Black bearer marks on oak slab

[Cartmellfurniture]

Hi , have just completed making an oak table for a customer, and as I have stated to plane the top up , have noticed some fairly heavy full markings in the oak,
They look like where it's been sat in the warehouse where I got the oak from ,
Almost like bearer marks where it was stacked ,
Any way I have belt sanded them , planed them , used methylated spirit and set fire to them , bleached them , dyed around them in a darker stain to try and blend them , now have had to total re sand ,
I have tried a few things and there still there , they are now fairly faint , but once I goto varnish the top they stick out quite bad,

Any help on this

 

[RobinBHM]

Are they stick marks? Most timber is kiln dried with timber battens used as spacers, which can leave marks that go deep into the wood. I cant say Ive noticed it much in Oak, although it can be really bad in beech.

If they are, I don't know any successful way of getting rid of them.

 

[Cartmellfurniture]

Yes that's right it is stick marks where they been stacked , the oak is kiln dired and was expensive stuff , have given the marks some more bleach and left them now over night to soak, it has lightened slightly so I may just get away with it , a more rustic look I will say , thanks for listening!

 

[RobinBHM]

The annoying thing is that stick marks may be not very noticeable until a finish applied when they then stick out (no pun intended!) like a sore thumb.

Hopefully these wont be too bad -it sounds like youve done everthing possible. As you say: rustic, a natural characteristic of timber, every piece is unique.................

 

[Cartmellfurniture]

Yeah your right have sanded it back like you can't see it and when I put the varnish on whoooosh there she is , but it's fading a little , will sort it !
Will pay a little more attention next time on viewing the oak before hand , this stuff ain't cheap !

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

What type of bleach are you using? If it is domestic bleach, it will do very little. I would firstly use oxalic acid in a strong solution with as hot as you can get water. If that did not get rid of the marks I would use A+B ( hydrogen peroxide )

 

[Cartmellfurniture]

Using a liberon wood bleacher it's had little effect as the marks are so deep

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Liberon wood bleacher is oxalic acid and works well on most light stains but it seems to me that you need to go onto A+B bleach, there are some stains it will not budge but it gets most of them and I would expect it to take out bearer marks. Your only problem might be sourcing it around Bournemouth. http://www.agwoodcare.co.uk/Item/fiddes_bleach_set

 

[Cartmellfurniture]

That's the thing Percy , I have no time and sourcing the stuff seems impossible , I haven't the time now and must have it finished tommorow!!!
I have had to varnish up to and around marks leave and then go back over once dried lightly hitting the effects area it doesn't work at all but it makes feel better ,, I think I to the runt of the oak pile , never mind hopefully the customer will still like it for its wholeness we shall see on sat !!!
Cheers for all your help

 

[Cartmellfurniture]

Giving it one last go with the liberon wood bleach and hair drying it ,, seems to be working , am giving it a light sand of 320grit between applications to take off dirt that has risen up from the marks and am starting to see a little change , my luck might be in even if it be a little !!!!

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

It can also help if you apply the oxalic with a scotch pad and scrub it into the grain at the same time holding a heat gun over it to keep it as hot as possible. Also to leave the oxalic on overnight. I realise this information may be too late for you but would you not be better delaying delivery for a few days or even a week. To deliver a piece to a customer that is not 100% could be a reputation spoiled!
Good luck.

 

[Matt@]

How did this pan out?! These marks are the most difficult to remove - just about impossible really unless you remove a couple of millimetres from the timber or even more. Last resort is blending the marks with subtle staining but thats not a great technique as over time the colouring will fade....