February 27, 201214 yr I have been working on a head board and two nightstands for a client for two months now. She chose red oak as the primary wood. My first impulse was to suggest something else. I have always considered red oak as the weed of the furniture world. Unlike many species, it grows almost everywhere and in any climate. When you plane it, the shavings are stringy and ugly. It has huge pores and is a pain to finish. I have processed around 90 bf by hand and find myself having to sharpen my irons 3 or4 times a day. My planner sits in a corner and laughs at me as I sweat over 13" wide boards. My RO sander is on a shelf mocking me. But after all that planning and jointing, I have come to appreciate the subtle qualities of this particular species. The edges have a beautiful quartersawn figure. The grain is straight and easy to orient. It glued up easily. I have yet to dovetail the carcase or drawers but I will give it my best and let you know how it goes. It isn't my first choice for hand work (or my 2nd or 3rd), but it is growing on me everyday. Does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with this or any other wood? Anybody have any suggestions for working tough lumber by hand? Thankfully, my next project will be out of nice soft mahogany... Also, I am posting from my phone and the picture might not be right. Sorry. Adam Welker Red Car Construction and Fine Woodworking
February 27, 201214 yr Adam, I must be a nut, but Oak has always been one of my favorite woods. But then I like working with Teak also. Â Larry
February 27, 201214 yr I'm with Larry. Oak comes in right after Walnut. QSWO is a dream, too. Gene'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
February 27, 201214 yr I do like Red Oak, but since there are so many pieces made from it, I try to stay away from it if possible. I do have some of Quarter sawn and I like the look.I guess if I was listing the ones I like to work with, Cherry and Walnut would be at the top of my list.John MoodySite AdministratorJohn Moody Woodworkshttp://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com
February 27, 201214 yr I use quite a bit of it for my scroll saw projects, primarily because it is so readily available in my area. GregScroll Saw forum hosthttp://www.thesawdustfactory.net/
February 27, 201214 yr I do like oak but cherry is my favorite. However, I have a hate/hate relationship with walnut. Its dirty, it stinks and it'll damage your lungs. I only work with it when I have to.Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
February 27, 201214 yr Author Well I am obviously in the minority here. Ha ha. Ron, I love walnut and it is by far my favorite wood to work. I often wear a mask when sawing but it doesn't happen every time. I see that everyone likes cherry and I can't argue with that. It's easy to work with hand tools and finishes beautifully if you know what you are doing. I think there is a big difference between white and red oak as far as working qualities and I will continue to call it a weed. However, I am going to have around 50 bf left over so I will be making something else out of red oak. Maybe some shop furniture or perhaps a wooden waste barrel :-bAdam WelkerRed Car Construction and Fine Woodworking
February 28, 201214 yr Adam, it looks like a fabulous picture to me! So how do ya like that LN #8!!!!!John MorrisThe Patriot WoodworkerProud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops
February 28, 201214 yr Author Ha! I have been wishing it was a #8 but it is just my 7. I managed to track down most of my missing tools. John Morris said:Adam, it looks like a fabulous picture to me! So how do ya like that LN #8!!!!! John MorrisThe Patriot WoodworkerProud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops
February 29, 201214 yr The last place i worked we used a lot of red oak, both solid and sheet stock. But i'll just say that it is a love / hate situation. The large pores and voids can cause a lot of trouble. It can be very finicky, both in machining and finishing. The other woods we worked with were hard maple, cherry and beech. Maple, walnut and cherry are my favorites.No greater Loves than God, Family, Friends, country, the sight of flying chips and the smell of saw dust.
February 29, 201214 yr Most of my cabinet projects have been made from Red Oak. Personally, I like the feel of f the grain as it telegraphs through the finish. Oh, yes, it also happens to be Mimi's favorite.Maybe it was the stock I received, but I don't care for Cherry. It smells nice but what I used was very brittle and chipped out easily.Walnut, well, I wish I had a lot more of it.Lew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
February 29, 201214 yr That's great news Adam about the tools. Hohummm, that No. 8 will make it's way into your home someday. Adam Welker said: Ha! I have been wishing it was a #8 but it is just my 7. I managed to track down most of my missing tools.John Morris said: Adam WelkerRed Car Construction and Fine Woodworking John MorrisThe Patriot WoodworkerProud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops
April 22, 201214 yr I think I must be in the minority. Here in California red oak is the dominate wood. I much prefer silver oak to work it has a color that is to die for and is called silver because of the color the bark takes on in the fall. The whole tree turns a wonderful grey color and the wood is the finest oak i have worked by hand. I would be quick to turn to my power tools for red oak as it is very hard on the planer Irons and you may need to hone after each board this can get old in as hurry. Even my planer blades were out fast with the weed wood. Oak is the wood of the state most of the features in the house were done in Oak. I am currently working on re doing all the woodwork to cherry a rare wood out here as the cherry trees are tiny out here and the growers cut them down when they quit producing cherry's in numbers that are good for production. Its all about production out here not about the wood or the trees. I have started a new mission in life a few months back I started importing trees that are good for wood and am planting them all over the state I am trying to get all the woodworkers to do the same thing so that in 50 years to 100 years there will be plenty of wood trees for the new woodworkers to use. hopefully we can plant good wood trees and less red oak. My favorite wood to work is walnut and I like eastern black the best even more than the giant claro walnuts of California.Â
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