Accent Table-Ready for a Finish

[Chris DiCiaccio]

Hi to All,
Well, its finally ready for a finish. I'm considering Bartleys clear gel varnish or spray can lacquer (don't have a gun). It's spalted and ambrosia maple. Need this pollen to stop falling so I can do this outside, I don't particularly want a green tinted table. Have a great day.

<img src="http://members.aol.com/woodwk/bedtbl1.jpg">
<img src="http://members.aol.com/woodwk/bedtbl2.jpg">
<img src="http://members.aol.com/woodwk/bedtbl3.jpg">
<img src="http://members.aol.com/woodwk/bedtbl4.jpg">

[Donnie Raines]

Thats really cool!! It has a look all of it own, but that is what makes it so neat. May I ask what inspired you to use all Ambrosia maple for this?

Donnie Raines

[Kurt Aebi]

All I gotta say is GORGEOUS MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A real Thing Of Beauty.

Great Job!

[Alan Turner]

Chris,
Very nice, and quite striking. I have never worked with Ambrosia maple, but from recall it is a soft maple, not a hard maple. Is that right? Did you pull the quirk beads by hand? Beading tool? Router?
What color are you planning to use for the stain. Bartley's is a pretty opaque stain, so you could lose some of the color and figure a bit. This is an indoors piece, so a dye would be possible. It will read clearer, with less loss of detail of the wood.
I saw a few pieces in ambrosia maple at the Phila. Furn and Furnishings show, and I recall that they were all finsihed clear, with no color added (I think).
Keep us posted.
Alan

[Chris DeHut]

I have a hunch there is some character hidden in that table. I am wondering if an oil finish might make the great looking table even greater. You may want to try some tung oil on a scrap of wood (as well as your other finishes). That little voice in my head is saying "try oil - try oil - try oil".

Let us know when you are finished and what you used - I am very curious as to what the final results are going to be. This very well could be a submission for Bragging Rights in the making!

Chris DeHut
Woodworking at Home Magazine

[Wes Bischel]

Chris,

I think calling it an "accent" table is an understatement! I'd call it The table!

I think I would go with an oil finish as well - something that maintains or enhances the natural beauty of the wood. Which brand I couldn't tell you - but wow, it's going to be striking no matter what you do!

Wes

[Chris Padilla]

Chris,

This a fine piece...beautiful work. However, I have to be honest with you. I think it is too much spalted maple and I find it very busy to my eye. I like the contrast with the drawer open of the regular maple and spalted drawer front. I think the spalted top and drawer front with the rest of the piece in plain maple would have really set off and showcased the spalt/ambrosia.

Still, don't get me wrong, the table design and style is wonderful...it just gets lost in the highly figured spalt/ambrosia.

[Chris DiCiaccio]

Donnie & Chris: I don't know why, just wanted to make it wild on purpose.

Alan: That's right, it's soft maple. The bead was made with a router and beading bit. I mean't so say Bartley's Gel "Varnish" instead of stain. I just want a clear finish on it to highlight the wood.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Chris, beautiful wood.....nice craftsmanship!


Ken

[Jim Becker]

Very unique, Chris. It's not often you see a whole piece done with ambrosia and/or spalted material. I look forward to seeing the "finished" project.

Do try Chris DeHut's suggestion on some scrap of some BLO or other oil. (Do another scrap with just the clear finish for comparison) I work with ambrosia and spalted wood in my turnings whenever I can and the character really jumps out with a little oil prior to the top coating. If you don't like the sample, you haven't lost anything, either.

[Lars Thomas]

That's a good looking table Chris. Looking forward to seeing the completed product. Looks like you have some other good looking stock in the background of the first shot (a future project in the making??).

Nicely done. Enjoy. Lars

[aurelio alarcon]

I love the wood, the tapered legs and the dovetails. Beautiful wood!

[Robert Goodwin]

I Love It! I like that the whole piece is spalted. I do think that a little oil before the topcoat would make it look great. Like the others said, try it on a test pieve first.

Good work!!

Rob

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Chris
That is one very unique and nicely done table.
Daniel :cool:

[Mike Wilkins]

Hey Chris. Very nice. Very very nice. I have seen this kind of maple used
as accent pieces or raised panels, but never the entire piece.
By the way, where did you get your material. I know Wall Lumber Co. sells
this. Fine folks to deal with too.

[Chris DiCiaccio]

Thanks for the comments. I get most of my material from HH & NK in Kings Mountain, NC. It's one block off I-85 a few miles west of Gastonia. Have a great day.