In Arts & Crafts woodwork, the most highly-prized wood is usually “Quarter-Sawn.” In regular (non-quarter-sawn) wood milling, the log is run lengthwise past blades which cut the log into a number of parallel planks. When the cutting is done, the log could be reassembled like a sandwich—with the center planks being the largest and the outer planks being much smaller. In quarter-sawing, the whole, raw log is first “quartered” lengthwise and then sawn into planks. It is this time-consuming process which results in an especially beautiful “tiger grain” appearance. Quarter-sawing also produces more-stable boards which are less-likely to cup or buckle. Unfortunately, quarter-sawing reduces the log’s yield and the planks are always narrower than they would be with conventional milling.
Because the Arts & Crafts Movement often relied on the material itself to provide an object’s decoration, quarter-sawn oak—with its wonderful grain—remains a favorite amongst collectors and craftsmen. The box above, crafted of quarter-sawn oak, boasts the handsome, highly sought-after grain. It is embellished with wooden strapping and finished with brass mountings.
Please click on the photo to learn more about it.
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