Thinking outside the box.....Shou Sugi Ban
- Thread starter SubGuy
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I think it is a beautiful finish. It was a candidate for the finish on a recent project, but the process splintery edges on some ash test pieces. Seems best with flatsawn cypress or pine. Something with a wide grain.
Go For It! Looking forward to a build thread.
PS: do the burning outside otherwise the odor lingers in the house for weeks.
Go For It! Looking forward to a build thread.
PS: do the burning outside otherwise the odor lingers in the house for weeks.
I did something similar on a pine bird house last year. Instead of charring the wood I made passes over it with a propane torch burning just enough to create contrasting grain patterns. Turned out pretty well and was a lot more interesting than the plain pine. Didn't need to go through that messy brushing stage in the video.
That said, there are probably losts of interesting things that can be done with varying degrees of burning the wood.
That said, there are probably losts of interesting things that can be done with varying degrees of burning the wood.
:rotflm: I can see my wife now.... You did what? Your calling Servpro to get this smell out of my house!
So I've done some reading, watching videos of traditional Japanese furniture making and several other things. I saw a video where a very hot flat iron was moved over the wood surface which provided less char than the siding method. Afterward, the wood was scrubbed with a stiff bristle brush made of what looked to me as a bundle of broom material tightly bunched and neatly trimmed. This effectively removed the black spots and left the tiger striping on the dark growth rings which was then finished with oil. So I was looking for a project to fit it into to. The wife likes the expresso and dark colors, and this looks like a method to achieve that without hiding the grain with excessive stains and or paints. Just looked to me as a new way to skin the cat...
Interesting idea that looks pretty neat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOIbWOtHi-c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c2xBtEpn7s
It seems like a simple finish takes well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOIbWOtHi-c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c2xBtEpn7s
It seems like a simple finish takes well.
This is the toolbox that got me started on that finishing idea. Looks just like the colors that you mentioned.
I'm using Shou Sugi Ban on a house I just finished designing. Typically cedar is a good choice. Traditionally, linseed oil is used as the final finish, but to me, that adds back the flammability, insect, and mold interests that the original carbonizing solved. Maybe a spar varnish?
Search on "yakisugi" for videos of the authentic Japanese triangular tube assembly that does three boards at a time in two minutes rather than burning tons of fuel with a torch. (Two of the best examples: Example 1, Example 2.)
I've seen it suggested as an interior or furniture finish, but I don't recommend it since the charring is both dirty and potentially cancer-causing.
Search on "yakisugi" for videos of the authentic Japanese triangular tube assembly that does three boards at a time in two minutes rather than burning tons of fuel with a torch. (Two of the best examples: Example 1, Example 2.)
I've seen it suggested as an interior or furniture finish, but I don't recommend it since the charring is both dirty and potentially cancer-causing.
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I tried it out of curiosity on EWP instead of cedar, cypress, or fir. Very interesting and it doesn't smell like burnt wood after sealing with shellac.
1. ROS sanding for cleanup and wiped down with water.
2. A light char with a Bernzomatic torch. Careful here and don't overdo it.
3. Cleanup the char with OOO steel wool. Not very impressive and not really a dusty mess.
4. Zinsser SealCoat (1# cut) brushed on 3 x and it soaks it up. It looks and feels good with a nice gloss which is not showing. The finger feel is like a washboard as you go across the grain in the charred area but the rest of the board is smooth in both directions.
Yea, I hear that is pretty rare - too bad we don't know where to get some Tigerwood!
If someone has some they should tell us!
I did a quick sample on a piece of Ash. It was as bought and you can still see the planer marks in it. Was a piece of flooring that I used to make my ToolChest, entry #10 in this thread
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54644 . I've been wondering how to finish it and this is the direction I'm going in.
plank was charred using a berzomatic torch with a fan tip. Then wire brushed by hand. I tried using a wire brush on a small angle grinder, but the wire at that speed it to aggresive and plows out furrows. I wiped it down then burnished it with a piece of hard plastic. Finally gave it a coat of a buffable furniture wax with Beeswax and carnuba in it. This was just one coat but I will do several when I do the chest. The color from charring is tough enough to survive a wire brushing so I think it will work for a finish and it is certainly easy to touch up. the inside will just get wax. will post the chest when it is finsihed.
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54644 . I've been wondering how to finish it and this is the direction I'm going in.
plank was charred using a berzomatic torch with a fan tip. Then wire brushed by hand. I tried using a wire brush on a small angle grinder, but the wire at that speed it to aggresive and plows out furrows. I wiped it down then burnished it with a piece of hard plastic. Finally gave it a coat of a buffable furniture wax with Beeswax and carnuba in it. This was just one coat but I will do several when I do the chest. The color from charring is tough enough to survive a wire brushing so I think it will work for a finish and it is certainly easy to touch up. the inside will just get wax. will post the chest when it is finsihed.
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It was this Trewax product. http://trewax.beaumontproducts.com/floor-care/trewax-paste-wax
However, I have raw carnauba and was thinking of trying to mix up my own blend. A Furniture restoration book I just got from the library has several projects related to the use of was in furniture finishing.
However, I have raw carnauba and was thinking of trying to mix up my own blend. A Furniture restoration book I just got from the library has several projects related to the use of was in furniture finishing.
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