Blank stare.

[Andrew Hale]

This pile of 16/4 kiln dried white oak has been sitting in my shop for 5 years now, time to do something with it. I have some ideas to try, but thought it might be interesting to hear what others might do as well. The pieces average 11 1/4” wide - these are drops from a set of open stairs - and are planed to a full 4” thickness.

 

[Brian Horais]

Flat sand them and then glue a number of blocks together in a stack with varying grain orientations. Sort of a simple segmented approach. Then turn a vase. Could create some interesting grain patterns.

my thoughts, Brian Horais

 

[john lucas]

I have a bunch of pieces just like that. Not the right size for mirrors and too thin for bowls so I have been making little platters and having fun playing with textruring techniques.

 

[hockenbery]

Perfect size for seed jars turned as split hollow forms.

Turning a seed jar - split hollow form

I turned one of these for after dinner entertainment at SWAT-2017 along with Trent Bosch. Trent turned a traditional hollow form in an informal race and finished first. A fun time. Since then I have done several of these in club demos and also did a club workshop where students turned them...

www.aawforum.org

 

[Mike Johnson]

You have a good number of blanks to work with, mount one on a face plate or chuck and start turning it round, once the grain
starts to show up let your imagination run wild and let the piece develop out of the wood as you continue to turn it. You could always
turn a shallow box with a lid turned from another one of the blanks.

 

[Kevin Jenness]

It's a good size for end grain boxes. 16/4 kd white oak is seldom seen as it is one of (if not the) most difficult domestic woods to dry. Nice stash.

 

[Marc Banka]

This is why I don’t like having ‘special’ wood. The sense of obligation to do something ‘special’ with it. So, one considers options, seeks suggestions— it has to be magical!
I find it more fun, more creative, and usually more beautiful if I do as usual, ie. these are the proportions, this is what fits, this is my preferred grain orientation-- and then create.
By doing what you do well,,honoring your own aesthetic you’ll find the grain and special wood will indeed fit. And others will congratulate you on how well you ‘listened’ to the wood.