Table in Pau Ferro

[SkinnyGoomba]

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to share a piece that I'm currently building. This table is made in solid Pau Ferro wood in a breadboard style. I plan to have tapered round legs and a short skirt.

I'm finishing this table in a product called Waterlox.

The bottom is sealed in tung oil and the end grain sealed with dewaxed shellac, something I'm experimenting with to minimize seasonal changes in the wood.

Enjoy, thoughts are always appreciated.

Brian

 

[erdawe]

Nice wood. Keep up progress pics...
My only experience with pau ferro was from owning a bass that used it on the fingerboard.

Has seasonal humidity been a major problem for you indoors?

Why not just coat the whole thing in buffed layers of tung oil? I don't know too much about furniture making, but I will say I aways personally preferred the "glow" of a nicely applied tung oil finish to dark, dense woods. Seems to pair nicely.

I guess I'm just not a huge fan of the look of most synthetic wood finishes, since many turn out far too harsh.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thanks! It hasn't been an issue, but I've thought it wise to consider it in my joinery and being I the northeast it is a mild concern. Sounds like a nice bass, Pau Ferro has been used as a sort of Brazilian Rosewood sub in the music industry since you can't obtain it anymore except in small, very expensive, quantities.

I agree completely about tung oil, Waterlox is a blended oil finish. I do like shellac and lacquer as well but it really depends on the piece. For furniture I prefer something oil based. my next project is a valet box in Macassar ebony which I will have lacquered because that makes the most sense for the peice.

I'm wrapping up a jewelry armoire in East Indian rosewood and that is being French polished in the traditional fashion with shellac. I chose that finish because I feel like the application calls for it.

I avoid polyurethane and polyester based finishes, I think the project looses it's charm with a plastic finish.

 

[erdawe]

Yeah polyurethane is usually nasty stuff. Durable perhaps, but mostly disgusting.
Finishing is definitely piece dependent as it really guides dimension of the wood underneath. I'm still learning about finishing from various wood restoration projects that come up here and there with stuff I own.

I'll be checking aperiodically on this thread.

 

[impolyt_one]

I came across Waterlox when I was looking for something seal my teak flooring with. It looks pretty good but I'm unsure it's much difference from straight tung oil. I too have only seen pau ferro on guitars. I like a bit of contrast between woods like that when they're set geometrically, so I'd want to see the center piece in pau ferro and then something else for a border, or vice versa. I think there can be too much of a good thing when it comes to wood and furniture.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Erdawe,
Cool, French polishing so far is my favourite, but it's prohibitively time consuming and finicky. I have used oil finishes in the past like straight tung oil, but they really don't hold up well to guests who forget to use coasters.


Impolyte,
Interesting idea, I may consider something like that on the next project.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Finished up in waterlox gloss for the top and satin for the legs. Attached the legs with a sliding dovetail.

Next table is going to be in Bubinga with Macassar ebony breadboard ends. Totally different style than this one, but for the same room.

 

[erdawe]

Wow, that's really great, nice update.

I'm bad with size estimation, but looks like a side table... Rough dimensions?

Makes me wish I had the space/ time for woodworking projects, perhaps few years off when more firmly established!

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thanks! it's about 26" x 32" x 20" tall. I love wood working, I think it's a great residential hobby since you can do so much with it around the house.

 

[Jr Mouse]

Looks great.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Wonderful.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thank you!