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5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

blog.lostartpress.com

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Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#51

Post by noir_lord »

hdjfkkrrn wrote: post #50

Saw a documentary about ultra rich people houses in London. Another similar thing is water logged trees - they pull trees which sat for centuries in Slovakia's lakes. They fill the cracks with metal (bronze). A bonus point it's that the table becomes a "story". Pretty much everything in the house needs to have a "story", which is more important than the actual thing.

> which is more important than the actual thing.

When you can already buy the best possible thing then the story is what matters.

> “Even the dog wouldn’t—” “But humans will, Mr. Bent,” said Moist. “And therein lies genius. I think he makes most of his money on the mustard, but there’s a man who can sell sizzle, Mr. Bent. And that is a seller’s market.” - Making Money - Sir Terry Pratchett.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#52

Post by jayd16 »

tomrod wrote: post #29
SavantIdiot wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but still better than no regulations. It's an arms race.

Why is that better, specific to this instance?

I would venture to guess the regulation, weak as it was, still slowed the exports.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#53

Post by evanlivingston »

danans wrote: post #30

Old growth woods like these are obviously unbelievably unique (and expensive). But even if you can't find or afford anything like that, if you are ever remodeling, it's worth reusing weathered but intact lumber from your house when possible. I pulled and reused about 50 ft of existing redwood 2x6 off my house recently as part of a remodel, refinished it with shou sugi ban (Japanese wood burning technique) and built a…

This advice should have a very large disclaimer.

A majority of old finish lumber in the U.S. has been painted with lead based paint. Unfortunately the safest thing to do with this lumber is throw it away.

Also in many homes floorboards have been covered with asbestos containing adhesives when newer floors were laid on top.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#54

Post by cosmodisk »

evanlivingston wrote: post #53
danans wrote: post #30

Old growth woods like these are obviously unbelievably unique (and expensive). But even if you can't find or afford anything like that, if you are ever remodeling, it's worth reusing weathered but intact lumber from your house when possible. I pulled and reused about 50 ft of existing redwood 2x6 off my house recently as part of a remodel, refinished it with shou sugi ban (Japanese wood burning technique) and built a…

This advice should have a very large disclaimer. A majority of old finish lumber in the U.S. has been painted with lead based paint. Unfortunately the safest thing to do with this lumber is throw it away. Also in many homes floorboards have been covered with asbestos containing adhesives when newer floors were laid on top.

While we on this: I noticed lots of interior design projects, where old pallets are used( Euro Pallet being the most popular). They are all treated with chemicals to withstand harsh environments and definetly shouldn't be used indoors.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#55

Post by anonAndOn »

yitchelle wrote: post #46

While the furniture is beautiful, (that cabinet is out of this world), do you really need bog oak to give it that beauty? Can't it be manufactured to the same beauty using wood from today's trees?

While artificial petrifaction is possible in a lab, I doubt it's practical at full log scale. You are only going to get this kind of timber from the right anaerobic conditions and (x) thousand years.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#56

Post by mywittyname »

hellbannedguy wrote: post #25
tristor wrote: post #18

I had never heard of bog oak before, but this material is absolutely stunning. I really wish there was more appreciation of proper heirloom-quality furniture and things in general. I think it's part of making living more ecological, and it's a form of generational wealth. Unfortunately we live in an era of cheapest possible items, and disposal of things when they go out of style. Something like this never goes out of…

I was watching that show called Antique Archeology. It’s basically two grifters from Iowa who take the good stuff from hoarders, and collectors. This one guy (Jersey John) pull out a 1886 Windsor chair, and acting like he’s doing the owner a favor by offered the guy $25. The owner shot back with, “I can get $40 at a yard sale?” Anyhoo—it just reminded me how far we have gotten away from buying beautiful handmade thin…

People have different tastes. Just because something is old or handmade, that doesn't make it desirable.

Plus, 140 year old furniture takes specialized maintenance if you want them to last. It's kind of expensive to properly maintain or refinish antique furniture. Chairs, especially, need proper maintenance, they experience much more wear than something like a chest, and an improper fix can destroy it.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#57

Post by driverdan »

cosmodisk wrote: post #54
evanlivingston wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This advice should have a very large disclaimer. A majority of old finish lumber in the U.S. has been painted with lead based paint. Unfortunately the safest thing to do with this lumber is throw it away. Also in many homes floorboards have been covered with asbestos containing adhesives when newer floors were laid on top.

While we on this: I noticed lots of interior design projects, where old pallets are used( Euro Pallet being the most popular). They are all treated with chemicals to withstand harsh environments and definetly shouldn't be used indoors.

This isn't true. Most pallets are heat treated now and can be distinguished by "HT" on the side.

You should still be careful about selecting and working with pallet wood. They can be subject to hazardous spills and can have random debris embedded in them that will damage blades.

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#58

Post by tomrod »

jayd16 wrote: post #52
tomrod wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that better, specific to this instance?

I would venture to guess the regulation, weak as it was, still slowed the exports.

I would imagine so, if only a minor amount. Seems like it increased the price I would gather, unless the international market for unique wood doesn't behave as I'm speculating :)

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#59

Post by intrasight »

Cool recycling story. Lou Stiver has been making mandolins for decades. Some time ago, a neighbor was renovating their kitchen. Lou knew that the original cabinets were made from maple harvested from the property. He asked the neighbor for the old cabinets, and made what he believes are some of his finest mandolins.

https://www.yourheaven.net/2018/3-mandolin-makers/

Re: 5k Year Old Bog Oak Table: Digging up 4k-year-old trees for furniture

#60

Post by VBprogrammer »

52-6F-62 wrote: post #11

Anyone with any knowledge know if bog wood like this oak has been used as a tone wood? Really interesting read I didn't expect to see this morning.

My friend has a very nice spalted swamp ash custom guitar. I forget the name of the builder but it's pretty rare to go along with it.

As for tone wood, its very existence is mired in controversy. This is probably not the time or place to get into it!

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