I'm sure you are going to get all kinds of advice about maximum and minimum
widths, reversing grain, etc. Everyone has their own rule of thumb so I
won't bother throwing mine it.

However, I will comment on jointing panels and appearance.

Regardless of what rule of thumb you subscribe too and how wide or narrow
the stock being joined is you should, unless it is the look you are after,
spend more then a little time laying out your stock for the best match of
grain pattern and strive to make the panel looking like it is made up of one
board and not have a cutting board appearance.

When you are going to make a panel is to lay the stock out in front of you
and spend as much time as is necessary shifting it around, flipping it,
matching color, and in general puzzling it together so that that panel looks
as much like it is one board as is possible with the stock available, even
if it means wasting a little.

Once you have it laid out then you mark it. Some prefer a big triangle, some
other type of marks. I favor one line for the first two on the left, two for
the other side of the inside board and the board next too it, three for
....etc.

The time spent on this task will pay will pay you back ten fold in the
appearance of the finish project. .

--
Mike G.

Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Jim Helfer" wrote in message
...

Tonight I start building the "Limbert Tabourette" featured in 11/03
Pop. Woodworking. This table has to surfaces, one 16" round and one
10.5" square.

Of course I am going to have to edge-join several boards together to
get that width. My question is what would be an appropriate width to
cut the boards for maximum happiness with regard to strength and
appearance.

(For instance, a 16" table top made of 2 8" wide pieces may look
strange, and a bunch of 3" wide strips will most likely end up looking
like a cutting board).

Should I try to have all the "slats" the same width? Why or why not?

This piece will be made of plain-sawn red oak (not the more
traditional q-sawn white oak) if that makes a difference.

Thanks for any ideas

Jim Helfer
Pittsburgh PA