Woodworking
Definitions
Definitions
Plain Sawn Lumber:
Plain sawn lumber is the fastest and
easiest way to sawn logs into boards.
While this is the most common way of
sawing lumber, you end up with wood that
can warp and twist out of shape depending
on where the board is taken in relation to
the log. For that reason their are other,
better ways to mill lumber.
Plain sawn lumber is the fastest and
easiest way to sawn logs into boards.
While this is the most common way of
sawing lumber, you end up with wood that
can warp and twist out of shape depending
on where the board is taken in relation to
the log. For that reason their are other,
better ways to mill lumber.
Quarter Sawn Lumber:
Quarter sawn lumber is an excellent way to
keep wood from warping or twisting. It is
very time consuming to saw out however
and does not produce big, wide boards like
flat sawing. Another benefit of quarter sawn
wood is the way it can distinguish certain
woods like Oak and Sycamore.
Quarter sawn lumber is an excellent way to
keep wood from warping or twisting. It is
very time consuming to saw out however
and does not produce big, wide boards like
flat sawing. Another benefit of quarter sawn
wood is the way it can distinguish certain
woods like Oak and Sycamore.
Rift Sawn Lumber:
If you are looking for stable wood, rift sawn
lumber is the answer. It is seldom used
because it wastes a lot of the log, but the
wood is very stable from shrinkage,
warping and twisting. You do end up with a
few wide boards, and few medium sized
boards and few narrow boards as this
picture shows.
If you are looking for stable wood, rift sawn
lumber is the answer. It is seldom used
because it wastes a lot of the log, but the
wood is very stable from shrinkage,
warping and twisting. You do end up with a
few wide boards, and few medium sized
boards and few narrow boards as this
picture shows.
Optional Sawn Lumber:
Here are a few variations on a theme. If you
are looking for big wide boards, fast saw
milling and a lot less work, the big choice
here is Through and Through sawing.
About the only drawback from doing this, is
that you end up with lumber that does not
have a square edge. This is important if
you plan on ripping this wood to width on a
table saw or want to run the wood across a
jointer.
Here are a few variations on a theme. If you
are looking for big wide boards, fast saw
milling and a lot less work, the big choice
here is Through and Through sawing.
About the only drawback from doing this, is
that you end up with lumber that does not
have a square edge. This is important if
you plan on ripping this wood to width on a
table saw or want to run the wood across a
jointer.
Bolt Wood:
Certain woods such as White Birch, Yellow
Birch and even Beech are purchased as
"Bolts". A bolt is a stick of wood that is 50
inches long. It is that length so that it can
be placed on a giant lathe and turned own
to a consistent diameter. This wood is
used to make spools, clothes pins and
other items as round stock. The extra
length allows the ends that were damaged
by being mounted in the lathe, to be cut off.
This gives a finished length of 48 inches.
Certain woods such as White Birch, Yellow
Birch and even Beech are purchased as
"Bolts". A bolt is a stick of wood that is 50
inches long. It is that length so that it can
be placed on a giant lathe and turned own
to a consistent diameter. This wood is
used to make spools, clothes pins and
other items as round stock. The extra
length allows the ends that were damaged
by being mounted in the lathe, to be cut off.
This gives a finished length of 48 inches.
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Cant:
A cant is essentially a beam, but more
specifically a log that has had been
squared up. In this picture a log has been
squared up in preparation of being sawn
into flat boards of a certain width.
In the old days a sawyer would use a
Broad Axe and a string to make a cant out
of a log. It is said that a good broad axe
man could true up a log to a string line,
and never once cut the string with the
broad axe. Now that is a skilled axeman!!
A cant is essentially a beam, but more
specifically a log that has had been
squared up. In this picture a log has been
squared up in preparation of being sawn
into flat boards of a certain width.
In the old days a sawyer would use a
Broad Axe and a string to make a cant out
of a log. It is said that a good broad axe
man could true up a log to a string line,
and never once cut the string with the
broad axe. Now that is a skilled axeman!!
Slab:
A slab basically the bark side of the log
with one flat face. These steps are slab
steps.
In commercial saw milling, slabs are what
remains after a cant is made. These slabs
are considered waste and thus ground up,
chipped or burned to make electricity for
the needs of the sawmill.
On smaller sawmill operations, huge piles
of slabs are often sold to neighbors who
use the wood as kindling or firewood. The
price is pretty cheap, our price is 5 dollars
a pick-up truck load. (1/4 cord).
A slab basically the bark side of the log
with one flat face. These steps are slab
steps.
In commercial saw milling, slabs are what
remains after a cant is made. These slabs
are considered waste and thus ground up,
chipped or burned to make electricity for
the needs of the sawmill.
On smaller sawmill operations, huge piles
of slabs are often sold to neighbors who
use the wood as kindling or firewood. The
price is pretty cheap, our price is 5 dollars
a pick-up truck load. (1/4 cord).
Cookies:
This Timber sports champion is about to
make a slice off the log. What will come off
the log will be a cookie, or a piece of wood
a few inches thick. A cookie is often
confused as being a "slab", but that is not
the correct term.
In a competition such as this, the goal is to
make two cookies as fast as possible
without cutting over the lines seen in the
picture. Obviously this chainsaw is a bit
modified to do that task incredibly fast.
This Timber sports champion is about to
make a slice off the log. What will come off
the log will be a cookie, or a piece of wood
a few inches thick. A cookie is often
confused as being a "slab", but that is not
the correct term.
In a competition such as this, the goal is to
make two cookies as fast as possible
without cutting over the lines seen in the
picture. Obviously this chainsaw is a bit
modified to do that task incredibly fast.
Plank:
A plank is basically just a thick board.
Personally I regard anything that is over 1
1/2 inches thick as a plank, though this
may not be a well defined definition.
This picture shows a planked floor. A
planked floor is known for its wide boards
though not necessarily thick boards. They
have square cut edges (versus that of
ship-lapped or tongue-and-grooved) and
are square cut on the ends.
A plank is basically just a thick board.
Personally I regard anything that is over 1
1/2 inches thick as a plank, though this
may not be a well defined definition.
This picture shows a planked floor. A
planked floor is known for its wide boards
though not necessarily thick boards. They
have square cut edges (versus that of
ship-lapped or tongue-and-grooved) and
are square cut on the ends.