I’m building a door chest out of maple and I have to make a decision concerning the drawer fronts. 3 of the fronts are 7″ wide but i don’t have 7″ wide boards. I cut up some nice looking 5″ wide boards with the intention to join a strip of 2″ wide to make the 7″. However, I want this to be a nice piece of furniture, and I do not know if this is an acceptable thing to do. I’d like to know if this is an acceptable thing for quality furniture. I’ve matched up the pieces as best i could, but even with a moderately dark brown die, I’m sure it will still be somewhat noticable.
Alternatively, I am cosidering picking up some 4″ wide 8/4 to resaw. But the issue with that is you don’t really know what it’s going to look like until you resaw.
Thanks,
DP
Replies
My preference is to use one board of the correct width, and arrange the drawerfronts as they come out of the board from left to right or center outwards, so as to match the figure.
But I could lay up a strip and hide the glueline with a dark finish, too.....using oil paints as a cloudy glaze to hide.
An alternative yould be to lay up two strips of a wood in a contrasting color and do something similar to the upper panels to match...to make it look like you designed it that way from the start.
DP,
I agree that the best way is to find solid, stable (read "quarter sawn") stock of the proper width. But nowadays that isn't always possible; so either veneer or a jointed panel are the only reasonable alternatives.
If I had to do it I would use two lengths of the same board--preferably two adjacent pieces. This helps ensure a pretty good match of the color and grain. It's no guarantee, though. DAMHIKT.
Alan
Alan, I agree that drawer face seamed up the middle from the same board is a great way to go . That's how I glue up larger than on hand drawer faces unless I make them frame & panel. Challenge yourself on how well you can make that seam .With red oak it is easy maple is not as forgiving .
You could take your nice 5" inch boards and resaw thin bookmatched false fronts with the "seam" in the exact middle of the drawer. If you have some nice figure in those boards you could have a very nice set of drawer fronts. I sometimes dovetail a secondary wood at the front/sides and then glue a 1/4" false front to the secondary wood. That could work for your case.
Mike
Your first idea is not acceptable.
Go buy some wide stock.
Sometimes there simply is no good compromise or workaround.
Save yourself a glue-up and a re-saw session.
Thanks people
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled