Working with green Oak

[Chris Head]

This post is partly as a result of the question that John asked in another post about his Oak beam and really got me thinking. John was clearly wanting his Oak beam to blend in a little more to it's surroundings and knew something didn't fit so he asked the question and thought that chemicals were the answer, instead of thinking about the finish he wanted in advance. I wonder how many of you want to be a little more sympathetic and imaginative about your renovation rather than just dashing to the local Bricodepot and filling your renovation project with plasterboard and 3x2 and c r a p fixtures and fittings? The post is also partly as a result of the death of a good friend of mine who was a chainsaw carver who shared anything he knew, carvers are like that, you need help it's there. I've worked hard to learn what I know but feel like sharing now and I hope I can stimulate someone out there. I used to hide my little tricks, the whole thing is based on simplicity, imagination and execution. Excuse my writing in advance, it's not too good.

Briefly, I work with Oak, I carve it (with chainsaws), I make furniture with it, timber frame with it, climb it and fell it. I don't have a title, I don't like them. I guess my main income is carving Oak.

How many of you have compared the price of locally sawn Oak to the cost of the BricoWhatever rubbish? I think you'd find the costs more than comparable. OK many of you might not have the language or guts to go and ferret out your local Yokel timber supplier but the process is fun and I'd much rater put a Euro into the pocket of the local economy than the conglomerates who couldn't give a stuff about you.

LESSON ONE!!!

Texturing of green Oak, here's a piccy of some of the tools I use and what they do. Click on the image and I think it'll be bigger.

 

The tools are as follows, left to right.........

1) This actually a hoof trimming disc! The company is Rotozip Inc (I think), I paid about 25 $US. It's the cheapest disc they do and it needs to be resharpened fairly often. You can pay up to about 500$US for the discs but you need to be into some serious work before you spend that. I mostly use the disc for de-barking fencing poles or for components for my carving work but 'dragged' across the surface of green Oak it gives an almost gouge chisel like texture. HOWEVER! It is seriously aggressive, I wear full chainsaw protection when using it.

2) Flap discs.......my saviour! I sand most of my chainsaw carving with these discs and also most of my timber framing work. I generally use 36-40 grit which gives a decent finish on large scale work. I do go down to a 60 grit if the 'scuff' marks the 36 leaves are unnacceptable. They are also superb for cleaning old beams, Ok the work is messy so please  wear an adequate respirator. If they become clogged just brush them out with a wire brush. Wear leather gloves too, the disc touches your skin and it's gone! I personally dont use the guard with the sanding discs but that's just my choice. This is a serious weapon in the armoury!

3) The Arbortech. This is the Pro disc and it's a serious bit of kit if used in it's context, I don't often use it apart from when I working on really tough old timber or I want to hollow out or shape Oak and can't be bothered to start a chainsaw. DO use the guard on the angle grinder, positioning it to cover the 'kickback' zone of the disc. I believe them to be inherently dangerous and wear full chainsaw gear when it's out. Believe me they'll do as much damage as a chainsaw.

4) Drawknives. For me the finish a drawknife leaves is the best. It is a totally authentic way of working Oak. I have half a dozen or so drawknives but they're lent out at the moment hence only the one. They HAVE to be kept razor sharp. They are very hard work but worth every minute of sweat and graft. They can be picked up very cheaply. Don't think of using them on dry Oak unless it's just to knock the edges off.

5) Electric chisel. Made by Bosch, a great little chisel! It's a bit of a toy but I use it to detail carvings and to texture backgrounds. It saves alot of chisel and mallet work. I suspect most of you wouldn't have a use for it but I LOVE it!

6) Angle grinder. The arbortech and hoof trimming disc need alot of power. The pictured grinder is a Bosch 125mm with 1020w, it's a good bit of kit and will work all day although not cheap.

