. I've seen other pieces where they've used Liming wax after dying with black.

[Fred Belknap]

Beautiful wood and bowl. I would prefer a little less activity on the bottom but that is just personal taste. I really like the color and finish.

[Michael Stafford]

Looks great Bob. Sounds like you came up with a replacement for liming wax. Liming wax is a lot easier to work with however as the excess can be removed just by using a little paste wax and elbow grease. (Elbow grease is free, but liming wax and paste wax are not.) Once the liming wax is cured you can finish it with a top coat.

[charlie knighton]

very nice, different look for oak

[Richard Jones]

Nice piece, Bob. And some great provenance.

[steven carter]

Very nice bowl. I really like the contrasting color, nice form also.

[Roger Chandler]

That is a real beauty, Bob.........I think it is a great way to showcase the grain in oak.

[Baxter Smith]

Great piece of wood and you made the most of it by accentuating the growth lines. Good choices Bob!

[Kathy Marshall]

That's a great looking bowl Bob! Nice job highlighting the grain with the pearl-x.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Great surface treatment. Aren't you afraid to spray lacquer over a surface that has been paste waxed?
faust

[Bob Bergstrom]

Great surface treatment. Aren't you afraid to spray lacquer over a surface that has been paste waxed?
faust
I've been spraying lacquer over wax for a couple of years. The lacquer seems to bind well with the surface. I do wait a day or the smell of the curing wax has gone before I spray them. Haven't lost any yet. Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions.