Cherry Sap Side Board

[Bill McNiel]

Very, very nice. I really like this piece. One change I would like to have seen is the back material with the "Z" pattern used for the front. You have created great movement with your use of these boards and the juxtaposition of the sapwood and I think it might have brought another, highly unique, dimension to the piece.

Mahalo for sharing.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks, bill. I put it on the back to make it a little easter egg style secret. Its like wearing red underwear. Half the fun is just knowing its there...

[Al Launier]

Nicely done indeed! Your talents for woodworking & finishing are top notch. I do agree that the top of the legs are just a "touch" too wide, but they are beautiful. Plus for my taste I think the knob on the RH drawer would look better if centered with the board between the two LH drawers rather than matching the same height as the LH drawer, or have a small matching pull centered on the drawer. As is, it seems to leave too much "vacancy" below.......... just my taste.

[Prashun Patel]

Great thoughts, Al. I love that kind of feedback. Like all of us (I'm sure) I agonized over the placement of that right knob. I think if I were to do it again, I'd make the whole piece about 9" wider, with matching deep drawers on each side of the skinny ones. I would also (per your suggestion) center the knobs of the flanking drawers. I think the pulls would have then created a nice pattern, and it would have lightened the thickness of the legs.

There is also something unfinished about the legs. While I enjoyed making those inlaid cuffs at the bottom, my eye wants feet or 'ankles'. I would have enjoyed some texture down there.

[Joseph Valsi]

Prashun, very nice indeed. One criticism would be that the dovetail angles are too big. thinner more tapered would be more pleasing to my eye

[Barry Dima]

Looks cool. I like the slip-matched back - too bad it won't be seen. And continuing the sap across panels on the front make it part of the design, rather than some odd-ball flaw.

Very nice Prashun, especially the way the drawer fronts flow from being made out of a single piece of wood.

I like it, especially the back apron with the Z of sapwood. Would have looked good on the top. I've got a fair amount of cherry with sapwood that I've always been cutting around. After seeing this, I may have to try and design the sapwood into a project.

You do very nice work Prashun! Grain matching is nice on the drawer fronts.

I like the drawers a lot, Prashun, the mellow sapwood, the way the grain flows, and the side hung design you used.

Beautiful Prashun. I've always loved the contrast of sapwood. I like your celebration.

^Quoted for truth. The fact that you kind of winged the tables versus meticulously, painstakingly planning it this way is wonderful. The art of the wood—and your use of the art of the wood—really show.

(To your comment about derivativeness: Celebrate it, I say. TS Eliot says something on that matter, and he, like, wrote poetry and cats and stuff.)

As for the legs, I kind of like their boldness. With the flowing, contrasting sapwood and elegant colors, the kick of the legs adds strength without clashing, I think.

Plus for my taste I think the knob on the RH drawer would look better if centered with the board between the two LH drawers rather than matching the same height as the LH drawer, or have a small matching pull centered on the drawer. As is, it seems to leave too much "vacancy" below.......... just my taste.

Maybe for the RH drawer (if a similar layout pops up again), a barbell pull with the knobs at either end aligned with the with LH knobs? That may be too modern/Crate & Barrel, though.

Regardless, the table is terrific. Thanks for sharing.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks, Barry! I planned this piece around the top, which was hanging around in 8/4 form in my shop for a year. I couldn't figure out how to use it. Then I remembered the Bugs Bunny Hairdresser episode, and I was inspired to resaw it. That's not a joke...

Joe,
I hear you on the dovetails. I'm still trying to get the aesthetic balance of spacing + thickness + a skinny kerf at the top + wide enough at the base for the chisels I have. With thin drawer fronts this can mean a steeper angle than I want.

[Paul Cahill]

I like it a lot. Very contemporary feel with very pleasing proportions. Well done!

Paul

[glenn bradley]

That came out great Prashun. I like the "broad at the shoulders" stand the wide leg tops provide. Once mentioned, I pondered it a bit but, you beat me to it

If I were to do it again, I might have 'cabrioled' the legs.

That's it! Again, I don't find any issue with the design as is but, if you wanted to lighten the leg-tops a bit of shoulder stepped in toward the case would sure do it. This would allow you to use some more of the curvature that I always enjoy in your work. IF you wanted to change this one you could also add a bit of carving, flutes or vertical slots as design details to lighten that area and justify the width. I enjoy playing with the sap patterns I find and you did a great job of exploiting the arc across the front versus the drawer proportions

[David Utterback]

You have great talent, Prashun. I have loved every one of your creations that you have posted since I started frequenting this site last winter. I also incorporate cherry sap wood into pieces but mostly boxes. You inspire me to greater use of it.

David

[David Ragan]

Man, that is so nice. I feel like a complete amateur when I see the quality of the things you all produce.

But, having had no formal learning, and just a few hours on the weekend, what is reasonable?

[Prashun Patel]

David, i am like you. I have to squeeze this hobby into my life too. There will always be something to aspire too. I see the work of a lot of people here and think its hopeless for me to try. But there is room for admirable work at all levels. just keep climbing. If you love the journey as much as do i, its not work. before you know it, someone will post about your work as you have mine and you'll think, "he cant be talking about me."

Thanks for the post.

[Vivek Deshmukh]

Great work Prashun. Your work is truly inspirational.

[Prashun Patel]

New Hope Arts Works in Wood 2016 was kind enough accept this for display.

I remembered it more fondly when I first made it than I do now, having made a few steps further up the mountain of learning.

I am looking forward to meeting the other entrants. Last year, the crowd was warm, interested, and friendly.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Outstanding and congratulations!