quarter saw walnut?

moosehunter · June 26, 2014, 07:14:37 PM

I have a job coming up and the customer has asked me to quarter saw a walnut log, I am thinking it is unnecessary as walnut is stable enough when sawn for grade. What say you? I told him I would research it with some people that know! So here I am asking you.
mh

Delawhere Jack · June 26, 2014, 07:24:23 PM

Aside from the difference in appearance I don't see any major benefit to qs'ing walnut.

I'd ask him why. Maybe he just heard that quartersawn wood is more valuable. Or maybe he's after that straight grain look.

beenthere · June 26, 2014, 07:24:50 PM

Give him your thoughts, and ask him if he is looking for plain grain or the cathedral figure with better yield.
Will take longer to quarter saw so adjust your price.
Walnut doesn't have the ray features that some other woods have (i.e oak) so less incentive to quarter saw walnut. Maybe find out what he likes about quarter sawn walnut. Might find out he doesn't know, or that he has a good reason for wanting it.

Magicman · June 26, 2014, 07:31:57 PM

I would discourage it mainly due to the reduced yield and fewer wide boards. I personally prefer the more figured flat sawn Walnut.

I would charge "hourly rate" for QS.

moosehunter · June 26, 2014, 07:41:18 PM

I already told him it would be an hourly rate to quarter saw. He thinks the quarter sawn will be more stable. He did not seem to care as much about figure/grain pattern.

drobertson · June 26, 2014, 07:59:24 PM

It really boils down to what they want, it is a job, but all said, get it done, you no doubt will see some nice wood in the process. take care of them, and it will come back to you for sure.

Magicman · June 26, 2014, 08:19:59 PM

Yup, I never argue with the customer. I will answer and explain as best that I can, then I "saws um and leaves um".

stihlsawer · June 26, 2014, 10:22:47 PM

Is the wood being used for instruments? Quartersawn is stronger than flat sawn.

Trever

warren46 · June 27, 2014, 06:06:00 AM

I had a customer request quartersawn walnut because he plans to use it to build guitars. He was specifically looking for the uniform grain that comes with quartersawn walnut. He was happy with what the lumber he got and asked for more.

Brad_S. · June 27, 2014, 06:21:58 AM

Usually when I had a customer request quarter sawn from a stable tree like walnut, it was because they were extremely new to woodworking and had read that qs is more stable, so that's why they wanted it. I would explain that flat sawn was perfectly fine and the cathedrals were more desired in walnut. If they still wanted qs, qs is what they got but they usually trusted my explanation.

terrifictimbersllc · June 27, 2014, 07:13:58 AM

I often end up sawing walnut "through and through", after first explaining the attributes of flat, rift & quarter sawn. Basically as the sawing proceeds the customer usually likes all the grain patterns, the wide boards, natural edge option, and that the sawing proceeds quickly. Walnut is different from cherry in this respect because more people seem not to like the appearance of rift sawn and QS cherry.

dboyt · June 27, 2014, 11:07:27 AM

There are sawing patterns that will give 50%+ quartersawn lumber with little additional handling and little waste. It is a good compromise. QS is more stable, since any species shrinks less radially than it does tangentially, but walnut is more stable than most. Personally, I love the appearance of any QS wood.

My procedure to quarter saw is to cut two or three live edge flitches out of the center, then rotate the log 90 degrees and remove the flitches. Then clamp the remaining two piece together and flitch cut them. The pieces from the center of the flitch will also be quarter sawn with one straight edge and one natural edge. There will be some smaller pieces that are plain and rift sawn. These can be used in places where appearance is not as important.

Ianab · June 27, 2014, 08:45:51 PM

QuoteThere will be some smaller pieces that are plain and rift sawn. These can be used in places where appearance is not as important.

In fact those rift sawn "left overs" can be desirable. Because they have the same grain on all four sides they are the best choice for table legs etc. So if the customer intends to make a table, suggest some thicker sawn rift boards from those last corners. Now he has the best possible Q-sawn boards for the top, and the best rift sawn stock for the legs, all cut from the same log so it all matches.

Ian

qbilder · June 27, 2014, 11:58:09 PM

Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on June 27, 2014, 07:13:58 AM
Walnut is different from cherry in this respect because more people seem not to like the appearance of rift sawn and QS cherry.

I never understood that. I love qs cherry. Shimmers like it's covered with glitter, as well as shows off any curl that may be in the grain. QS walnut would show curl if present, too.

Ianab · June 28, 2014, 12:34:24 AM

Quote from: qbilder on June 27, 2014, 11:58:09 PM
Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on June 27, 2014, 07:13:58 AM
Walnut is different from cherry in this respect because more people seem not to like the appearance of rift sawn and QS cherry.

I never understood that. I love qs cherry. Shimmers like it's covered with glitter, as well as shows off any curl that may be in the grain. QS walnut would show curl if present, too.

Word of the day Chatoyancy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatoyancy

It's another reason to cut q-sawn boards because you get that "sparkle" that you mention. In Kauri pine or Monterey cypress it gives the wood "3d" shimmer that you don't see in the flat sawn boards.

Ian