Tuesday, June 27, 2017

It's Going to Be a Long Month

Not much has been happening on the chair building front. Hogueras is pretty much over, all except the fireworks every night at midnight for the rest of the week. All the pretty statues have been torched.
This particular one was down by the harbor on a barge, so they just towed it out a bit for safety.
I think I could get my chairs done, except I am preparing for an audition for a trombone playing job. I haven't auditioned for anything in years, and now I remember how terrifying it is.

Next week, I should be able to get the chairs done. Probably by June 37th or so.

One of the great woodworkers from Instagram, @a.from.b, sent me some wood out of the blue.
Wood in the mail!
It is 8/4 quartersawn oak. And, when I say quartersawn, I mean it is perfect. It is clear, flat and stable. My plan is to make a coffee table out of it, but it is so gorgeous, I might have to think about it while it aclimatizes to our Spanish weather.

What would you do with this wood?

18 comments:

  1. I would wait until the 39th of june when the moon is aligned with Jupiter and Mars is descending. Favorable conditions then to make suck a momentous decision.
    Good luck on the audition. I played trombone too but quit because I'm tone deaf.

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    1. Haha! Thanks, Ralph. I know it's a typo, but I love to wait to make suck a momentous decision!

      It's weird, but I've met several trombone-playing woodworkers.

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  2. I agree that June is a long one this year. Hopeful to get finished on mine... ok started...this week. I think we might be able to help with project suggestions if we knew some rough measurements of your latest wood score.

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    1. I hope you get started this week, too! There's plenty of time left in June. Just like every year so far.

      The oak is 8/4", about 27 1/2" long and widths vary from 9" to 12".

      Cheers!

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  3. How long is the wood? Looks a bit short to be made into a coffee table, I think, but... I suppose they do have smaller coffee in Spain. So maybe it will work.

    I might have some good project ideas, if you would post the dimensions...

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    1. Hey, Ethan!

      My original plan was to make a square table about two feet on each edge.

      The boards are 8/4", about 27 1/2" long and widths vary from 9" to 12".

      Cheers!

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    2. A square table, 24"x24" might be better for an end table? I always think of a coffee table as being some 3' long or so. But maybe that's the American in me and coffee tables in Spain are smaller because the living room is smaller.

      Or maybe it's the idea of a square coffee table? Should they have longer long edges and shorter end grain edges? What if you did something that was about 20" wide and try and keep as much of the 27" length as possible? Then use the third board for legs and aprons?

      It will be toight either way. Toight like a tiger.

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    3. That's a good idea. My original plan was a low, square table 70cm x 70 cm. While looking at that wood today, I thought it might make a stunning shaker side table. And, there's just enough, if I do some resawing...

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  4. I'd sit and look at it for a while. Wood like that is a pleasure just thinking about working with it.
    Sorry, no trombone advice. I couldn't play a kazoo.

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    1. I'll definitely do that. On the other hand, I can hardly wait to start working with it.

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  5. Brain, first good luck on the audition. That is some beautiful material you have been given. I like the idea of a table. You will be able to enjoy the beautiful wood all the time. I have some large planks of black walnut that I've been saving (for almost 10 years) for a special project. I just haven't figured it out yet.LOL

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    1. Thanks, Ray! I'm ashamed to say I have some special wood I've been hording even longer than that. Hopefully I'll be able to write about that soon.

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    2. If you aren't hoarding wood, you're doing it wrong...

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    3. Then I'm definitely doing it right. The stuff I referred to was purchased in 1999.

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  6. Good luck on the audition!

    That is a nice bit of lumber you have to work with. It really puts the pressure on to make something special out of it though. I'm sure you will come up with something.

    I'll patiently await your chair progress...at least I have a place to sit and do my waiting. ;0...LOL...just throwing a little dig your way.

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    1. Ouch! Not only did you finish a pair of June chairs, you started more!

      Thanks!

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  7. Finished my chair on the 72nd of June, youhoooo Nailed It !! :-)
    See my blog for details :-)

    Bob

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    1. Congratulations! June isn't quite over yet for me.

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