Accent wood for white oak

[SwingKing]

I'm expecting to have some leftover QSWO from an upcoming project and was think about using it for some small gift boxes. However, I wondering if there are any good woods that work well to accent white oak? I like boxes that have contrasting woods and inlays, so anyone have any suggestions and/or pics of neat QSWO boxes?

Thanks!

-- Ken

[gwyneth]

In the Vernacular period of design (mostly coincidental with Mission) mahogany and white oak combined to make some beautiful inlays.

[jziegler]

I can't help with pictures or anything, but I would imagine that walnut would make a nice contrast to the white oak. mahogany, as mentioned before, would be good too. I'd guess that most darker woods would be good.

Jim

[gwyneth]

Here are some sites with beautiful pictures of different combinations of wood--most is furniture but it should show how they look together.

The first two are those of modern furniture makers who have done a lot with combinations of oak and other woods. Lots of combinations of different woods.

Jim's excellent walnut idea is gorgeous in one of Laberge's custom dining tables made with quarter sawn white oak. Miller also does some neat furniture with oak and other woods, including walnut.

http://www.williamlaberge.com/dining.html
William Laberge Cabinetmaker-Dining Rooms

http://www.customcabinetmakers.com/studio.html
Birdie Miller, Furniture & Cabinetmakers - Studio Furniture

Here are two antique catalogs/sites. The first gives more info about oak furniture than you can imagine. The second has a lot of beautiful pictures of a lot of beautiful English antiques, some of which combine different woods in (as you might expect) beautiful ways.

http://www.antiqueoakfurniture.co.uk...f_antiques.asp
History Of Antique Oak Furniture - Period Antique Furniture - Antique Shop UK - Oak & Country Furniture

http://www.rupertsantiques.com/
Rupert Landen Antiques - antique furniture dealer specialising in Georgian Regency Victorian, TVADA member, Berkshire, UK

(Can you tell which forum member is procrastinating getting some real work done?)

[SwingKing]

Thanks!

Wow! Thanks for all the information. I had been thinking about walnut and I can see where mahogany would work as well. This will give me some ideas to work from. Now the next question is what type of stain and finish to use to bring out the best look. Should be a nice little science project to work on while I'm working on other things.

Thanks again!

-- Ken

[Gary L]

Here is something you might consider before you dive in.

I build alot of Mission Furniture with QSWO.

Quarter Sawing by it's very nature changes the way the wood moves.
Most folks think it is to expose the Medulary Rays (Tiger Oak) but in fact it creates a more stable lumber because the movement caused by humidity or the lack of it goes more to the thickness then it does to the width of the board. A 30 inch wide table top will show considerably less expansion and contraction along the 30 inch width then a flat sawn top but it will also get thicker or less thick depending on moisture in the air.

For your boxes, you will do well to use other QS woods such as Maple.

Look at the end grain of your QSWO. Note the way the growth rings are acclimated on the oak and try to locate other woods that are close in this acclimation. There is always a few boards from each log that tend to be QS or close and these will provide you with the most stability for your projects.

I have built a few boxes that are literally pulling themselves appart because of the different ways the pannels move. I have had excellent results with Black Walnut, Ebony, Maple and Mahogany but I do pay strict attention to the growth rings and find the closer they are the tighter my joints remain.

Hope this helps.

Gary