A live edge question..

[steven c newman]

Up...or..down....top shelf for the Computer Desk Hutch...
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Should this face up, or face down?
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Will be the top shelf of this Hutch...other side isn't too bad..
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And no knots.
board is an Ash 1 x 8 x 5'.....will be adding the shelves via stopped dados. Uprights/sides will also get stopped dados...

So...up..or..down? :confused:

[lowell holmes]

I would not commit too early. I would build it to a point and when the time comes to attach the top boards, I would play with it checking the board arrangement until I found the proper arrangement.
When you see it, you will know it. Don't overthink it.
Post a picture of the completed hutch for us to see.

[steven c newman]

Thinking IF i have the live edge "up", it will become a trap for Dust Bunnies.....may just use it "down" and give a little more room up on the top....looking like Saturday I can get started cutting a few boards....

[Pat Barry]

I would probably do it such that the wider dimension is facing up, but, who knows, it might look better the other way. Its all about the finished appearance.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

This sounds like good sense to me.


Thinking IF i have the live edge "up", it will become a trap for Dust Bunnies.....may just use it "down" and give a little more room up on the top....looking like Saturday I can get started cutting a few boards....

[Prashun Patel]

IMHO,

Wide side up. There's a reason crown molding flares up and out on hutches. It looks better.
Dress and finish the edge. Bark left on an edge is almost always a poor functional and therefore form choice.

IMHO.

[Brian Hale]

It depends on how you see it being used. Bark down, sharp edge up, is more prone to damage when things are placed on the shelf. Bark up, sharp edge down, makes the live edge more visually prominent.

I'd do bark up.

But i'm famous for making poor choices :rolleyes:

Brian :)

[steven c newman]

Ok...decided on "Bevel down". Jointed the one edge...
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As it had a curve going on...just over 1/8" near the center...flipped the board over, and worked on the bark edges...
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removed the bark with a wide chisel. Then ran a spokeshave with the bark used to be. rather than leave a sharp, knife-edge, I ran the spokeshave ran on the edge, to get a 1/4" or so flat. then worked the edges a bit, into a round-over..
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Then, once the front corners were cut...
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I carried the round-over around the ends...then set the shelf over out of the way...
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Front of the shelf does have a slight curve to it....should be alright...

[Scott T Smith]

On live edges the rule of thumb is that the narrow side should face the viewer. So, on tables the top of the table is the narrow side. On shelves, if they are located above line of sight then usually the narrow side is down.

[steven c newman]

And a dry fit, with all the dados and tenons done...
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Over by the dryer, is the cubby hole section..
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Monitor will be directly under the "live edge" section...
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Tried to balance the two end sections....

[steven c newman]

Works for me....
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Almost ready to head up the stairs....