Scott
I think using short grain piecses for the ends is a great idea to avoid the
inevitable “shrinkage”. Then maybe a loose tenon that fits into mortises on
both the end grain of the walnut and the end grain of the maple where they meet
- that way you don’t need longer lengths of either piece. Similarly, a
longspline coule fit into grooves on the long grain sides.
An “inlay” may be easier than you think. If you cut the walnut to size, then
cut a small rabbet all the way around, you could glue in a mitered strip of wood
like a tiny picture frame, plane or scrape it even with the edges/ends and top
of the walnut, then treat it like one piece of wood. What about a thin strip of
maple and walnut with the walnutstrip against the maple and the maplestrip
against the walnut? Now you have not added a color or texture. Something like
.05-.07" each combining to make .1-.15” (total about 1/16”).
Keep the joinery simple for maximum speed - I can sympathize
Ed Minch
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