I recently met a woodworker who crafts traditional Japanese shoji screens. I was amazed to find out that it’s common for them to orient the boards so that they actually perform in the direction which the tree grew. So a vertically placed board would be in the same orientation as which it grew. In effect – the bottom of the tree at the bottom of the screen and the top of the tree at the top. He claimed that they perform better in this orientation and were less likely to warp with age. Genius!
But now I can’t stop wondering how in the world they identified the tree growth direction. I understand how to identify grain direction just fine but I can rarely tell which way the tree grew unless there are features like knots, crotches, or other grain elements that give it away.
Any thoughts??
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At a woodworking show some years ago I asked Frank Klausz about this and he said their is a way to do this. However he started to explain the skill by looking at the grain and I just didn't see it. I think its one of the arts and mysteries or skills learned when working with a master.
I regularly take logs to a bandsaw mill and have them sawed into boards. Perhaps I should be labeling the ends for up/down? Will you be posting further updates on this if you determine the method of discerning up/down?
Yes if you have that option you might consider it. I think a tree is at its strongest when used in the direction it grew. Gravity has the biggest influence. If by chance look at the way power poles are farmed and used it would make sense. However you could ask a timber framing engineer to see if their is calculation up or down? I think its more about the soul of the tree.
"more about the soul of a tree"
I think that's right. I do, however, know some engineers. It'd be really interesting to ask them about this. Good idea!
Thanks for the replies,
I will certainly provide updates if I ever get to the bottom of it all. I've also heard that traditionally that was the way boards were stacked in a lumberyard so you always knew which way was up - so yes, if you have the opportunity it would be great be able to label up and down.
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