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So many choices, so little time... want to vote?

3K views 39 replies 32 participants last post by  jusfine 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Below are photos of the three samples I placed beside a freshly planed piece of beech which will will be the main lumber for my bench. I am looking for a contrasting color for the dovetail end caps, leg vise, maybe the dogs, deadman, etc.

Thanks for sharing your opinions, it may influence which direction I will lean… listed in no particular order.

Option 1 - Freshly milled piece of Padauk - the color will darken and end up a rich burnt orange / brown

Brown Wood Rectangle Flooring Brick


Option 2 - Purpleheart - color will be brighter purple to start with, then fade to a browner hue.

Brown Rectangle Wood Flooring Wood stain


Option 3 - Cherry - color will darken with age, more like the cherry handle color on the plane.

Smoothing plane Wood Shoulder plane Plane Table


I will be buying the material, and only need about 20-30 board feet, so not too worried about the price, so don't factor that into your decision, or if you have other options you like, I would like to hear them too!
 

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#14 ·
Paduak, cherry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . purpleheart. I'm just not a fan of purpleheart. I have always used cherry in the past for contrast, but only because I didn't consider paduak. Paduak starts with the color I always hope the cherry will achieve with age-so why wait?
 
#21 ·
I prefer cherry but for leg vise hardness may matter a little more. Although I tend to use padauk and purpleheart for something like this i'd actually go with an air dried walnut for a richer color or something less exotic but hard like osage.
 
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