Going Blue

The "green" movement is upon us. Whether you buy into the theory of Global Warming or not, I would recommend to any constituent of the Earth to behave in a responsible manner in regards to the bounties that are supplied to us by the Earth. Responsible stewardship is commendable whether or not we are destroying the Earth. I find no fault in anyone attempting to preserve our natural resources, regardless of their motivation or beliefs.
The Knotty Woodworker, being responsible for his use of natural resources, is going "Blue." I am glad you are asking what that means. I will explain it. A trip across Colorado will reveal thousands upon thousands of acres of brown evergreen trees. How can an evergreen be brown, you ask. The Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) is the culprit. It is not a new creature, although it is seeing its heyday right now. The lodge-pole pine trees have been victimized by this critter for ages. Right now, however, its infestation is at pandemic levels. Thousands of acres of our forests are giving up trees to the effects of this insect's activities. The MPB burrows through the bark of a tree and ingests the bark and wood. As it excretes it's food, a fungus starts and thrives in the tree until the tree dies. The result of the fungus is a discoloration, a stain, of blue color embedded in the wood. This kills the tree and then the MPB moves on to another tree until that tree is dead. And then another, then another.




There is much debate as to why the infestation level is so high. Some say a few successive years of warmer than usual winters. Other theories include lower than usual number of wildfires. Regardless of the reason, the result is that acres upon acres of standing evergreens that are now "ever-browns." The impact of the MPB is leaving it's mark in mountainsides with a dead brown canopy of trees. The standing dead trees need to be harvested and used for whatever purpose possible.
To be responsible, we need to take advantage of this influx of lumber rather than let it stand until so weak it falls, and allow it to lay there until it fully decomposes.
The Knotty Woodworker is using this abundant lumber to create heirloom quality furniture. This is the only responsible way I can see to get through this pandemic. The impact on the environment has taken place. All I can do is minimize the impact by utilizing the wood.





So, this is how The Knotty Woodworker is going "green." I am actually going "blue." And rather than spraying the furniture with a solvent based finish such as lacquer or polyurethane, I am going a green step further by applying an all natural, 100% vegetable oil finish. What? Am I using Wesson oil? No, no, and NO!
The finish I am referring to is an oriental practice that goes back over three millenia. Tung Oil. The Chinese have applied tung oil to their woodworking projects for centuries. Tung oil is rendered from the nut of the tung tree. It penetrates the wood as opposed to varnishes and shellacs that sit in top of the wood surface as a sealer and beautifier. Tung oil offers a finish that is impervious to moisture, beautifies the wood and protects it from deterioration, which is the reason lacquer and other solvent based finishes are used.
It takes an incredible amount of time for the tung oil to dry. This is sped up by other tung oil products by mixing it with mineral driers that contain solvent based driers.
The tung oil employed by The Knotty Woodworker is unique in that it contains no mineral driers. It has a drier to speed up the drying process that is all natural itself; 100% Orange Oil (d-Limonene). This provides an all natural, low toxicity finish. As a woodworker, I can't get any "greener" than this. The finished protect is protected and beautified in the most natural way. Here is a raw wood sample and the same piece after application of the 100% organic finish.


Here is a piece of fiddle-back maple in it's natural state.





After the application of all natural tung oil. Another positive of this finish is that it emits an incredible citrus smell that lingers in the wood. A far cry better than the chemical odor of traditional solvent based finishes. Very pleasant.


The Knotty Woodworker can provide you beautiful, heirloom quality furniture with no adverse effect on our environment. Contact me and let's "Go Blue."