Mixing cherry with secondary wood

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  • radhak
    Veteran Member
    • Apr 2006
    • 3058
    • Miramar, FL
    • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

    Mixing cherry with secondary wood

    After leaving it dormant for long, I'm now determined to complete my computer table project. I realized that the design for it was bothering me, when I came upon this table in FWW :



    The author has offered a design that's simple enough to suit me: the center portion that holds the drawers is a simple frame, biscuited to the sides:



    I'm planning a similar frame (with two drawers, not three), joined with dowels to the sides instead of biscuits. I'm also planning to provide a false front that covers both drawers. Hopefully I'm not compromising on strength.

    My main wood is brazilian cherry. That said, the question for y'all is : do I hafta use cherry for that inside frame? Will pine cause a problem with different rate of wood movement compared to cherry? How about poplar?
    (As you may note, I'm looking to go cheap, and avoid cherry where it's not gonna be every visible).

    Of course, the question also arises - what if I use cherry just for the front rails and stiles of that frame, and secondary wood for the rest of the frame. Will that be a problem?
    It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
    - Aristotle
  • LinuxRandal
    Veteran Member
    • Feb 2005
    • 4889
    • Independence, MO, USA.
    • bt3100

    #2
    What about plywood, for any non visible parts of the frame? (or use Cherry veneered plywood for the bottom since it is exposed)
    She couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod, and the bathroom. We had to go back for her.........................Twice.

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    • radhak
      Veteran Member
      • Apr 2006
      • 3058
      • Miramar, FL
      • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

      #3
      Originally posted by LinuxRandal
      What about plywood, for any non visible parts of the frame? (or use Cherry veneered plywood for the bottom since it is exposed)
      Well, that's not a bad idea - won't have to worry about movement!

      Of course, I'll have to apply edge banding all over, to avoid any sort of warping thru moisture...
      It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
      - Aristotle

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      • Black wallnut
        cycling to health
        • Jan 2003
        • 4715
        • Ellensburg, Wa, USA.
        • BT3k 1999

        #4
        I have never mixed hard and soft wood in a project. I've used both lots though. A good secondary wood that I believe you will get good results with is poplar.
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        • woodturner
          Veteran Member
          • Jun 2008
          • 2047
          • Western Pennsylvania
          • General, Sears 21829, BT3100

          #5
          Originally posted by Black wallnut
          A good secondary wood that I believe you will get good results with is poplar.
          +1 on that, poplar is a good choice for secondary wood.

          In historical pieces, it was common to use pine for the drawers, backs, etc. and use the "good wood" or even just veneer for the parts that would show.

          I don't think you will have an issue mixing woods, as long as you avoid "bonding" together two types of wood in ways where differential expansion becomes an issue. For example, you would not want to glue the faces of two boards of two species together, since the expansion and contraction perpendicular to the grain would cause the joint to fail.

          Your exposed drawer front may have this issue, for example. To avoid the problem, mechanically fasten the "show" front and secondard wood drawer fronts with screws or other mechanical fasteners, pinning them at one end and provide slots for the rest of the screws to allow for wood movement. You could also use a sliding dovetail across the boards (e.g. perpendicular to the grain), the goal is to allow for some movement between the two types of wood.
          --------------------------------------------------
          Electrical Engineer by day, Woodworker by night

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          • JimD
            Veteran Member
            • Feb 2003
            • 4187
            • Lexington, SC.

            #6
            I would be better to use either pine or poplar than it would be to use plywood for the inside surfaces. I didn't look up the rate of expansion with moisture for these woods but you can easily get that over the internet. I know without looking, however, that plywood essentially does not move due to the crossing of the grain in plys. So if you join solid wood to plywood you have the solid wood trying to move and the plywood trying not to move. All wood wants to move mostly across the grain. The rate is a little different between species but normally not enough to affect integrity.

            Having said all that, I have used solid wood fronts (oak and cherry) joined to baltic birch sides with dovetails on drawers in a kitchen island, at least two large dressers, and some end tables. All are fine and are several years old. I finished the solid wood on all surfaces with poly, however, to minimize it's absorption of moisture from the air. I still don't consider this a recommended practice but my experience is that it works fine as long as the solid wood is well finished.

            So bottom line is you can probably make any of these methods work. But safest would be to use solid wood, regardless of species, joined to solid wood.

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            • radhak
              Veteran Member
              • Apr 2006
              • 3058
              • Miramar, FL
              • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

              #7
              Good advice, thanks all! I'm gonna go with Poplar, and be circumspect about where I use glue.

              Now, if you see those biscuit slots he's used to join that frame to the sides? I am planning to use dowels instead, which's hopefully stronger. But I'm not planning to use any of those corbels below the frame. Will that weaken the table? the width of my table is 42", and the distance between the left/right legs is 38". Just wondering if I should M&T a stretcher just below the drawers.
              It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
              - Aristotle

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              • Bruce Cohen
                Veteran Member
                • May 2003
                • 2698
                • Nanuet, NY, USA.
                • BT3100

                #8
                The only place where pine is acceptable is in a cheap coffin.
                Bruce
                "Western civilization didn't make all men equal,
                Samuel Colt did"

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                • JimD
                  Veteran Member
                  • Feb 2003
                  • 4187
                  • Lexington, SC.

                  #9
                  Bruce,

                  Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.

                  I have a lake house we think is pretty nice with a large vaulted ceiling great room with walls covered in pine.

                  Pine isn't fine furniture wood IMHO and that may be what you are commenting about. It is about as hard and strong as poplar, however. But it certainly has a place in less formal pieces and as a secondary wood.

                  Jim

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