Question about QS Red Oak: does it have the rays and flecks similar to QSWO. I have an opportunity to buy several hundred ft at very attractive price but I am unfamiliar QSRO before. The reference books and web sites I’ve viewed really don’t show the totality of the grain variations that well.
Thanks for any help.
Doug
Edited 10/9/2009 3:07 pm ET by DougGF
Replies
hi doug,
in my little shop are several nice qsro boards. if one looks at the edge of a flat sawn red oak board the rays and flecks are quite apparent.
eef
Thank you. I also enjoy working with new wood and have a few projects in mind for the QSRO. We'll see when I get toe saw mill.
Hi Doug,
Yes QSRO will have ray fleck. I have attached a PDF of a couple of QSRO bed side stands. I wanted to make them from QSWO but the customer insisted on QSRO.
Bob, Tupper Lake, NY
Bob, very nice work and I really appreciate you taking the time to share the photos. This really gives me a good idea of what I wil be looking at. One question: what stain/dye did you use?
Doug
Thanks Doug. The dye is a water aniline dye (actually a mixture of a few colors). I then applied Target water based WB shellac followed by an oil stain that was wiped off leaving it only in the open grain of the oak. Another coat of the shellac to lock the oil stain, and finally topped with Target EM8000cv conversion varnish.
Bob, Tupper Lake, NY
Doug, the two are very similar. The medullar rays all radiate from the heart, so the boards must be cut just right to make the best of it, which make a lot more work for the sawyer, and more wasted wood in the tree, except in really large timber.
The greatest difference between Red and White oak is that the open cells are larger and more open in the red, making it a bit more coarse in texture.
Thank you Keith. The close-up pictures I saw gave that impression of large, open pores.
Doug
Red oak has distinct ray fleck like white oak. However, the size of the white oak rays are much larger. White oak rays can be 1" in height, however, red oak has rays that are more like 1/4" to 1/2" in height. Therefore, perfectly quarter sawn white oak has a more dramatic and pronounced fleck, but the fleck on red oak is still very nice.
I got the wood and you're right about the flects: they are smaller but the wood is very nice and will make some interesting pieces.
Thanks to all for your responses.
Doug
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