Mission style - Woodworking Talk

Itchy Brother · 12-07-2008, 11:52 PM

Hi,What type of wood is usually used to make mission style furniture?I saw some recently that was red oak but it was a darker brown in color and was wanting to know what stain would make it brown and still show the grain? Could it be that because it was quartersawn that the stain penetrated more than the wood ya buy at Lowe's that isnt quartersawn? Itchy

clockdaddy · 12-08-2008, 01:20 AM

Mission style furniture was typically made from quarter cut white oak. Some yellow poplar was used but not where it was readily visable or when fabricating dining chairs. Here's a link; Mission Style Furniture History and Information Mission Furniture and Gustav Stickley Furniture
Many people intermix mission oak and Stickley furnishings. here's an informative link; Gustav Stickley Furniture L&JG Stickley Arts and Crafts Furniture and Stickley Brothers Mission Style Furniture Prices and Values

Very good question!

CD

42Hickorysouth · 12-08-2008, 02:02 AM

Good question as well as a good answer by clockdaddy thank you. I have a friend that is having a big Live Oak cut down and he wants to use some of the wood for something in his home. Is Live Oak a wood that is good to use or is it just better used as fire wood? He said he wants some bench or table for the kitchen, maybe a set if it is a wood worthy of working with. Thank you for your answer. :-)

clockdaddy · 12-08-2008, 09:21 AM

At the risk of being a smart a##...I think any wood will be dead by the time he uses it!!!LOL Just having a bit of fun!!

Any wood that it used for cabinet purposes should have about 8% moisture content. That's drier than a lot of firewood!

Any wood used must be either kilm dried or air dried. Air drying takes about one year for every one inch of the wood's thickness.

About any tree will have bad areas in it. The "good wood" areas are typically only around 30% of the actual tree. It's difficult to say whether his tree is as good or better than purchasing the lumber for his project. As you know from your trips to pick up 2X4's, You have to pick through a bunch of boards to find a few you can use!

The biggest concern about trees is the possibility of nails etc. being in the tree. Nails tear up a lot of equipment and the people at the saw mills don't like to do trees for individuals because of that.

CD

martyweir · 12-09-2008, 05:25 PM

Itchy, Quartersawn white oak generally turns out a bit paler than red oak. I think it's just the hue of the wood. I just finished a balustrade w/ red oak box newel, banister & balustrade, and I used a really nice piece of qs'wn white oak for the baseplate. despite my best efforts, at some angles you can tell the difference in the two species. Red definitely has a bit of a pinkish hue to it.

Quarter sawn Red oak was also used in some areas where white oak is not as prevalent, Longleaf & white pine is somewhat common used - but more often used for floor, casements & trim than for A&C furniture. In general White oak gave the arts and crafts movement it's look with it's medullary ray fleck patterns. I love the stuff!!!

As far as a finish, the New yankee workshop gave out a "secret recipie" for an arts & crafts stain a few years ago. I can't remember the first color, but it is basically a dark redish stain followed by a coat of dark walnut, finished with a poly, varnish or shellac. Looked pretty authentic. Maybe look on his site to see if he's got anything on there...

Hickory: Live oak is an incredible tree! I wonder if they would grow in my zone (SW PA)? Apparently they are used for shipbuilding - ribs, brackets, curved pieces, etc. They don't grow very straight or tall, so I'd bet you would get some really nice figure, but narrow boards. Might be interesting. try to get pics if he does have it milled!

skymaster · 12-09-2008, 06:41 PM

Live Oak is a fantastic wood. It is quite tuff to work. The grain is very intertwined,gnarly etc. As far as tuffness:
The U.S.S. Constitution used Live Oak for her outer hull planking, most likely many other parts as well. The Live Oak was so damn tuff that cannon shot of the day bounced off!!!!! Hence her famous nickname
OLD IRONSIDES :}:}
In fact if you research the sailing ships I read that the sea museums I believe Mystic Connecticut and in the Baltimore Harbor May be interested in some of that lumber depending on their current supply.

http://www.cas.sc.edu/SCIAA/mrd/docu...iveoakprgm.pdf Interesting reading and info for those interested
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science...aks/index.html
http://www.nps.gov/guis/historycultu...-oak-story.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/live-oak-1

Domer · 12-10-2008, 10:52 AM

A lot of Mission Style furniture was made from quartersawn white oak. I think some was made from cherry as well.

If you have a local store that sells Stickley furniture, you can see what the pieces look like in person. If you do not have a local store, you can go online and they have some pretty good photos.

Google Arts and Crafts Furniture and you can see a lot of examples as well.

I made a Morris chair out of quartersawn white oak with a very light stain which came out pretty good.

Then I made a Harvey Ellis design sideboard. I wanted to make it out of either white oak or cherry but my wife wanted walnut. I was skeptical but it turned out well.

I just went to a show for a couple of local woodworkers and they had some Mission style pieces made from cherry and some from ash.

So long story short, you should make it out of a wood you like.

Domer