Milling Parallel to Pith or Bark for Best Grain?

[Daninvan]

The discussion on this link might be interesting for those who mill for the best grain, so I thought I would pass it along. The author comes at it from the perspective of a furniture maker, but is obviously very knowledgeable about milling.

http://thecarpentryway.blogspot.ca/...:00-05:00&max-results=1&start=3&by-date=false

If you are milling for dimensional lumber or table top slabs, probably a less interesting read.

He has five posts in the 'series', the latter three are the most interesting on this, the first two have to do with lumber grading (a separate and interesting topic in its own right).

Apologies if someone has already posted the link.

Dan

 

[Greenland South]

Thanks for posting that, interesting read.

 

[Dave Boyt]

It is a good analysis, and takes the issues down to the basics. Once you understand that, moving into the real world of imperfect logs should be easier. The emphasis, though, is on the grain, and not on how wood reacts to different types of cuts (such a cupping on flat-sawn pieces near the pith). The mechanics of actually sawing parallel to the edge can be tricky, since the taper has to be consistent. The only way I know to do that is to level the log, cut down to the pith, turn the log 180 degrees, and repeat. This doesn't leave a way to rotate the log to relieve stress or cut the best side. Hopefully some who have worked these issues out will chime in.

 

[qbilder]

I do my quarter sawing parallel to the bark. The log lies flat on the mill, and the blade starts into the small end just below the pith. I remove the bottom half and flip the top half over and repeat. This gives me a wedge shaped slab from the center of the log, pith centered. What I am left with are two halves of the log where the grain runs parallel to the bark. I split each half the same way as I split the log, removing a wedge from the center. So now I have 4 quarters with grain running straight.

I do this for billiard cues, where the grain must run straight from end to end with no run-off. If for furniture, the wood would be boring to look at & would lack any character. Sawing along the pith would create the cathedral grain that folks like in flat sawn wood. I'm not sure it really matters, though, because grain lines in the butt end of the log will be smaller than grain lines in the top end, so there's no sure way to get absolutely non tapered grain in any board. Interesting read, though.