WWA Info Exchange

Hey folks! Got six weeks from surgery behind me. Looking forward in a few weeks getting back to woodshop, maybe just two weeks.

Couple questions if anyone can help. I've picked out a big Cherry log from supplier, bottom of tree about four feet diameter. no knots. Want to have it quarter sawn but don't really know how quartersawn Cherry will compare to flat sawn. I think quartersawn Oak looks much better that flatsawn but do I get the same effect from Cherry? :

Also know there was a big woodworking/tool supplier show in Las Vegas last year or year before. Does anyone know what that was called or when and where another will be held?

Regards to all and thanks, AG

Hey AG,

Cherry does not have medullary rays like white oak, so you will not get the ray fleck character. Quarter sawn wood generally has less character, than plain or rift sawn, but the trade off is stability. You will get less warp, twist, or checking with QS lumber.

If you've picked out a log for sawing, I assume that you also are having it kiln dried for you. Otherwise you are in for a long wait, as air dried lumber typically loses only about 1% moisture content per year, per inch of thickness.

Tom

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Hard to tell what you'll get in a log until you cut it. But here's some examples of cherry with various cuts: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/ ... cherry.htm

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Some cherry shows some green in the quarter figure. The rays are small, golden, but not insignificant, and the combination of the rays and the differential coloring in the early and late wood can be attractive. Mostly what to expect from quartersawn is more waste and easier grain matching in glue-ups. I'd saw it for grade and let the few pieces which are quarter or close to it be accents like drawer fronts.

You can get good information here http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr117.pdf if you're not a regular woodstacker. I would never have cherry dried in a kiln. Degrades the hand-tool workability, gives a bit of bleach that will take time to recover and costs money. Stickered 4/4 should be fine at the new year if you bring it in in September and start heating the house in October. I'm up north, so 5/4 felled in the winter can be 4% by the following March. Quartersawn takes a bit longer to dry than face, but not more than 10%.

Hi TMS.

Yeah, it will be dried. Every fall I get 200/300 board feet Cherry in shop for all winter. Have always got flatsawn and just thought based on Oak that I'd get a prettier appearance with quartersawn. I think you're indicating quartersawn won't look as good as flatsawn in Cherry.

I have built many projects with Cherry, but don't know what quartersawn would look like. I probably have seen a Cherry quartersawn board because I've used so much Cherry. Obviously I didn't know what I was looking at. If it didn't have much fiqure I probably used it in frame or rejected it.

Now I'm a little worried , maybe I shouldn't have it quartersawn?

Jury is out can still change my mind.

AG

Hey AG,

Both flat (or plain), and quarter sawn have their uses. Like NB George mentioned, usually plain sawn panels are bordered by quarter sawn frames. When logs are sawn into flitches, there is always one that goes through the center, producing two quarter sawn planks. Also, as George mentioned, you get better yields with flitches. It all depends on how you want to use the wood. If dimensional stability is important, then quarter sawn is the best choice. If yield, or character are more important, then flitches would be best.

Tom

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"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Hi NB George

Maybe I'll have some quartersawn and the rest flat sawn. So far what I read doesn't recommend quartersasw.

Thanks, AG

Hi TMS

Think you're saying same as other post: that flat sawn is more attractive. I think you're also saying that on a big log I'll get enough quartersawn anyway. I just need to learn how to recognize it.

Sounds like should just have the log flat sawn. In furniture one usually makes sure is stable enough.

Thanks to all, AG

I think it has been pretty much covered but if you look way down on Gene's link you will see that quartersawn for most any wood is straight grained with no figure. Useful as mentioned when you need minimum wood movement or might not want the distraction of figure as for instance in legs for a cabinet or rails and stiles for a door.

You didn't mention the length but with a 4' diameter, I'd definately saw that log through and through. Boards wide enough to make single board table tops and case sides and tops are hard to find and VERT pricey!

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Dick
Member SAPFM

AG:

Some of the most beautiful cherry I've used was curly quartersawn cherry. The curl was awesome!!! Photos don't do it any justice--you have to see it in person. If you get a chance ask Wooder, he has one of my scrolled trees from that piece of wood.

Verna

Valid point. The curl doesn't show well on flatsawn faces. If yours shows curl when the cant is squared, go for quarter and hang the waste.

I have seen and have plenty of beautiful QS Cherry, It has tight rays and flecks, same as in Maple and Poplar. Cut for Quality not always quanity, avoid the center pith that will mess with you later. Wide boards will cup and twist. And how wide is your jointer? If its 6" cut your lumber to 6" wide. You will end up with less waste.

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