Quote Originally Posted by Simon Barden View Post
2 and 4, with the grain pattern spreading forwards, look wrong to me. Out of 1 and 3, I prefer 3, probably because it's lighter in colour. If you aren't going with a natural finish, then you've got more staining options with the paler wood.
I like 2 and 4, because they're unusual, and the cross grain pattern goes out toward the points.
Having said that, I still prefer 1 and 3. I think you need to sand 1, to see the difference between it and 3, and to get rid of the distracting chalk, etc. I'd hazard a guess, and say 1 is a good indication of how the finish will end up - I love silky oak (typically found in Northern NSW, and Queensland. I have a dining setting made from it, and the pattern is kind of similar, but with much smaller markings, so maybe this is indeed She-Oak (which I've never seen in slab form).
Here's a chair, which has varieties of different cuts giving different aspects to the figure.

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