Sawmill and Timber

Forestry, Logging and Building => Plant Physiology-Pathology => Topic started by: Ox on October 13, 2017, 12:22:43 AM

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Title: Japanese thoughts
Post by: Ox on October 13, 2017, 12:22:43 AM
I was watching a documentary on Japanese woodworking where they don't use any hardware.  The teacher was adamant that when building one must use the boards in the direction the tree was growing.  Bottom of tree needs to be bottom of board and towards the floor.  Top of tree needs to be top of board and toward the ceiling.  Or else warp happens.  I never heard such a thing.  Anybody?

Without marking the boards, how does one look at a board and see which way it was when the tree was growing?  Weird stuff.  Nice carpentry, but weird stuff.

I wonder how they handle the predicament of wood flooring?  Which way is up?  lol
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: joasis on October 13, 2017, 07:05:18 AM
The growth rings seen at the end grain will tell you direction. And flooring is always cup side down. Which I suppose would be up or out. The rings will be tighter at one end of the board, indicating up.
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: Ox on October 13, 2017, 10:03:23 AM
I'll have to see if I can pick up a board and see which way it grew originally sometime.  I've never thought about it.
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: drobertson on December 16, 2017, 01:01:28 PM
Some time back I was in a conversation with a fellow that lived in Japan, studied the art and to this day I'm sure he is still at it.  If I remember right he said the same thing about his timber framing. Including the fact that when siding, put it up as it grew, bark side out.  I'm not sure on it, but even an old time carpenter always said to lay decking and siding with rings laying like they grew.  It's an interesting topic for sure,
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: Stevem on December 16, 2017, 01:19:59 PM
Some time back I was in a conversation with a fellow that lived in Japan, studied the art and to this day I'm sure he is still at it.  If I remember right he said the same thing about his timber framing. Including the fact that when siding, put it up as it grew, bark side out.  I'm not sure on it, but even an old time carpenter always said to lay decking and siding with rings laying like they grew.  It's an interesting topic for sure,
That's just opposite of what I'd think!  Bark side out will cup out. A board will tend to cup toward the out side of the tree or curve of the growth rings with flat sawn boards because of the difference in shrinkage of winter wood verses summer wood. No curvature for quarter sawn and slight curve for rift sawn. One screw in the center of a flat sawn board will tend to hold it flat I'd think!
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: drobertson on December 16, 2017, 03:20:37 PM
yea, I know, right,? crazy,but heck them there Asians have been building for years, to the defense I will say I have seen the cup go both ways, just more often cupping bark side out.  I don't know, probably why I'm not a builder,, I do know thick and thin, and crook. There must be some hidden secret or something we don't know?  It's still pretty cool stuff,
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: Ox on December 16, 2017, 03:27:47 PM
I don't know.  When I'm getting a board for something I'm just not thinking about which way the tree grew.  I'm looking at cup, check, crook, etc. and trying to find the right board for the purpose.

And yep, when I have a cupped board I'll put the hump up and draw it down with a screw or ten.  Whatever it takes!  Backwoods rough cut, rustic building style.  It's in style now, right? lol
Title: Re: Japanese thoughts
Post by: drobertson on December 16, 2017, 05:15:32 PM
yep, that's the way I figure it too,