Examining the Grain

After picking out wood at the lumber yard based on how clean and straight it was, and cutting the pieces to maximize my purchase, there is still a challenging and important decision left to make. Now that I'm left with the pieces I cut out, I have to decide where to use them, which side to show to the humans who enjoy it, and how each piece will play nicely with each other piece.

Each piece has four choices by itself; two sides and two orientations. These four choices compound as I match each piece with each other piece. It all comes down to the grain. A woodworker with more experience can make these decisions better and with more criteria. I have a few basic things I look for.

I want my straight and tightest grained pieces used in areas I can't tolerate warping.

But the cosmetics are sometimes tougher. I want the curves of the grain to frame certain areas of the coffee table. I want the curves to help circle the outside of it, helping us look toward the center. This will have a large effect on how the finished table looks. The pieces of wood should help trick the eyes into thinking they fit together nicely.


Whatever choices I make now, I'll be stuck looking at for the rest of my life.