I've finally gotten some time to get back in the shop recently and have some nursery furniture to build. Next up is a changing table / dresser for my future daughter. I'm modifying this from Wood magazine's "Double-Duty Changing Table/Dresser" plans. My sketchup renderings are below.
I've modified some of the setbacks and moldings as well as the drawer fronts to be more in line with my tastes. My wife wanted a door covering the shelves on the right, so I will be adding that with a slight arch to the top rail to match the one on the crest.
My real question comes in selecting the wood and grain direction for the drawer fronts and door panel. The case will be maple ply, with solid maple trim and legs. I'm planning to use some nice curly maple for the panel in the crest (with some mods to the design to allow for expansion/contraction of that panel). I had wanted to use some curly maple for the drawer fronts as well. (grain running horizontal, so the figure would be vertical). The question then becomes what I should do with the panel in the door on the right.
I've come up with a few options here and would like your thoughts:
1) Usually I would do a panel with the grain running vertically - I could resaw and book match wood for this, but this would lead to the curly figure here running horizontally. I'm concerned that a vertical orientation of figure on the drawers and horizontal figure on the door would look a bit odd. Any thoughts on that?
2) I could make a panel from the same pieces as the drawer fronts (essentially a continuation of their grain) with the grain running horizontally in the panel. This would leave me with vertical curly figure on the panel, but this would increase wood movement in the panel. Should I be concerned about this?
3) I could use clear or birdseye maple for the drawer fronts and door panel, and have the crest be the thing that draws the eye most.
Thanks in advance for your input. I'll be back to check on and reply to feedback, but for now, I'm out to the shop to get started on the case - this thing's on a deadline!
I've modified some of the setbacks and moldings as well as the drawer fronts to be more in line with my tastes. My wife wanted a door covering the shelves on the right, so I will be adding that with a slight arch to the top rail to match the one on the crest.
My real question comes in selecting the wood and grain direction for the drawer fronts and door panel. The case will be maple ply, with solid maple trim and legs. I'm planning to use some nice curly maple for the panel in the crest (with some mods to the design to allow for expansion/contraction of that panel). I had wanted to use some curly maple for the drawer fronts as well. (grain running horizontal, so the figure would be vertical). The question then becomes what I should do with the panel in the door on the right.
I've come up with a few options here and would like your thoughts:
1) Usually I would do a panel with the grain running vertically - I could resaw and book match wood for this, but this would lead to the curly figure here running horizontally. I'm concerned that a vertical orientation of figure on the drawers and horizontal figure on the door would look a bit odd. Any thoughts on that?
2) I could make a panel from the same pieces as the drawer fronts (essentially a continuation of their grain) with the grain running horizontally in the panel. This would leave me with vertical curly figure on the panel, but this would increase wood movement in the panel. Should I be concerned about this?
3) I could use clear or birdseye maple for the drawer fronts and door panel, and have the crest be the thing that draws the eye most.
Thanks in advance for your input. I'll be back to check on and reply to feedback, but for now, I'm out to the shop to get started on the case - this thing's on a deadline!
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