Popular Post Llama Posted March 28, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 Interesting thread. For me, it's an overall look to the piece. Things that jump out to me are poor grain selection, bad proportions, and pieces that use too many species. Cathedral grain on rails/stiles always looks bad. Cathedrals in legs also always looks bad. Makes the piece look like it was done with no thought to grain selection or a proper understanding on how to construct a project. It is also difficult to know who to take advice from on here. Some of the most vocal members of this forum have yet to post a picture of their work. It would be nice to be able to know if their advice was coming from google or from actual experience. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekcohen Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 Poor proportions Clashing figure square, rectangular or boxy little thought given to matching boards on panels too wide frame pieces stripes through the centre of a table top heavy legs grain running in the wrong direction wide dovetails on drawers Thick drawer sides non-traditional joinery purple wood Regards from Perth Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 Figure selection. Boards that are used on a piece because they happen to fit or were the next one available on the stack stick out like a sore thumb to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 17 hours ago, Woodenskye said: ... Your definition of fine furniture may be different than mine. I need to build some shop furniture and will I be using clear walnut, no, it's shop furniture and construction lumber or knotty pine will be used and I'm ok with that, but that doesn't mean I would make a coffee table out of the same materials and call it fine furniture. That may be a separator here. I AM working on a burl slab to make a coffee table. I HAVE used black stained epoxy to fill voids. I don't insist that it (or anything I work on, really) be called "fine", but I still hope to call it furniture and will replace a Thomas Kincaid piece with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 To respond to the original question, I notice alignment also - but in the context of is it sturdy and not wobbly. I like functionality. For myself, I work hard on that, among other things, but seem to struggle most with finishing - especially with stains/finishes that enhance rather than occlude wood figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 That may be a separator here. I AM working on a burl slab to make a coffee table. I HAVE used black stained epoxy to fill voids. I don't insist that it (or anything I work on, really) be called "fine", but I still hope to call it furniture and will replace a Thomas Kincaid piece with it.Using a burl and filling with epoxy to stabilize or fill voids is different in my book than taking a flat sawn piece of oak or other common species and filling it with epoxy because you don't want to source better materials. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted March 28, 2018 Report Share Posted March 28, 2018 16 minutes ago, Woodenskye said: Using a burl and filling with epoxy to stabilize or fill voids is different in my book than taking a flat sawn piece of oak or other common species and filling it with epoxy because you don't want to source better materials. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Big oops: (I didn't realize how defensive that sounded until reading it in your quote!) I have no call to be defensive, being a novice woodworker who has yet to produce fine furniture. Was only meaning to acknowledge that some of us are working with different, possibly more basic styles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted March 29, 2018 Report Share Posted March 29, 2018 2 hours ago, Pondhockey said: Big oops: (I didn't realize how defensive that sounded until reading it in your quote!) I have no call to be defensive, being a novice woodworker who has yet to produce fine furniture. Was only meaning to acknowledge that some of us are working with different, possibly more basic styles. Not defensive. There's certain things I like and don't like and I'm sure that goes for most people. I'm by no means an expert woodworker, and whether you have been doing this for 2 weeks or 20 years I feel you need to always challenge yourself to advance in everything. Looking back I should have never commented to this thread. I have voiced my opinion on what I don't like in today's woodworking world. Everyone should decide what they like and work towards that and not follow what may be the current trend. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 29, 2018 Report Share Posted March 29, 2018 I have lately taken more notice of species and grain selection as an important factor in the overall design. This is something I frequently fail at, usually because I am to cheap to source better materials. I am really starting to notice when others present a piece with (IMO) poor choices in grain, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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