Wood orientation design

Aaron Beaver

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Missouri
I am getting to make the spindles or what ever you want call them to go in between the cross pieces. All spindles are 3/4' square except for the middle one which is 4" wide.

My question would the middle look out of place if it was made from the piece of wood shown? Remember it will be 4" wide so it will show more grain pattern.
First picture is showing what I could use for the middle piece. other pieces next to it would be cut up into 3/4" wide, but at first I was planning on using one of the side pieces shown for the middle as well.
Mission Bed 008-2.jpg

2nd pic is just a little closer.
Mission Bed 009-2.jpg


I can use that piece with the grain patter for the middle spindle or make the middle closer to grain pattern as the rest of the small spindles.

I might be able to use this piece as the decorative side pieces that go on each leg, I just laid it next to the leg but it will get cut out and make a little curve to it.
Mission Bed 010-2.jpg
Only this piece is enough to do the front legs, the back legs would have to get a decorative piece made with a different piece, but still something that might have a similar pattern.

Here is a pic of the middle piece I am talking about (what I am making), plus you can kind of see the decorative piece on the leg.
woodstore_1976_3240471.jpg

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
 
I think that piece would be better served and the leg-side accent piece, possibly getting the curve of the piece to follow some of the grain.
In the last pic the Rails and center stile have similar grain and draw the eye to the whole thing. With the wild grain, if used as the center stile I think your eye is drawn to just that one piece of wood.
YMMV

The important thing is what you and yours likes.
 
I think that piece would be better served and the leg-side accent piece, possibly getting the curve of the piece to follow some of the grain.
In the last pic the Rails and center stile have similar grain and draw the eye to the whole thing. With the wild grain, if used as the center stile I think your eye is drawn to just that one piece of wood.
YMMV

The important thing is what you and yours likes.

Thanks Ralph, I to was thinking it might stand out to much, but sometimes that is what you want, but I am not sure that would be the case in this project. Sometimes good to get others opinions, just might look sorta out of place with it being the only wild grain.
 
Aaron, I was thinking like the others until I looked at the last photo. I like it in the middle... especially if the two ends are figured as well.

I didn't quite get the entire leg/post in the pic but you can kind of see they have some figure to them.


Glenn said:
It is a little wild for my taste and distracts me from the whole. LOML however, prefers that look.

I don't mind the look itself, I think I am just so use to seeing the pictures of this bed either from plans or ones that others have made it makes me wonder if it would look go at all. Sometimes I think it would look ok, other times I think it would be a bit much.

I am sure it will look fine either way I go, and it may come down to a "taste" thing, I just didn't want to pop that middle piece in there and it ruin the whole look.

***edit***
I think I may just have to start cutting the small spindles, get them dry fitted in there, then cut that wild grain piece closer to size and see what it looks like. Either way I have to cut it because the middle piece is 3 3/4" wide and if I don't like it the side pieces on the post are 2 1/4" at the wide part.
 
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