Mix and match woods

Right on!

jim_reed@marietta

>My favorites blends on a project are:

walnut and maple; birdseye maple and cherry; ash and persimmon

Re: Right on!

MikeL in SoCal

>Thanks for the feedback Jim. Walnut and maple sounds like a sweet combination. I'm not familiar with ash or persimmon. I seem to remember that persimmon is often used for golf club heads so I assume it is both hard and shock resistent. Is that the motivation for your using it or is it simply a matter of finding the ash/persimmon mix to look good together?

Also, do you have any feeling for a good wood to compliment oak panels in frame and panel construction? I have a lot of oak flooring that I'd like to use for this role in some tool cabinets, etc. (A wood that's easy on a beginning woodworker would also be nice).

Cheers,

Mike

Lot's 'o combos...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Either mahogony, cherry or walnut with ebony. Cherry & walnut is another fav. of mine. Lighter woods like maple look good with some jungle woods and dark woods (walnut). Also same types of wood i.e flat sawn cherry (or whatever) with curly or QS acents, tops or fronts look good IMHO. Mix and match and have fun.

A word of caution, sometimes when finishing different types of woods they sometimes like to bleed into each other. Also beware, I find mixing more than 2 types can get kinda overbearing and guady, again MHO.

Re: Mix and Match--Too Long

Alan Hamilton

>Mike,

Using two or more "show" woods in one project can make it more beautiful--but it can also make it outright ugly. To do the former and avoid the latter calls for a great deal of informed judgement. From what I've seen the problem that arises most often is using too much secondary wood.

Looking through the various posts with photographs, you can find any number of pieces where the craftsmanship is wonderfull, the finish is gorgeous, but the piece is downright hideous--often because of the over-use of secondary wood.

When I'm designing a piece which includes two (or more) "show" woods, I keep repeating my mantra "subtle; restraint; accent; subtle; restraint; accent..." Formost in my mind is to keep woods from competing; to keep straight which wood is the "star" and which is the "supporting cast."

This relies on applying an "artists eye." One of my many degrees is in fine art; and I supported myself for many years as a commercial artist and a commercial photographer. These fields made me very aware of the aesthetic properties that go into a well designed piece (N.B., I did not say I am any good at these things--just that I'm aware of them). And in my studies of such matters I've found no easy rules or steps to follow.

Again, it calls for informed judgement.

Sorry this is so long for so little--or no--help.

Alan

Re: Mix and Match--Too Long

Dennis

>Well i think the answer here is one should read James Krenoff books, they really will explain the use of different woods and grain matching.

Dennis

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Not too long at all Alan. Thanks!

MikeL in SoCal

>

Krenov books

MikeL in SoCal

>I think my local library has "With Wakened Hands." I'll check that one out again and this time try to read it instead of just ogling the pretty pictures.

Cheers,

Mike