Wished to share with you some of my latest modified traditional Japanese Shou-sugi-ban wood burning methods applied on my upcoming timber frame and log construction union. I am working with rough sawn spruce that i have been harvested by my own 2 years ago in winter time. I have made all the joinery and before putting it all together I am doing following.... As I am, if I can say that - a "surface addict", I wished to make my frame look rustic and more medieval. The question of the surface is the question of the feelings you can get when entering in any house or barn. Impressed by Japanese Shou-sugi-ban I decided to burn all the frame with a gas flame, take the burnt surface between the fibers out with a simple hand wire brush and finally treat it with hot linseed oil. And I got two things - the surface I wished to see and a natural treatment for longevity that fire and linseed oil did. I will be rising up only the sills and posts, then will come hand hewn log infill and only after that I will be putting up girts and rafters. Will post some progress shots here. So here you can see the pictures from my work site with my wood burning experience.

"Burn the frame, before you rise it..."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neemantools/sets/72157629713464138/

That's a nice tchnique. I have experimented with a burned surface on Douglas Fir before, bit was limited by the size of the torch. Something much larger like yours will work much better.

Can you post a few close up images of the surface after the oil dries? I'm curious how it changes.

I applied this technique to our pine front door. The look on my girl's face when she walked around the corner while I was "burning" the door we just bought a day earlier was pricless. lol
I haven't coated it with anything yet though so I'm interested in the hot oil you're applying. Seems you're getting great penetration or are you wiping off the oil. From the pics it looks like you're putting lots of oil on, is it all soaking in?

Thanks for sharing! Adding you as a contact in Flickr to follow your progress.