Gene Crain-Finishing?

[myxpykalix]

Gene, you may have told us before but what wood and what finish is this?
I like the way the base seems darker then the carved elements and i like the way that looks.

[gc3]

Hi Jack!!!

Alder stained with Crystalac "American Maple" the entire door...carving then hand sanded to "burn" thru the stain on the corners. I applied Mohawk glazes after that...but have not taken photos of the glazes.

Happy New Year!

[michael_schwartz]

One of these days I will have to track down some Alder. You don't see it every day in the northeast.

[dlcw]

Alder here in the northwest is abundant like oak, maple, cherry and walnut are abundant in the east. I wish I could get my hands on more reasonably priced walnut and cherry out here but it is REALLY expensive.

4/4 superior Alder runs about $1.99/bd ft. For 8/4 it runs about $2.85/bd ft.
4/4 Hickory runs about $1.85/bd ft for superior and around $1.45 for rustic
4/4 cherry - around $7/bd ft
4/4 walnut (the crappy kiln dried stuff with no color left) around $6/bd ft. 4/4 Oak runs around $3.25/bd ft.

The other problem out here where I live, it's tough to find any true rough-cut lumber. It is all skipped planed with huge divots and lots of snipe. So 4/4 is actually only 13/16 or 15/16 (but you are charged for 4/4). 8/4 is only 1 13/16 (but you are charged for 8/4). So if there is any warp or curve in the board you loose half the board or you have to cut it into shorter pieces to keep it 3/4" finished size. I'd rather start with true 4/4, 5/4, 6/5 or 8/4 rough-cut and surface and prep it myself. I've never seen 12/4 or 16/4 available from any suppliers out here. You have to do that kind of work using glue-ups. Anything thicker then 4/4 in domestics is REALLY tough to find unless you go to a specialty wood supplier who has to order it from the mills (3 to 4 weeks for deliver). Huge premium price paid on this.

When I lived in Ohio I could go directly to the mills and get just about anything I wanted. Out here in WA domestics are tough to get and very limited in what is available. Really sucks.... :mad:

It all depends on where you live.

[myxpykalix]

Don,
Not knowing what you are close to, i went to Craigslist and picked "Wenatchee" and found 2 or 3 sawmills.
http://wenatchee.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=325&subAreaID=&query=sawmill&catAbb=sss

look up craigslist and your area and sawmills you should find something. Here's a tip if you want some free wood or discount. Take some carvings and maybe some printed samples of their names carved with whatever pgm you use and offer to make them something nice in return.

My latest haul was some 16/4 Walnut in center and 8/4 16" wide maple along with some 12" wide pieces. Total cost $0. I had made a sign for the sawmill guy previously.

[dlcw]

Jack, Thanks for this info.

These guys all work with local lumber (pine, cedar, douglas fir, hemlock, etc.). My suppliers can get me this stuff for really good pricing ready for use.

Unfortunately in my area, there are just no domestic hardwood trees. We are in a conifer forest here and for a couple hundred or more miles in every direction.

The closest would be going to Oregon for some big leaf maple or claro walnut but that would take me two days of driving (my truck uses diesel so BIG $$$ for fuel), overnight accommodations plus the cost of the lumber. Already have tried with two or three mills in the Oregon, coastal WA area.

Anyone of you guys from southwest WA or northwest OR have any good mills you use that are willing do deal at all? It would have to be a good deal to drive 9 hours one-way for the lumber pick up. I have a big trailer that can hold about 6500 lbs and the truck can hold another 1500 lbs. TIA!

[michael_schwartz]

I wish we had big leaf maple, or Claro walnut out here. Western Red Cedar is also hard to come by. You can get it as decking but finding 8/4+ becomes difficult. Most of the tropical woods, and exotics seem to be imported via the west coast too. A good quantity of those make it to the east coast but you don't see as much.

If anybody is ever within driving distance of central vermont, check out Lathrops Maple Supply aka Exclusively VT Wood Products in Bristol VT. Note that they are cash/local check only. They sell much more than just maple, and in other words you won't be disappointed.

[bleeth]

Don: You may want to check out Edensaw Wood in Port Townsend. They also run a truck to Seattle regularly.

[dlcw]

Thanks Dave - I'll call them on Monday.