silky oak table restoration WIP

this is my first post, and let me say it is an excellent site for all things related to woodwork.

just a quick note to show my WIP - a silky oak table restoration. after reading these forums i have jumped in and started my first major project! i have learned a great deal, thanks to all.

the table was already in pieces when i got it. it also has 6 chairs.

pic 1 is the original finish on the L (is it french polish?) and sanded just to 80 grit on the R

pic 2 a close up of the grain - i love silky oak, but i like it a darker colour than the 'yellow' or 'honey' that you sometimes see

pic 3 the table nearly all sanded. i sanded with my bosch pex ros to 80, 120, 180 and so far up to 3rd coat of feast watson floorseal (pic soon). 1st coat with brush, subsequent applied with the lambswool applicator . sanding to 180 in between and will prob go higher in between next 1 or 2 coats. and no i didnt forget the end of that leaf - i was just so eager to take a photo i hadn't done it yet.....

pic 4, 5 the carver chair - i dont need to say anything here. (sorry for the grainy photos of the chair - its with my phone camera not the digital cam)

thanks again to all who contribute. will try to post some pics of it all completed .

nick

keep the photos and tale of your restoration coming Nick.

Lovely to see an old table come back to life.

cheers
Wendy

Wow silky oak is a lovely timber!

Looks like a great job and love to see more pics of the finished table etc.

Do you know anything about the history/source of the setting? The design of the carver chair is quite unusual.

Steph

Its coming up beautifully, look forward to seeing more pics.

I like my silky oak dark too.

http://www.pichotel.com/pic/2328IkAUn/141244.jpg

What are you using as a finish? I am using Cabot's Danish oil coloured with artists' oilpaint, over a shellac sealer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by s_m

Wow silky oak is a lovely timber!

Looks like a great job and love to see more pics of the finished table etc.

Do you know anything about the history/source of the setting? The design of the carver chair is quite unusual.

Steph

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thanks for the kind words.

i don't know too much about its origin, but the old fella i got it off told me that his son bought it off an old family friend who had it for 'years'. is there anyone out there that can add to things? maybe the original finish or leg carving style helps?

i bought the whole setting for $150! the seller was a keen woodowrker himself (he may even visit these forums?!), and he showed me around his house at the gold coast with his other silky oak furniture including several pieces that he restored and a few that he had made.

as for finishing, like i had said in the original post - i am using feast watson floorseal. i haven't decided on a polish yet. i wanted a fairly hard wearing finish that would resist some of the perils of a table actually being used for its purpose.

all in all it has been a good first effort, i have learned a great deal - and only had to sand the table back to bare wood once (because i wasn't happy with the first attempt at finishing).

thanks
nick

Just out of curiosity....would you could that a club foot? (image below)

some more photos of the table. 4th coat of feast watson floorseal. exador from this forum has told me it probably isnt a silky oak table with the darker element to the grain. anyone have any ideas of the type?

I think you'll find it's silky oak alright. Of course silky oak covers three different trees - grevillea, cardwelia and oritis with grevillea being the most common - and these probably vary in colour.

it's silky oak, just not quarter cut