Live Edge River Table

[Rockley]

I was sold what was meant to be live edge kiln dried oak and everything apart from the kiln dried bit was true (having now measured it...24% moisture content). So my current situation is I have a nice flowing piece of toughened glass, two warped bits of drying oak (if I plane them flat they will be veneers) and a deadline of 31st Dec.

You can see a pic here: https://www.instagram.com/rockleydesign/

I'm thinking about shaping rough sawn fully dry oak boards to look like the waney edge pieces in the link above, obviously it wont have the nice flowing grain or features but I think it'll be better than scrapping the glass and starting again. What do you guys think? Has anyone tried this before? Any advice on how to go about the shaping process, I'm thinking bandsaw a rough shape and then introduce some irregular chamfers with a cabinet scraper (stanley no.80)

 

[custard]

I'm thinking about shaping rough sawn fully dry oak boards to look like the waney edge pieces in the link above, obviously it wont have the nice flowing grain or features but I think it'll be better than scrapping the glass and starting again. What do you guys think? Has anyone tried this before? Any advice on how to go about the shaping process, I'm thinking bandsaw a rough shape and then introduce some irregular chamfers with a cabinet scraper (stanley no.80)

I've seen it done several times. If you have a board with wildly curving grain and cut along an actual grain line then it can look quite convincing and generally not too bad. But if you just cut random curves into the edge of a straight grained board then it looks like complete and total crepe. The fact that that kind of "pretend" waney edged furniture is increasingly being offered for sale is one of the things that makes me think the whole waney edge thing is a balloon that's now waiting to burst. Pity, because for several years it's been a steady source of income to me and many other independent furniture makers.

By the way, if someone sold you a board as "kiln dried" and it has 24% MC, then you should be looking for both a refund and an explanation.

 

[Rockley]

Thanks for the info custard. I have an explanation from the supplier but it's not a very good one and he has offered a refund or a new (dry) board, so I'm going to go down and see what I can find. Bit of a long shot but hopefully a piece which roughly fits the cut glass :? it's got some fairly significant geometry so I'm not holding my breath.

Understand what you're saying about cutting along the grain, this will have to be my back-up plan and hopefully I find a suitable waney piece.