Quarter Sawn?
Moderator: jingle_jangle
Quarter Sawn?
Paul, when you take multiple pieces of wood (say 3, maple, walnut, maple) that are flat sawn, turn them 90 degrees and glue together is this in effect quarter sawn?
- jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Re: Quarter Sawn?
Gee, Dave, thanks for the brain buster first thing this Monday morning. Couldn't we just have worked on the four days that start with the letter "T" or maybe how should "ghoti" be pronounced ?
While this might seem to be a no-brainer, I'd have to ask first if you're going for strength or grain pattern?
Quarter-sawn wood in general has a straighter grain with closer annual rings turning up as stripes. Flat-sawn wood is generally more interesting with regard to grain, but not as strong. Flamed or Birdseyed wood is usually flat-sawn. If you're talking sound (as in body or neck wood), quarter-sawn tends to be brighter due to its more even and closely-spaced grain. Quarter-sawn is much less likely to warp or twist, as well.
Because of the way each is cut, you cannot rotate one board through 90° and achieve the other. However, in laminating them and then cutting strips at 90°, you have a straighter-grained, laminated piece which gains in both strength and warp resistance.
So, you want to build a guitar that looks like a bowling alley?
While this might seem to be a no-brainer, I'd have to ask first if you're going for strength or grain pattern?
Quarter-sawn wood in general has a straighter grain with closer annual rings turning up as stripes. Flat-sawn wood is generally more interesting with regard to grain, but not as strong. Flamed or Birdseyed wood is usually flat-sawn. If you're talking sound (as in body or neck wood), quarter-sawn tends to be brighter due to its more even and closely-spaced grain. Quarter-sawn is much less likely to warp or twist, as well.
Because of the way each is cut, you cannot rotate one board through 90° and achieve the other. However, in laminating them and then cutting strips at 90°, you have a straighter-grained, laminated piece which gains in both strength and warp resistance.
So, you want to build a guitar that looks like a bowling alley?
- captsandwich
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1312
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:13 am
Re: Quarter Sawn?
jingle_jangle wrote:Gee, Dave, thanks for the brain buster first thing this Monday morning. Couldn't we just have worked on the four days that start with the letter "T"
Tuesday, Thursday, Tsaturday, Tsunday.
- jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Re: Quarter Sawn?
OK, smartass, now how about the "Ghoti" question?

Re: Quarter Sawn?
Oh, you mean fish?
- jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Re: Quarter Sawn?
Yes!!! Now, about the "four days" one? (No fair Googling!!!)
Re: Quarter Sawn?
I actually remembered the "ghoti" one from deep in the cobwebbed caverns of my hollow noggin. No Google-free insight into the Tsdays of the Tsweek, though....
Re: Quarter Sawn?
Hey, are two of them Today and Tomorrow?
- jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Re: Quarter Sawn?
I want you on my team. Full marks, sir!!!
Except, why "fish"?
Except, why "fish"?
- captsandwich
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1312
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:13 am
Re: Quarter Sawn?
Gh as in tough
o as in ?
ti as in transition.
I have conversations about the inconsistencies of the english language with a co-worker whose native tongue is Spanish.
o as in ?
ti as in transition.
I have conversations about the inconsistencies of the english language with a co-worker whose native tongue is Spanish.
- jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Re: Quarter Sawn?
O as in "women".
Re: Quarter Sawn?
I knew that!
Seriously, the Today/Tomorrow thing just came to me in a flash - glad to know I made the team! Yay, I'm picked!
Seriously, the Today/Tomorrow thing just came to me in a flash - glad to know I made the team! Yay, I'm picked!
Re: Quarter Sawn?
I can't even bat cleanup......
Man, talk about thread drift!
Man, talk about thread drift!
Re: Quarter Sawn?
Thanks Paul. I also found this nice set of pictures of two fender necks that shows the differences side-by-side.
http://musikraft.3dcartstores.com/Quart ... 4-1-1.html
Speaking of batting clean-up, Joe Crede did the South Side proud with a grand slam in the home opener.
http://musikraft.3dcartstores.com/Quart ... 4-1-1.html
Speaking of batting clean-up, Joe Crede did the South Side proud with a grand slam in the home opener.
- jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Re: Quarter Sawn?
Perfect example, Dave.
When I was first restoring one of my Fenders back in '04, I bought a "licensed" Fender neck from an online store. It was flatsawn, felt soft, fluffy and all wrong. Figures...the price was too good to be true, I thought. Since then I've been buying real vintage necks for my projects...most are good value for money. I pull the frets, relacquer them, and refret and re-decal them, and they're very nice.
When I was first restoring one of my Fenders back in '04, I bought a "licensed" Fender neck from an online store. It was flatsawn, felt soft, fluffy and all wrong. Figures...the price was too good to be true, I thought. Since then I've been buying real vintage necks for my projects...most are good value for money. I pull the frets, relacquer them, and refret and re-decal them, and they're very nice.
