grain orientation on end table side panels

Hi,


I haven't visited the Creek in a while; no recent woodworking to speak of. I am just starting on a project consisting of two walnut end tables for the family room, and have a question about how to orient the grain for the panels that make up the sides. This might be a “to each their own”, but I would be interested in some other opinions before I start cutting.


Both end tables are the same dimensions, but one end table will have two equal drawers and the other will have a small top drawer and then a door that opens for storage. For other frame and panel pieces I've made, I have always oriented the grain of the panels vertically. But, everything else I've made with panels had the longest panel side as the vertical side, so it was kind of a “no brainer”. These panels are 18.5” wide x 16” high, and are set into a frame of 2” stiles (which double as the legs) and 2” rails. I'm planning on using solid walnut for the panels.


Comments and suggestions are welcome.

My feeling is that the panel grain direction should match the grain direction of the drawers and door panels...

Grain direction looks best vertical. It doesn't make any difference whether the panel is wider than it is high. Also make sure any cathedral figure in the grain is oriented with the arch to the top. These principles make a real difference to the appearance of a piece. Cheers

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Originally Posted by Jim Becker

My feeling is that the panel grain direction should match the grain direction of the drawers and door panels...

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Huh - I think I almost always see vertical grain in door panels and carcass panels, but drawer fronts are usually horizontal (may be different with a 5-piece drawer front).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gary Ragatz

Huh - I think I almost always see vertical grain in door panels and carcass panels, but drawer fronts are usually horizontal (may be different with a 5-piece drawer front).

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It's a subjective thing, for sure and now that I think about it, you are correct that it's common for panels to be oriented vertically. My bad.

This is going to sound ridiculous:

If I think of the sides and backs as 'panels' I orient the grain vertically.
If I think of the sides and backs as an 'apron' (like it there is only a row or 2 of drawers on the front) I orient horizontally.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Prashun Patel

This is going to sound ridiculous:

If I think of the sides and backs as 'panels' I orient the grain vertically.
If I think of the sides and backs as an 'apron' (like it there is only a row or 2 of drawers on the front) I orient horizontally.

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Not ridiculous at all. I just looked at an end table in my home - it has a single, fairly shallow drawer, and open below. The side and back "panels" are horizontal grain, and do really look more like aprons. A matching piece, with a door below the drawer, has panels with vertical grain (the drawer face is still horizontal).

Tom

It's a personal choice, but for me, I always design these with a vertical grain orientation in mind.

A design option to consider is to add a center stile. This would break the side into two separate panels, and give them a more rectangular look, closer to the 1.67 ratio than a square. It adds a little bit of work, but you obviously have CAD skills, so draw it up first. You could then add book matched panels in mirror image to each other, and it might be a very nice design detail.

Just a thought.....

All,

Many thanks for the comments and suggestions. Right now I am looking at the design suggestion from Jeff, about adding a center stile; great idea that I wish I had thought of ;-). This would keep with my "vertical is the long side" ingrained belief, as well as potentially allow me have one piece matching panels (no glue-ups; resawing my existing 9 1/2" stock) and I'll save some material to boot. Sounds like a win-win! I will have to practice doing some resawing on the bandsaw first with some pine, so I don't screw up the walnut.

Thanks again for all of the feedback; will be posting pictures as I make progress on the project.

Tom


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What will you do about wood movement?