Figured cherry board selection

[Bob Glenn]

I am starting to build a Pennsylvania secretary with a drop down desk top. The bottom case will be 21 inches deep at the base with a clipped front corner where the desk top folds up. The lower case sides will require a two board glue up. The top case is about 12 inches deep and the sides will be a single board.

I have acquired some wonderfully figured 4/4 cherry boards, all from the same log. There is a wonderful blaze centered with the cathedral top pointing towards the ends of most boards. I think the blaze should carry across the case division from top to bottom at the back, (cathedral down on the lower case, cathedral up on the top case), but I am wondering if the cathedral should point up or down on the front glued side. Another option would be have all cathedrals pointing up, but that would lose the continuity carried across the lower and upper case sides.

Any thoughts on what would look best? All these boards are beautifully matched. Bob

[Prashun Patel]

Can you show the board?

[Bob Glenn]

Can't post pictures. There are nine boards, all sequentially cut. Sorry.

[Lee Schierer]

If the boards are long enough, I would make it look as though the boards were continuous from the bottom section to the top. I once made a long entertainment center with tree drawers across the top front. The board I used for the three drawer fronts was long enough to make all three drawer fronts. I kept track of where they came from the board and made it so the grain pattern aligned from one drawer to the next from left to right.

[Bob Glenn]

I think I am going with all cathedrals pointing up, rather than have the glued up section on the bottom with one pointing up next to the one pointing down. Thanks Bob

[Yonak Hawkins]

Sight unseen, I agree with the up pointing. I generally try to orient my grain that way.

Also :

Life's too short to use old sandpaper.

I like the way you think.

[Wayne Lomman]

Definitely cathedrals up. For me that trumps all other considerations. Cheers