Am building a walnut and walnut coffee table.
Top of white walnut (butternut framed by plain sawn walnut with Claro walnut for the bread board ends. Lower table all walnut with Butternut drawer fronts.
Question: The exposed spines on the sides are normally made of a darker wood such as ebony. I’m thinking that I may shift those splines and other plugs to a bleached swiss pear to pick up the color of the butternut. Over all, should be somewhat pleasing.
(the butternut will be finished close to it’s current color- splines and plugs finished separately and installed last)
The “pear” in photo is just a chunk of birch – same color value though. The real butternut color is somewhere between those two photos.
So what’s your poison. Ebony or Pear?
Thanks,
Boiler
Replies
For sure the Ebony! It will make a subtile statement but not so glaring that it will be distracting from the walnut. The "pear" will draw your eye to it.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Absolutely the pear
because #2 voted for the other one
Are we being helpful yet?
Kind of could see both being likeable. Ebony is less striking than the pear.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Heh guys,
so far all I've got is dice. Need a tie breaker.BB
I've used similar combinations, I will vote for the ebony.
Tony
I'm thinking that way, what with the lower drawers bnut color values, the pear may be too aggressive.- end up being no dominate wood as a result of too much dilution. Since the splines wont be applied until after final assembly, I'm thinking of running some up in both flavors, then stand back and assess.BB
I think that would be the best way to do it, and the only way to know for sure which one looks better. I often drive my wife nuts asking her which wood I should use on small parts of projects, she always says she'll love it no matter which way I make it...but I just can't take that for an answer!!! She has no opinion whatsoever, how is that possible for a woman : )
"She has no opinion whatsoever, how is that possible for a woman : )"The person I live with reads these also, so I don't think I'll comment on that!
You are a smart man, never forget that all those scraps of wood in the shed could be used against you...literally. : )
Please post some comparison pics when you are done.
Edited 3/29/2009 9:10 am ET by docrx
boiler,
Sorry but this discussion just looked like too much fun.
Uh, there might also be a 3rd option - Just use Butternut, i.e. make 'em invisible to let it speak for itself. That might be putting you out there though.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,I thought about it. The Bnut looks great in the field panel but it is really a grainy fiber monster to have stuck out waving at people. I think it would fall apart when milled down to plugs. It's also pretty soft. But then again, the butternut is only a mere mortal walnut where the ebony and African pear are second cousins to steel ;-) Swiss- not so much.BB
If you want the piece to exude more of a rich solid presence like traditional or A&C units use the ebony.
If you want to have a stark, crisp modern/contemporary look use the pear. Paddy
Paddy,That may be my dilemma.
They will almost disappear against the really dark walnut and look like stoplights if I use the pear. Classic ebony would be in contrast to cherry but I'm so over cherry :) ( at least for the moment)BB
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled