What is rift and quartered wood

Logs are cut with the grains intersecting the face of the board at an approximate 60-degree angle. The log is sawn into four quarters and each quarter of the log is sawn perpendicular to the growth rings at an angle, therefore being named rift and quartered.

What is the difference between rift and quarter sawn?

Rift sawn lumber, also known as straight grain, is cut at the sawmill with the grains intersecting the face of the board at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees and quarter sawn lumber is cut with the grains intersecting the face board the board at an angle between 60 and 90 degrees.

Is rift or quarter sawn more expensive?

Rift and/or Quarter Sawn is a premium cut and is generally more expensive than Plain Sawn. It is also considered more stable because of the vertical grain orientation.

What is a rift cut in wood?

Rift sawn lumber is typically narrow with a very straight grain pattern on the face of the board. … Similar to quarter sawn lumber, rift sawn lumber is also referred to as radial grain. The most stable boards, and also the most wasteful to produce, are rift sawn planks.

What is quartered wood?

Quartersawn wood is literally cut into quarters before it is run through the mill. The “point” is set at the top of the cut. In this way, the wood is sliced with the grain largely perpendicular to the face. The widest lumber is taken from the center of each of the four quarters.

What does Quartersawn guitar neck mean?

Some high-end guitars and basses have “quartersawn” necks. … “Quartersawn” is a woodworking term that describes a certain specific and non-standard method of milling lumber from trees. Quartersawn instrument necks are unusually strong, straight-grain necks superior to standard necks in almost every way.

Why is quarter sawn better?

Quarter-sawn wood is more stable than plain-sawn. Not only is it less prone to cupping, it also expands and contracts less. Quarter-sawn provides a “quieter” and straighter face grain than plain-sawn.

What is Rift slicing?

Rift Cut. Rift Cut is the process of slicing the veneer at a 15 degree angle to the radius of the log. This process produces straight, striped grain appearance without the flakes that appear in Quarter Sliced veneer. Red and White Oak are generally the species that are Rift sawn to avoid the flakey appearance.

What are the disadvantages of quarter sawing?

More expensive than plain sawn material Quarter sawn wood is more expensive because it is more labor intensive to produce and the manufacturing process produces more waste than plain sawn lumber.

Is quarter sawn lumber stronger?

Quartersawn wood is generally much stiffer across the grain than flatsawn wood, and for instrument tops this may be advantageous.

Article first time published on

What is a disadvantage of rift sawn lumber?

Cons to Rift Sawn Lumber Cost: Because it is so labor-intensive, rift-sawn wood costs more than quarter-sawn or plain-sawn lumber. Waste: Rift-sawn wood produces the most wood waste of the three methods, which is another reason that it’s more expensive.

What is the most stable cut of wood?

Rift Sawn lumber is the most dimensionally stable cut of lumber available. Often Rift Sawn and Quarter Sawn lumber is combined in flooring – better known as Rift & Quartered.

Which hardwoods are the most stable?

Antique heart pine and American cherry are the most stable with respect to seasonal movement. Oak, walnut, and ash are average, but hickory and beech are the most unstable of domestic hardwood species.

What is Sawnboard?

Plain sawn lumber is also commonly referred to as “flat sawn”. This is the most common and widely used method of sawing. Plain sawn lumber is produced by making the first cut on a tangent to the circumference of the log. … Plain sawn lumber offers a distinct cathedral effect to the grain on the face of the boards.

What is rift oak?

Rift Sawn White Oak lumber has straight tight grain with heartwood that is a light to medium brown and commonly with an olive cast. … Similar to quarter sawn lumber, rift sawn white oak lumber is also referred to as radial grain. This cut produces the most stable boards. It is also the most wasteful to produce.

What is cortisone wood?

Quarter sawn lumber is defined as wood where the annular growth rings intersect the face of the board at a 60 to 90 degree angle. When cutting this lumber at the sawmill, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters, hence the name. Dramatic flecking is also present in red oak and white oak.

What is rough sawn?

adjective. (of wood) used as originally cut, without smoothing or sanding: shingles of rough-sawn cedar.

How is quartersawn wood cut?

Quarter sawing gets its name from the fact that the log is first quartered lengthwise, resulting in wedges with a right angle ending at approximately the center of the original log. Each quarter is then cut separately by tipping it up on its point and sawing boards successively along the axis.

Where does Tiger Oak come from?

Tigerwood, also known as South American Zebrawood, is a tropical hardwood tree that has largely originated from the East Coast of Brazil. The unique name ‘Tigerwood’ is stemmed from its beautifully contrasting grain pattern coupled with the bold stripes that almost look like that of a tiger’s.

What is quarter sawn white oak?

Quarter Sawn White Oak is the same species as White Oak but the wood has been cut from the log at a different angle (quartered). It is more stable than standard (flat sawn) White Oak and has a finer texture with a dramatic flaking pattern that runs perpendicular to the grain.

What does quartersawn maple look like?

When maple is quarter-cut the figure appears as vertical flame lines. The same appears in Koa wood. However, the same figure appears curly when viewed on plain-sawn grain. In truth, the same vertical flame lines appear when quartersawn or plain-sawn.

What is quarter sawn spruce?

Quarter sawn wood describes a specific selection of the wood, after cutting up a tree into boards. It does not mean any special treatment or even any type of wood. Imagine you fell a tree, it lies in front of you and you look right into the freshly sawn surface.

What are the advantages of rift sawing?

Rift Sawn Advantages: Produces the strongest possible boards with the most consistent visual look of long and straight grain patterns. Generally the choice of cut for fine furniture makers looking for consistent patterns throughout their design. These are the most common ways to mill a log into flooring planks.

What is timber conversion?

The cutting up of timber to form planks, battens, etc. of required sizes by the saw is called a conversion. Power machines are employed in several stages when working on a large scale. During conversion the allowance should be made for shrinkage, squaring, and planning.

Why quarter sawn timber is the most expensive method of conversion?

Quarter sawn – This is the most expensive method of conversion because it produces the best quality wood and is ideal for joinery purposes. This is because the boards are radial sawn and have very little tendency to shrink or distort.

What is Rift plywood?

Rift Sawn White Oak Plywood comes in 4′ x 8′ Sheets available in 1/4 inch and 3/4 inch thickness. Rift Sawn White Oak Plywood has heartwood that is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast. Nearly white to light brown sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood.

What is rift and quarter sawn oak flooring?

In Quarter Sawn flooring, the log is first quartered, and then each quarter is cut again into slices. … Rift sawn flooring is manufactured by milling perpendicular to the log’s growth rings producing a linear grain pattern with no flecking. This method produces the most waste, increasing the cost of this lumber.

Why would you quarter saw a log?

There are several reasons to consider quarter sawing your lumber because the grain patterns in some hardwoods are in great demand. For example, quarter sawn oak is more valuable than plain sawn oak. … Quarter sawn lumber refers to the angle at which the tree’s growth rings intersect the face of the sawn board.

Are rift sawn oak cabinets expensive?

Rift sawn oak is the least common and most expensive variation. Rift sawn oak has a very straight grain pattern on the face of the board.

What is plain saw?

plain saw (plural plain saws) A saw in which the blade has teeth with no pitch. quotations ▼

What is Tiger oak?

Tiger oak is lumber produced by a particular milling process called quarter sawing. The process results in lumber with a distinctive grain that is often used in high-end applications in which the appearance of the wood is an important consideration.