Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Nov 11, 2007 12:33pm | #1

   Part of the problem is the choice of red oak instead of white oak.  Generally, white oak has much more pronounced ray flecks. 

   What kind of things have you tried specifically? 

   Some general observations:  BLO tends to emphasize such figure, varnish less.  Oil based wiping stain more with only pigment, dye considerably less.  Stain that includes dye and pigment somewhat less.  Gel stain also somewhat less, but emphasizes the pore structure.  Light colored shellac less, dark colored shellac a bit more. 

   Sanding to 320 more, sanding to 150 less. 

2. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 11, 2007 02:08pm | #2

   I will watch this.. I'm working on a child rocking chair and the little girl told me she 'just loves Pink'..

   The rocker is sort of a mix of QS sawn and Riff sawn oak.. OK, so what I had available at the time.. Now how to get it pink without paint!

3. 
   oldusty | Nov 12, 2007 05:09am | #3

   wb,

           Often those pieces may have had a fumed finish to give it the look .

        I agree with Steve on the White vs Red Oak totally , at least that is what was used then .When you stain White and Red oak with the same color they do not look the same . Both  finish well .

       There are different tones of these finishes , some are Yellowish and Blackish and some are Brown or Red .

    Stain a base color and ad coats of stain rubbing out the last coat to the intensity of your choice , apply your hard coats .

                      dusty

4. 
   MikeHennessy | Nov 12, 2007 03:10pm | #4

   Thing No. 1: While A&C furniture was made with QS white oak, the ammonia fuming process actually de-emphasized the rays. So, you might be trying to imitate a lousy imitation of the original. ;-)

   Thing No. 2: That said, if you want to make the grain structure more pronounced, here are a few things you could try. Try a water based die as the base color coat, followed by a sealer and your finish of choice. It can be hard to get the die into the red oak pore structure, so you'll have to work a bit at it. (I've heard that a few drops of liquid soap in the dye can help, but have never tried it.) Or, try wet sanding with a tinted oil like Watco as your color coat. Let dry thoroughly (about 3 days), seal and finish.

   I've had success with both methods. YMMV.

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

5. 
   Ckenney | Nov 12, 2007 04:14pm | #5

   I've been using a combo finish adapted (stolen?) from Flexner's book that produces a rich, old look.

   Start with one or two coats of dark walnut danish oil after sanding to no more than 220. (Various articles have commented on the futility of sanding oak to finer grits. Plus, because of the early/late wood, you can get more uneven the more you sand.)

   Then, apply 3 coats of a good orange shellac. I've been using Liberon's lemon shellac which is a little less orangy, but I've only ever found it at Woodcraft.
   I'm guessing I'm using a 1, 1-1/2 lb cut.

   Once you get the desired color, if you feel the need for more, top with clear shellac.

   Good luck

1. 
   Ckenney | Nov 12, 2007 04:16pm | #6

   BTW, here is a pic of a piece with the finish technique I described.The wood is QS White oak, although a little more rift than quarter, so it doesn't have the best ray patterns.

   Edited 11/12/2007 8:24 am ET by Ckenney