7) An adze. Now were going back to middle ages but if you're after a really wild finish then this is your tool! I have a straight bladed adze and one with a concave blade. They are good fun to use and again should be razor sharp but are again inherently dangerous to use. I wear my chainsaw boots and trousers when using them. Not alot of chance of getting cut.

OK, end of first chapter. I'll get some examples of what I've talked about and post them for the next time.

Any ideas on what to talk about next? If not I'll just ramble on!

Chris

[Alane]

Chris

I think you might be a little unfair as I've seen quite a few posts on this forum from people who have purchased green oak from their local sawmills.

I agree with you about the pleasure of working with this material. I'm just in the process of replacing the floor joists from half of my barn conversion with new green oak sourced locally. I paid around €500 including taxes per cubic metre for some beautiful timber much of it quarter sawn with great ray patterns on the surface. In reality it was actually much cheaper as most of the timbers were much longer than I actually paid for - nominal 2.5 metres, much of it over 3 metre and some up to 3.5. Given the quantity I put it through a planer and it has come up wonderfully. No problem dealing with the sawmill, two lovely ladies in the office who think its a great hoot to deal with an English customer and try out their English via e-mail and a the guy who actually cuts the wood is really helpful after he got over the intial suspicion that I might want everything at once.

I'm agonising over the finish to give to the joists. Where I put a new external door frame using 8 and 6 inch square timbers into the ground floor I didn't put any finish on the green oak at all other than around the base, and it has darkened up and blends in perfectly with the old frame after just a couple of years. Luckily I don't live in a termite area so am not too worried that I haven't applied preservative, it will certainly outlast me.

Internally I'm looking for a bit more of a "furniture" finish and am not sure whether to use lasure, oil or wax on the joists. It isn't as easy as softwood to work and is a lot heavier, I've got biceps in my right arm like Popeye after cutting all the joists by hand but consider it was worth it.

I'd be interested in any tips on using an adze. I cut down a pear tree a while ago and trimmed up some of the trunk to a rough finish with the chainsaw and it has been drying out since. I thought of shaping it up with an adze before using for internal door frames really just as an interesting exercise but also to have something a bit different in the house.

In the UK our local museum currently has an exhibition about wood working in the early part of the last century with some pictures of furniture makers using an adze - it looks lethal the way they swing the blade near their feet.

 

[Tresco]

Hi Chris.

First, I was sorry to hear about your friend. I saw your separate post last night but wasn't able to answer.

I think we all of us have 'king-pins': people we admire beyond most others, and when they die, it's a very sad, and thought provoking experience.

I read the forum for a year before buying (or posting). I wish I'd seen the post you just made then! I'm not saying the house is full of crap, but there were certain compromises made, (mainly upstairs) which just weren't worth it.

[Chris Head]

Alan, the Pear sounds lovely. Let it sit and don't try and turn it into anything it doesn't want to be. One day your imagination will lead to the Pear and you'll be glad you waited.

What can I say to your reply Tresco? I don't know you but thanks, Bill was a seriously hard man but had the knack of sorting life out. He would have been ashamed that I would have hidden what I know from you lot. So I won't.

Chris

[Nick Trollope]

Very useful Chris, thanks. Hopefully they will make it a sticky.

Quick Q, tho' - where do you get chisel bits for your Bosch chisel? - I haven't found any for years & all mine are beyond sharpening...

[Chris Head]

Nick, you can get them from Axminster who will post out, you can also get an adaptor for the chisel which will enable you to use Flexcut chisels in the machine, Axminster also. I found them in Mr Bricolage in Limoges the other day and bought a new gouge.

Chris

[Chris Head]

Thanks for the PM's & emails, yes of course I'm willing to help and I understand why some of you don't want to ask seemingly dumb questions out in the open. A question is just a question. If the electricians and plumbers and builders can share their trades and give good info us woodys can too! One particular message stood out, a chap who has Oak trees lying down and want's to make a fire surround in as natural way as possible. He's never cut a mortice and tennon before and is scared to waste the Oak. I'll post some ideas tomm.

Cheers, Chris