Satin Oak – Sawn – Turning – 115 dia × 50mm

Small round bowl blank in satin oak. Heavy ray fleck across the face, the lacework figure the silky oaks are known for. Short run.

Satin Oak Bowl Blank

Satin oak (Alloxylon wickhamii) is a Proteaceae rainforest tree endemic to the Queensland Wet Tropics — a true relation of the silky oaks rather than a borrowed trade name — and it carries the ray fleck that makes that whole group worth turning. Cut across the face, the rays break into a lacework of pale flecks over a warm brown ground, and no two blanks land the same way.

Why Satin Oak Turns Heads

The figure is the whole story. Broad medullary rays run through the timber, and where the cut crosses them they read as bright dashes and eyes scattered right across the surface. Colour sits between honey and mid brown, with the paler sapwood often left on one edge as a natural border. It is a moderately dense timber with an open texture that drinks the first coat of oil, then comes up with real depth on the second. You will also see the species sold as pink silky oak or satin silky oak. Full species detail: Alloxylon wickhamii — Atlas of Living Australia.

Working Properties on the Lathe

• Hardness: Medium. Cuts comfortably without feeling soft under the tool.
• Grain: Open textured with prominent rays. The fleck can lift slightly where the rays surface.
• Turning: Sharp tools and light finishing cuts keep the fleck crisp. A shear scrape before sanding pays for itself.
• Finishing: Worth sealing first, as the open pores take the first coat quickly. We recommend Rustins Danish oil, EEE-Ultra Shine or Shellawax for a soft satin finish.
• Stability: Settles well once dry and holds a turned form.

Best Projects for a Satin Oak Bowl Blank

• Shallow bowls and dishes that open the face and show the fleck
• Wide rimmed platters where the figure runs to the edge
• Lidded boxes with a flecked lid

Dimensions and Finish

Round, docked and ready for the faceplate. Full dimensions are listed in the product details above. Fleck density and colour vary from blank to blank, which is the point of the species.

Every Blank Is Different, and That Is the Point

You are buying from the parcel, not picking the blank. These came off one pull and were docked round on the same day. We have not sorted them into grades, because we do not hold that one of these is better than another — they are different, and the difference is the thing you are paying for. One will carry a knot. One will show a void with a dark centre, a gum vein, or a check running in from the edge. One will be quiet and even all the way across. We cannot promise you which blank you will get, and frankly we would not want to choose it for you.

The knot is the prize. The best figure in any tree sits hard up against the knots and the crotches. That is where the grain had to divert and compress, and it is where the flame, the fiddleback and the colour change live. Straight, featureless grain is the easy part of a log. This is premium timber and every mark in it is a record of how the tree grew — you are buying the character, not tolerating it. If you want a particular face for a particular piece, order two and turn the one the timber points you to.

Shipping and Pickup

Blanks ship Australia-wide via Australia Post or Aramex. Pickup is welcome from our Mulgrave NSW store Mon–Fri 9am–4pm and Sat 9am–12pm. For bulk enquiries call (02) 4577 5277 or email sales@trendtimbers.com.au.

Limited Stock, Once It’s Gone

A short run off the rack rather than a standing line. Once these are turned, the listing closes. Have a look through the rest of our turning blanks while you are here.