Inspired or Insane

How about a curly walnut frame, dark and bold, framing a lighter curly maple panel? Then, you could save the walnut crotch to bookmatch for a little door on a small cabinet?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

After about 2-1/2 hours of sweating in the basement I have a nice set of book matched Walnut Crotch pieces a little under ¾ in thick. Unfortunately the boards cupped a bit so I’m going to let them set in the basement for a while before planning them flat. I’ll post a picture later.

Dorje. I have another better crotch that I want to bookmatch for panels on a jewelery cabinet.

-- Che.

Very cool.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

I just saw Barbs re-sawn tops for the Thorsten Challenge, done with a Great Neck Tool box saw. When there is a will there is a way. My hat is off to you folks. In the words of another Nebraskan “Git ‘er done”

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Walnut is quickly turning into my favorite wood. I love the color and the figure. I’ve pretty much sworn off exotics AKA foreign wood for environmental reasons. The exception will be woods from Hawaii or if they can document a sustainable foresting practice. I’ll step down from my soap box now. I’m still not sure how this is going to be used but now that I have the wood “opened up” I can get a better idea.

-- Che.

Che,

If you are starting to love Walnut, check out some of the projects by one of our fellow lumberjocks, Chip. He’s been away for a while working on a once-in-a-lifetime remodel of a seaside duplex into a single family home but no doubt will return. He most definitely would comment on the Walnut. :-)

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Good looking match and figure! Is that water, or mineral spririts, or? on the second shot?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

That picture is water. I’ve used mineral spirits on the curly maple I’m going to use on the boxes. The walnut cupped immediately after cutting it. I was hoping it would go flat once the cut surface dried. It did. since it had to dry anyway I wasn’t worried about it getting wet. I have a while before I work on the boxes. I’ve decided on 2 matching curly maple boxes with book matched walnut panels in the top. One of the boxes will be a music box and the other a jewelry box.

Chips stuff is great. Thanks for pointinh him out.

-- Che.

Sounds like you have a good plan!

I’m gonna have to remember to take a look at Chip’s projects too…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA