Replies

1. 
   Kevin | May 13, 2007 02:39am | #1

   Looks great. Nice work!

2. 
   tufenhundel | May 13, 2007 06:48am | #2

   Amen to that inexpensive hardwood. I believe birch is often overlooked and underrated. I am working with some awesome birch veneers that were at the bottom of the price scale.

1. 
   SwartzWuest | May 13, 2007 11:41am | #3

   You are absolutely right about birch being underrated. Variation in the grain in birch give a great look by changing the luster as you look at the finished piece from different angles.

   As I work the finishing process described above, I enjoy watching the beauty develop.

   I'm going to try working with flame birch soon. I know it will look great.

   Edited 5/13/2007 11:15 am ET by SwartzWuest

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 16, 2007 06:28pm | #16

   The first time I handplaned some I thought I missed some parts.  It looked like a giant ripple going across the board, so real looking that I rubbed my hand over it to feel the bump, none there!  Smooth as glass!

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

3. 
   mapleman | May 14, 2007 06:39am | #4

   Anyone care to resize the 2 Meg photos for us dial-uppers?

   Thanks

   Lee

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 14, 2007 02:54pm | #5

   Lee,

   Here Ya go, man.

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

   
1. 
   mapleman | May 14, 2007 04:59pm | #6

   Bob,

   You're a gentleman and scholar!

   Thanks,

   Lee

2. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 03, 2008 03:21am | #23

   Bob was your reply what I thought it was?

4. 
   mapleman | May 14, 2007 05:03pm | #7

   SW,

   Great looking finish and bookcase! I will make notes of your recipe and put it in the "things to try" file.

   Lee

5. 
   forestgirl | May 14, 2007 06:08pm | #8

   Any chance you could post the links for the finish recipe and design?

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
1. 
   SwartzWuest | May 16, 2007 01:31am | #9

   I found the article with the design but could not find the finishing article.

   This is the link to the design article.

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ProjectsAndDesign/ProjectsAndDesignPDF.aspx?id=2801

   If the link doesn't work, search under Steve Latta & open the article called "Bookshelves in a Day"

1. 
   forestgirl | May 16, 2007 07:03am | #10

   Thanks!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

6. 
   user-114258 | May 16, 2007 09:25am | #11

   Nice book shelf!

   Too weird, I have decided on that very same design for a shelf in my boy's room.  Decided to use birch too.  Been playing with finishes, tung oil and garnet shellac!

   Will try your recipe on some scraps.  I am considering trying some oxalic acid to attempt to remove some of the gray "staining" in the sap wood of these boards.  (My goal is to even out the color contrast between the heart and sap wod; yet stay as clear as possible with the finish to show off the "inner light" and subtle curl.)

   Max

7. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 16, 2007 01:36pm | #12

   SwartzW,

   What kind of birch, yellow?  I have several 100 bf of yellow flame and my sawyer friend called last night and has some curly white birch and some w/birdseye!  Going to have a look tonight!

   I've used birch for several projects.  I agree it is somewhat overlooked as a material for furniture.  It is hard, stable and takes a finish well. 

   I'm currently refinishing a birch gun stock.  I mixed some Red Mahogany w/Walnut stain, about 1/3 to 2/3 respectively and applied 3 coats.  Now am applying thin coats of Tru Oil finish on top. 

   My bench is made of birch also.  I would bet your recipe would look nice on the white.

   Regards,

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

   
   

   ---

   Edited 5/16/2007 7:04 am ET by KiddervilleAcres

1. 
   joinerswork | May 16, 2007 04:31pm | #13

   Hi Bob,

   Birch was often used in lieu of/ in combination with mahogany in rural New England furniture.  I've seen several pieces with mahogany fronts and birch ends.  With the right stain, it can be a passable imitation, although I wonder if the old time makers thought of it as a substitute, or just a domestic equivalent-- it is certainly pretty wood in its own right.

   Ray

2. 
   Kevin | May 16, 2007 05:53pm | #14

   I don't know about other parts of the country but here in Oregon I've very rarily seen Yellow Birch. Which is a shame because it's a very attractive wood, my favorite Birch in fact. I would love to see what it looks like with a flame figuring.

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 16, 2007 06:25pm | #15

   Kevin,

   All the pieces I have are rough cut so it's hard to see the figure.  I have a scrap piece that I was using to test plane blades for sharpness, and there is some in a cabinet I made for chisels & planes in the woodshop.

   I'll see if I can get some pics tonight after work.

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

3. 
   SwartzWuest | May 16, 2007 08:12pm | #17

   KA,

   The wood used was Sweet Birch (Betula lenta), also known as Black Birch, Cherry Birch, Mahogany Birch, River Birch, or Spice Birch

   SW

4. 
   Joe Sullivan | May 17, 2007 07:01am | #18

   Bob:Some of the people who live in the vicinity of my cabin in far northern Minnesota have floors made of paper birch. In fact, the old Central School 45 miles away in Grand Rapids has floors, stairs, and bannisters made of it (turn of the century 3-story Romanesque building with big central stairways). It wears very well and looks wonderful -- lighter than most floors and woodwork, and wigh enough color difference to be interesting.Joe

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 17, 2007 02:37pm | #19

   Morning Joe,

   I just picked up 120 bf of rough cut White/Paper birch last night.  Mostly curly with a little birdseye mixed in as well.  Beautiful stuff.  Next to cherry I think I've worked with nearly as much birch.

   It machies well and is very stable.  In fact, I've never had any reaction wood from birch.

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

2. 
   user-114258 | May 17, 2007 02:59pm | #20

   Those old birch floors sound great.

   If I recall the Birches are of medium hardness according to the wood handbook.  Hardness similar to Cherry.  I bet that floor has held up fairly well.

   I have milled several thousand BF of white/paper birch lumber.  While milling it it seems that much of it has figure to some degree, most commonly big wide curls/flame and real big eye's. It seems that most of the developed market considers it a "utility" wood, which is perplexing to me. 

   Max

8. 
   user-114258 | Jun 07, 2007 03:30pm | #21

   Hi,

   I thought I would add my recent experience to this topic.  Here is my version of the FW "Bookshelves in a day"  (Ha , I am SLOW more like "bookshelves in a couple of days")

   Anyway the wood is Paper/White Birch. Wood was sanded to 320 grit. 

   TransTint Cherry dye went on first, gray abrasive pad was then used to knock down the raised grain.  (Some blotching on one board only.) (Overall did a fine job of evening out the colors from sap wood to heart wood.)

   Next, a real light coat of Boiled Linseed oil went on.

   Next I Brushed two coats of Garnet Shellac, using a gray abrasive pad between coats.

   Next I padded two coats of Blond Shellac on again using the gray abrasive before and after.

   Finally a light coat of wax was applied.

    

   max

    

   
1. 
   Carol_in_Chicago | Oct 02, 2008 06:47pm | #22

   lovely, MaxI'm new at this -- how did you make your materials list for this project?