Replies

1. 
   SgianDubh | Sep 30, 2005 02:13am | #1

   Greg, secondary woods are considered to be so mostly for aesthetic reasons and cost, with structural considerations usually coming in third.

   Let's say your primary wood, i.e., the show wood, is mostly Bombay rosewood, a Dalbergia. It's very expensive, not easily found in large chunks that can be used in the solid, and it's usually a bit of a pig to work to boot.

   Mostly this species is sold as veneer because of its perceived beauty, which is true, its rarity, and the tricks you can achieve with veneer forms as opposed to working wood chunks in the solid, although it's a beautiful wood in this form too.

   In this extreme circumstance then almost anything used with this rosewood species might be considered secondary wood.

   Secondary woods are mostly used for hidden framing and other structural parts such as drawer sides and backs. It makes usually no real difference towards structural integrity for the most part what wood is used as hidden structural part, but it is quite rare for anyone to use Bombay rosewood as a a drawer slip, or cabinet framing part.

   This is no doubt an extreme example, but even using poplar as a secondary wood with cherry as the main wood can make economic sense if there's enough material involved in a job. Slainte. 

    

    

   Richard Jones Furniture