Replies

1. 
   ScottInMadtown | Oct 28, 2002 03:45pm | #1

   Butch,

   Regular sawn is sawn one slice after another from the top to the bottom of the log.  Quartersawn is sawn radially or as close as the sawmill can come to a radial cut.  Inherently, quartersawn will be more stable because the grain lines run perpendicular to the face of the board.  I don't know about other quartersawn wood, but Mahogany and White Oak look great quartersawn.

   Scott

2. 
   RW | Oct 28, 2002 04:28pm | #2

   And yes the grain produced by a quartered cut is more stable. Quartered wood avoids the cathedral figure you see on boards that are flat sawn. There are actually two ways to quarter wood. The radial method is probably the most "true" to the terminology, but fairly impractical. It yields basically a bunch of lap siding, thin on one edge and thick on the other, and creates a good amount of waste in cleaning boards into usable lumber. The other method is to quarter the log and flat saw alternating between the quartered faces until nothings left. The widest boards from the middle have true quarter figure, as you near the edge it becomes more what is called rift sawn - the grain is more angled on the edge than straight either way. And the boards from the last cuts become narrower and narrower. Method 2 wastes less wood, but yields less "true" quartered figure.

1. 
   fdampier5 | Oct 28, 2002 07:47pm | #3

   If you saw through and through  (if you took the boards and glued them back together you'd have your original tree) the center boards would be quarter sawn.

     However since good wood working means you should never work with the heart of the wood, whatever demensional  stability you gain by having quarter sawn would be lost since you have heart wood.  

        The solution is simple, you cut the boards in half (lengthwise)   now you have two quarter sawn boards that are stable and in the event of White oak will revel a wonderful grain pattern that you can't see any other way.

3. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 28, 2002 09:37pm | #4

   In general, quartersawn lumber is more stable but presents less attractive grain patterns except for QS oak which exhibits a "ray" or "flect" appearence.

   Other than oak, many woodworkers find flatsawn hardwoods present more interesting grain patterns. However, that's all personal preference.

1. 
   JamieFichter | Oct 28, 2002 11:32pm | #5

   Howie:

   You are correct about the grain pattern, IMO.  I PERSONALLY like the "cathedral arch" grain pattern of plain sawn lumber, particularly Oak.

   It's funny, when I pointed out a QS oak piece of furniture to my wife, she didn't believe me that it was oak - she said "Oak is usually prettier than that!"

   Jamie

4. 
   RSRose | Oct 29, 2002 09:01pm | #6

   Butch,

   There are several woods which are quarter sawn for the particular grain pattern. Padauk is one of them. I like both the flat sawn and quarter sawn grain patterns of Padauk. But I've never really understood why quarter sawn Oak is so popular (aside from the increase in stability in one dimension - there are many ways to deal with that other than quater sawing).

   The "Craftsman" style or "Mission" style furniture uses quarter sawn oak just about exclusively, even to the point of gluing up legs so that quarter sawn figure is visible on all four sides - a physical imposibility in solid wood. I find quarter sawn grain monotonous and dull. Whereas plain sawn white or red oak is beautiful. Quarter sawing oak reveals the unique ray patterns in that wood to their maximum.

   R

1. 
   bill_1010 | Oct 29, 2002 10:32pm | #7

   as far as asthetics, i prefer the look of vertical grain.  Many of the cathedral peaks you seen in flat sawn is just too busy. Its almost like looking at rotary cut plywood.....  But there are times when the wood just hits ya right flatsawn.

   I guess its just a happy medium huh.  

1. 
   RSRose | Oct 29, 2002 10:35pm | #8

   Bill,

   "Many of the cathedral peaks you seen in flat sawn is just too busy"

   Yes. Totally agree. I love Oak, but some of the wild grained designs that are so prevalent are almost worse than rotary cut fir.

   R

2. 
   SenorDorado | Oct 30, 2002 02:46pm | #9

   Rich

     What I am gathering from the replies is that quarter sawn wood renders grain lines that are perpendicular to the flat surface, instead of parallel, which gives you a more stable material to work with. However depending upon the particular species of wood the esthetic value is entirely left up to the craftsman's intent on the finished project. Also some hardwoods are easier to work than others when quarter sawn.

     Have I said anything that may seem out of line in my summary?

                                                      Butch

1. 
   bill_1010 | Oct 30, 2002 04:30pm | #10

   if yorue interested in the characteristics of wood, wood movement, etc, you should pick up bruce hoardley(sp?) Understanding Wood. 

1. 
   SenorDorado | Oct 31, 2002 12:16am | #13

   Thank you Bill

2. 
   RSRose | Oct 30, 2002 04:59pm | #11

   What Bill said. One of the best investments you can make in this craft. The bible.

   Rich

1. 
   SenorDorado | Oct 31, 2002 12:17am | #14

   Thank you Rich!

3. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 30, 2002 06:36pm | #12

   You got it.