OsBlog

At one of the last woodworking shows we were at (I do not recall if Leon said it was last year’s KBIS or AWFS show), we had heard about the potential of Briwax to work well on woods that contain “sapwood.”

You see, in woods that contain sapwood, it can sometimes be difficult to stain the lighter sapwood to the same shade as the darker heartwood.  We already make an effort to counter that issue by keeping the sapwood content of our turning squares to 25% or below.  However, for some applications an even closer match is more desirable.
Professionals have long had access to a remedy for this problem.  There are a variety of “sap stains” which allow for wood which contains varying tones to arrive at the same finish.  However, many of these stains are made only for commercial woodworkers, so what can the “small shop” owner or the hobbyist do?

That is why we’re excited about the potential that Briwax has!  If, as our dear friend from Briwax suggests, it has the potential to eliminate the “sapwood problem” for everyone else, then that is certainly very happy news.  So, now on to determine the effectiveness of Briwax on sapwood.

I have three pieces for which you are about to see “before” pictures.  The first is a corbel (8020, our Athens Bar Corbel) which is made of hickory.  Now, hickory is very striped in appearance and that is completely unavoidable.  Some people, such as myself, like the zebra effect these variations have on the completed look.  Others however, like the strength and finishing properties of Hickory, but could do without the stripes.  For them, I will be finishing this Hickory corbel in Dark Brown.  Here are some Before images:

Here the “striping” effect can be seen pretty clearly.  I am going to see how much consistency we can get by applying the dark brown Briwax.

The second item is a Corbel in Cherry (Our 8035, to be precise).  Now, this corbel is actually very consistent in color, however it has very fine carving lines: bunches of grapes and leaf designs leave many crevices that your average “wiping stain” might have a hard time combatting.  So, the inclusion of this corbel is more to determine how well Briwax does with hand carved items.  Here are the Before pictures of our cherry corbel:

(I should note that I am quite aware these corbels are upside down, but being as how they are as of yet unmounted, all these pictures will be upside down.)

Last, though not least, we have the 4070 Brunswick Bun Foot in Black Walnut. This bun foot is a “second” because of its sapwood content, so I will be finishing it in the Tudor Brown, and taking a look at how close this brings the consistency of the two shades.  Now, here are the before shots of the Brunswick:

Now, I suppose it is time for a confession.  I have already seen Jim (the Briwax representative we work with) do many things much like these.  However, he is a professional.  The real point of these experiments is to see just how easy it is for an amateur to achieve the same gorgeous results that Jim did.  So, being an amateur in all things finishing related, I volunteered for the job!  Look for weekly updates on this whole finishing process!

We just got back from IWF, and it was a great show.  I just wanted to thank those of you we met this week for coming out and giving us your feedback.  There are a lot of new things potentially in the works here, and it is good to hear your thoughts on those things.

For instance, we came out with our CAD-Catalog on DVD because of a show some time back.  We asked several people at shows what it was they really needed that we did not have, and they said they needed a CAD-Catalog to import into design software.  Our customers (YOU) told us what you needed, so we did it!  I was reminded of that at the show this week when a man said, “Tell me, who was the mastermind behind this DVD?”  I thought about it and, realizing the answer, told him, “Our customers!”

That is why it is so important for us to get feedback from you at shows (and at whatever point throughout the year you feel like calling us up and giving us feedback).  That is why we call to check when we get the notification that you should have received your orders.  Because we want to make sure that the decisions we make line up with the things you want and need.

So, thank you.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by just to say hello, and ended up staying for a little while to discuss your thoughts on metal corbels, or new corbel mounting hardware.  Thanks for letting us know what you do and do not like about the new Mission and Basket Weave products; and for letting us know what similar products you would like to see.  Thank you for telling us what you appreciated about the way we relate / have related to you.  Thank you for telling us where we need a little improvement.  All of those comments, ideas, insights; they help us to serve you the way we do.  It helps us to be a better company, and to make sure that we’re not just making products for the sake of making them, but creating something to meet your specific needs.

Working in customer service, we encounter a lot of names and voices.  Some of you a few times a week, some on a weekly basis, some a few times a month, some a little less than that; but all of you have a place in the heart of this company.  This week at IWF, I was able to look at name badges and say, “Oh, so that’s who I’ve been talking to these last 8 months!” It’s a very neat opportunity, and since this was my first show it was the first time I’ve gotten to meet any of our customers other than those right here in Toccoa.

Special thanks to Jim Ryan with BriWax, who helped give me some pointers while I was at the show, to get me set up for my next series on the blog: Finishing With BriWax!  Sneak Preview:  Because of its successful use in blending sapwood to its darker counterpart (Heartwood), BriWax holds a lot of potential as a finish that is actually available to the hobbyist as well as to a pro.  Since I do not have much experience finishing wood pieces, I get to be the lucky one to test it for our hobbyist friends   This will be complete with pictures.

Those items above in bold, please feel free to comment here with your thoughts!  Come to think of it, you can comment on anything else I’ve posted today, too!

That’s right, folks. IWF is just around the corner, beginning on Wednesday, August 20. This year it is in Atlanta, just an hour and a half drive from our shop up here in Toccoa, so of course you can expect to see us there. Leon, Christian, Dennis, Martha, and I will be manning booth # 3649 for the event.
This year the show brings with it even more exciting news. The Cabinet Manufacturer’s Association (CMA) is bringing a group of woodworkers to tour our shop the day before the show! Our new showroom, the final touch on the 2500 ft. building expansion we are just finishing, will be debuted on this tour.

If you are headed to IWF this year, feel free to stop by our booth to say hello!

Below: Enjoy some pictures of Christian (left) and Haden (right) setting up the new showroom.

(Below) Haden checks the corbels he just installed with a level

Every once in a while a customer sends along a picture that encourages you to really linger over the details. Well, our customer Larry, from Illinois, sent in a particularly lovely photo, depicting his use of our Grape Large Appliqué to crown a frame he had made. While it is true that appliqués have many uses, this specific use had never crossed my mind; even though this appliqué is perfectly suited for this setting. Both graceful and strong, the Grape Large Appliqué emphasizes the borders, while adding a touch of elegance and charm. Well done, Larry.