Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Dec 25, 2006 09:32am | #1

   Have you seen this site?
   http://www.ancientwood.com/ancient_kauri_answers_and_tips.htm

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   gmoney | Dec 25, 2006 05:01pm | #4

   thanks for the site reference.  not quite as costly as i originally thought.  i want some kauri now that i've seen the pictures!

2. 
   Troy | Dec 25, 2006 09:39am | #2

   It sure is nerve wracking to cut a piece of wood like that I would either find a project where you can feature it in as big a piece possible or saw it into sheets of veneer and get as much sqft as possible. Anyway no reason to rush what's a year or two to a 30k year old piece of wood:)

   Merry x-mas

   Troy

3. 
   gmoney | Dec 25, 2006 04:53pm | #3

   my first thought was wow!, that wood is very expensive.  second thought after viewing the pictures is to make table leaving as much live edge as possible.  the shape of that piece is very visually interesting.  i certainly would like to see what you do with it after you decide.  congratulations on a nice gift and good luck.

4. 
   Rooms | Dec 25, 2006 06:35pm | #5

   Seajai,

   Great looking board. What a great gift!

   I'd suggest that you think in terms of a coffee table and keep as much of the natural edge as possible. To mill your slab into boards would product a lot of waste, or at least very small pieces.

   I've used Ancient Kauri on a number of projects. The most recent was a custom TV stand with Wenge top and accents. The frame is 7/8" and the book matched panels are about 1/2" thick. Photos attached.

   Ancient Kauri is a soft wood Agathis Australis. While color, figure and texture does vary considerable from log to log, I've found Ancient Kauri to be some what brittle. What material would not be brittle at that age? Veneers may be a problem, personally, I would not go that route.

   So here are some tips from my experience:

   1) Since the wood is brittle, use very sharp tools. Read the grain very carefully to minimize tear-out.

   2) Don't  go for fine detail in moldings.

   3) Sanding to 1,000+ is recommended. While this may at first seem extreme for softwood, you will be rewarded for your work!

   4) Thoroughly test your finish on scraps before applying it to your project. Some finished obscure the figure and the fire (or luminance) of the wood. I've tried 7-8 finishes. I personally like shellac or Waterlox Original the best. Gloss is better than satin, unless rubbed back to a satin finish.

   Enjoy your project!

   
1. 
   seajai | Dec 25, 2006 08:50pm | #7

   Rooms,

   Thanks for the tips, I think I will leave it as nature intended. My question to you is this, there are a few check and cracks as well as a few "punky" areas (mostly in one curly-Q area at one end). What would be the best way to stabilize those areas so they can be featured without the worry of them falling apart or getting worse. I have seen other projects that look like they were filled in with epoxy or that "bar top" finish.

   I have attached a few pictures of the areas in questionSaftey glasses?......Nah!, I'm wearing saftey contacts

   
1. 
   Rooms | Dec 26, 2006 07:07pm | #8

   Seajai,

   "Punky" wood has got to go. You can use a draw knife, gouges, wire brush, or whatever to get rid of it.  What remains will need to be smoothed, sanded, scraped, steel wool or my favorite is stoch pads. they will follow the contours better than a sanding block.

   The cracks/splits can be left "as is" if you want the rustic or natural look. If you are concerned about further splitting, a bow-tie or Dutchman of a dark wood such as Wenge will look great.

   While I've not filled cracks or voids with epoxy, I have seen some beautiful work done that way. It would give a less rustic or natural look to a more "finished" appearance. The choice is yours. If you decide to work with epoxy, you need to make a wall or dam area so it dosen't flow all over. I'd suggest some practice with the stuff first.

   Good luck on you project. Would you post it when finished?

5. 
   DaveinPa | Dec 25, 2006 07:41pm | #6

   I won't cut that for all the tea in China. Leave it in its natural state and let it be. The most I would do woth it is a coffe table with a glass top on it. It deserves it being 30,000 years old.