Design suggestions

I have decided to take on building a kitchen island as my first real furniture project. I was originally going to use cherry from a tree we felled on the property. But after milling some of it I realized that this is going to take a looooong time. So, I'm now thinking of going instead with birds-eye maple and paduk. The reason for this is I already build a bar top in the kitchen using these woods:

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current hand-me down island can be seen in the background. I want to build something like this:

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top in the example is not what we will do, we are still thinking about that. Anyway, the basic design of the base in the picture is what I am looking for, but it is the material's and where to use them I am looking for suggestions about.

Thanks Jim

Reply to
jtpr
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> The current hand-me down island can be seen in the background. I want

Assuming you want to keep the island and bar top similar in appearance, I would...

  1. use the maple as primary

  1. accent with padouk lengthwise and centrally in drawers and frame members, legs too.

BTW, the maple in the bar top is curly maple, not birdseye.

Reply to
dadiOH

I am not big on multi-colored furniture pieces although it is clearly a matter of taste and it can be done well at times.

Maybe build it all from Maple and put a bead of the Padi along the bottom edge of the whole case and along the top edge of the drawers and doors. Just make a strip about 3/16" think and an inch wide and round over the front edge. Then apply it in those few locations. Also add a similar bead at the bottom and maybe a slightly thicker piece at the top of the pilasters. Finally, if you use pegged M&T you can add padi pegs on the doors and case work or maybe even raised pyramid pags, ala-Greene and Greene.

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

birdseye, there are a LOT of eyes, but for some reason in the pics it doesn't jump out. I never noticed that. Here is a link to the whole gallery...

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Reply to
jtpr

I know what you mean. I was thinking maybe somewhere between the two suggestions. Perhaps maple throughout other then the legs and the braces for the top? Can you explain more about your last sentence:

" Finally, if you use pegged M&T you can add padi pegs on the doors and case work or maybe even raised pyramid pags, ala-Greene and Greene."

I can't visualize what you mean. Would you have a link to an example?

Reply to
jtpr

Basically he is suggesting you use contrasting woods to peg your M&T joints, a la Greene & Greene, turn of the last century Arts and Crafts gurus primarily known for their work on the Gamble House:

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Peart, who posted here occasionally in years past is a shining, modern practitioner of the G&G style:

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Reply to
Swingman

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Lang also has books on Craftsman/A&C/G&G styles:
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all his books.

-- Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't. -- Pete Seeger

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Hide quoted text -

I was saying either a typical round peg in the contrasting darker color, even faux ones if you don't actually use mortise and tenon joints. Or the standing square pegs like Greene & Greene, which Darrell Peart is doing. Darrel does a classic sort of puffy look and other people do a more ridgid little pyramid.

You can see here on the chest if you scroll down the puufy versions of square ebony pegs on African Mahogany.

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you can see a more squared off version
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Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

?- Hide quoted text -

the brightest question, but what is the best way to join the sides to the legs? I mean, if the rails are shorter then the sitles that means that the side of the stile will run along the leg, so how is best to hold it together, biscuits? If somebody can point me in the direction of a similar plan where this is illustrated, that would be great.

-Jim

Reply to
jtpr

Nothing mechanical is needed but if you don't trust just glue (I do) you could add...

  1. screws (behind hinges or plugged)
  2. tongue and groove
  3. biscuits or dowels
  4. you could make the face frame with half lap joints and make the back half of the rails into tenons into the legs.

At the risk of repeating myslf, just glue will work fine.

Reply to
dadiOH

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