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Selecting wood for panels - Bill Tindall - 07-10-2022
Amongst the discussion on raised panels the subject of assembling them came up. This topic merits a discussion about wood selection. I assemble panels, either for doors, tops or case sides solely by looks. There isn't another factor that compares in importance to the success of the piece. It was mentioned that for stability panels should be assembled from narrow pieces. I strongly disagree. Another proposal was book match two boards. This approach is one of the 3 I use.
The problem with book match is sourcing lumber thick enough to resaw to get a book match. I occasionally saw 10/4 lumber for just this purpose. The first picture of the turn table cabinet being finished provides an example of a resawed book match. Some object to the side to side reflection change that can result from a book match. Personally it does not bother me.
Another approach is what I call "faux book match" as illustrated in the walnut bow front piece. By carefully selecting the board it can be cut and folded back on itself like a jack knife to achieve something the looks book matched. By studying the side you can see where this board was cut at the bottom, folded back and joined. I use this approach often as I think it results in some of my most attractive panels.
Finally, there is no reason not to use a single board for a panel, as illustrated in the cherry arched drawer chest of drawers. The obvious problem is sourcing a board wide enough to achieve the necessary width. I have carefully glued a narrow piece on each side of a raised panel to get the width. The joint is not so obvious in the raised part of the panel
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Bill Holt - 07-10-2022
I am with you!!! I have never cut a wide board to glue it back together. A few years ago, I built a large, frame and panel chest out of pecan for our neighbor. My wood vendor gives me a decent price but does not allow "pick & choose". The widest board had an ugly wide gray area the whole length of the board. I ended up using that board for the raised panels. She chose a stain to match another piece of furniture. That simple chest became a "show piece" for her.
Of course, it was not book match, but by carefully selecting features in the wood, an ordinary piece becomes a standout show piece.
About the time I joined the forum there were some spirited and "educational" discussions that thought me so much!!!!!!!!!!!
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Gregor1 - 07-10-2022
As a novice woodworker I have spent a loooonnng time trying to find just the right color, with just the right hue, and perfectly matching grain, and in the end, still not be totally happy. While I won't just start picking boards at random, I no longer spend an inordinate amount of time, trying to find the perfect board, that simply doesn't exist. I have no means of resawing anything over 5", so I am limited there. It seems to me the walnut available around here is of poor quality. I like it to be dark and uniform, but that's very hard to find. I try to book match lighter areas so it looks like it was my intention all along. Ya work with what ya got !
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Bill Tindall - 07-10-2022
(07-10-2022, 06:12 PM)Gregor1 Wrote: As a novice woodworker I have spent a loooonnng time trying to find just the right color, with just the right hue, and perfectly matching grain, and in the end, still not be totally happy. While I won't just start picking boards at random, I no longer spend an inordinate amount of time, trying to find the perfect board, that simply doesn't exist. I have no means of resawing anything over 5", so I am limited there. It seems to me the walnut available around here is of poor quality. I like it to be dark and uniform, but that's very hard to find. I try to book match lighter areas so it looks like it was my intention all along. Ya work with what ya got !
"As a novice woodworker I have spent a loooonnng time trying to find just the right color, with just the right hue, and perfectly matching grain,"
As am experienced woodworker I too spend a long time trying to find just the right color, with just the right hue, and perfectly matching grain. I will pick through my entire stash of wood, armed with a piece of chalk, selecting the best for what I am building. This selection is what sets custom woodwork apart from factory furniture.
You seem to be one of the few Forum participants that actually builds stuff. I have a suggestion, if you have the room and money. If you like some particular species of wood lay in a pack of 500 bdft, which will enable it to be bought wholesale. Cherry market is down so a good time to buy cherry. A very bad time to buy walnut, but wait and it will go out of favor and be affordable again. Lumber bought when the market has not driven a species to lofty heights is an excellent investment. The walnut I bought a few years ago for $3/bdft was almost as good as buying Apple stock. During the market collapse of 2008 I saw packs of walnut with boards more than a foot wide, readily available. That was the time to stock up. Cherry got so cheap that loggers were leaving the occasional log in the woods if there was not enough of it to make a truck load.
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Gregor1 - 07-11-2022
At the risk of asking a stupid question, is the front of these drawers sawn to that shape, or bent? In either case, how do you do it?[attachment=43327]
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Bill Tindall - 07-11-2022
The piece is a typical bow front chest of drawers built pretty much as it would have been built in the Federal Period, except for the carving on the skirt which gives it a modern look. It was built for my daughter. The drawers are ***** beaded and it has "French Feet" as shown in the pictures. I learned the techniques to build this kind of furniture in the Mack Headley Shop in Winchester VA.
The drawer front is glued up from poplar, band sawed to shape and then the surface refined with a hand plane. When smooth veneer is applied with a vacuum press. Whether to leave the inside flat or saw it concave is a personal choice. I do not remember what I did. Then the dovetails are sawn, ***** bead added to protect the veneer edge, etc. .
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Gregor1 - 07-12-2022
It is beautiful. Having never used a hand plane in my life, I'm going to guess this piece is outta my league. Besides, I can't band saw anything that wide.
Thanks Greg
encouragement - Bill Tindall - 07-12-2022
(07-12-2022, 03:44 AM)Gregor1 Wrote: It is beautiful. Having never used a hand plane in my life, I'm going to guess this piece is outta my league. Besides, I can't band saw anything that wide.
Thanks Greg
The piece was out of my league not long ago too. How to get there from where you are at? Every time you build something stretch to acquire a new skill. And, soon you need to take a class somewhere that teaches traditional furniture building skills. A well chosen class will zoom you up the learning curve. best is a class taught by someone that does or did make a living at making stuff. They will bring a practical perspective to how stuff is done that can be absent on Forums and video. Case pieces are all constructed the same as are drawers. Master these skills building some simple piece and then you start adding ***** beading, veneering, etc. as you build more complicated pieces. And, add the necessary tools as you progress.
Buy a quality hand plane, learn to sharpen it and find that it is essential for building fine furniture. A hand plane removes small increments of wood at a time, an essential capability for fitting parts.
RE: Selecting wood for panels - Gregor1 - 07-12-2022
And the mistakes just keep on keepin' on. You pick the best boards you can find for your raised panel. Glue them up, take them to a sander, The outside looks great. The inside has a few knots, some discoloration, but it's on the inside, no big deal. And then you machine the wrong face with your raised panel cutter. AAARRRRGGGHH ! Don't try flipping it over and simply re-cutting it. I tried that with a test piece. It doesn't work. At least not with this profile.
RE: Selecting wood for panels - brianwelch - 07-12-2022
Been there, done that! Also flipped a board endo when dovetailing...something you hope you only do 1 time...
My goal is to learn from my mistakes...if true, I would be an absolute genius...