>
>>>>   Same thing with cabinetry, people ought
>>>> to take the trouble to match the grain on adjacent boards but what
>>>> used to be a glaring fault has become commonplace.  It's still a
>>>> glaring
>>>> fault.
>>>>
>>>> :)
>>>> d
>>>>
>>>
>>     Man, do I agree with this....When something is worth doing
nicely...it should be done 'properly'.

  Boards use in cabinetry ought to be selected to color-match the adjacent
ones as nicely as possible and they should also be 'deployed' to minimize
warping.  Woods come in great variation, color and grain-wise.  Nothing
sticks out like a very white board glued into the front of a mostly dark
piece.  Distracting and not attractive at all.

  The screws, if left exposed, should all have the slots oriented
vertically...Not only does it look right, but there is a reason...vertical
slots don't gather moisture...If you cover the screw with wooden plugs...the
grain of the plugs should be matched to the wood that surrounds it...I hate
the cheap 'look' of contrasting plugs...Like putting Honduras Mahogany plugs
in a Bird's eye Maple piece.  Awful!  Pretentious! means you were too lazy
to cut proper plugs from the ends of the boards you used in the
'structure'....Or plugs that have the grain turned opposite to the grain of
the board they are supposed to blend into...Shows poor attention to detail
and lax workmanship.

   Now if function is most important and down-time is 'painful'...by all
means...hack away...put Polka Dot patches on your plaid wool shirt to keep
the wind out...if you are cold and only have Polka dot material and you
don't care if you look Clownish in your shirt...but you do care about not
being cold.  If it is your favorite shirt, you might want to wear something
else till you find some matching material and can sew in the proper patch...

 Go to Hope Despot and buy 'wood look' flooring or cabinets and stick em in
your van with construction adhesive...if you simply must have the cabinets
right now and have them cheap and you don't really care about the van....Or,
if you like your rig and have a taste for fine things (you do have a
Vanagon, after all) it's kinda cool to take the time and spend the  cash to
put very fine work into it...Once it runs perfectly, of course..
  Don Hanson