quarter vs flatsawn boxwood

[davec]

I'm using up the last of my Castillo boxwood supply on my current model, and looking to buy enough for my next project, which will likely be a fully framed Swan or Echo class ship in 1/48.  I've been in touch with Gilmer Wood, who as usual, are being tremendously helpful.  I mill my own wood, and have been happy with with what I have purchased from them in the past.  The pictures they sent me of the billets look great.  They also sent a description "perfectly flatsawn (quartersawn on the edge)."  This isn't something I have considered before.  Is flatsawn the best choice for milling scale lumber, or should I be requesting quartersawn?  By the time I get the wood down to scale lumber sizes, does it even matter?  The wood has been milled to 2x4" stock in 33" lengths.

 

thoughts?

 

thanks!

 

Dave

[Jaager]

5 hours ago, davec said:

"perfectly
flatsawn (quartersawn on the edge)."  This isn't something I haven't considered before.  Is flatsawn the best choice for milling scale lumber, or should I be requesting quartersawn

Dave,

I think the major alternatives are quarter sawn and plane sawn, yes?

The way I read the Gilmer quote:  their stock is quarter sawn, and the wide face is inside a growth ring.  The theoretical and perfect effect would be no grain showing and all one color.  More or less perfect for scale effect.  The narrow face would be busy with grain and it would be parallel lines. 

 

My stock (primarily Hard Maple and Black Cherry) from Yukon Lumber (they are not familiar with Castello) is plane sawn.  The wide face is along the growth rings. With that face on the saw table, what the sawn slices show is across the growth rings.  The stock for frame timbers has grain effect on the surface that is between each frame.  The edge that shows could, in theory, show no grain,  if the frame was a box and not curved.  It is actually catch as catch can,  because the lumber stock is a slice along the length of a cylinder with concentric rings.  With Hard Maple,  what shows on a cut across the  rings face can be plain, flame, tiger, fleck, depending on ring angle and all from the same board. The edge on a single timber can look as though it was two mildly different colored pieces with a curved diagonal scarph.   Were I to choose to be OCD about this part, I figure it would throw me into a fugue state.  I just live with it.

 

With flatsawn,  the face that you choose to lay on the saw table will have a significant and possibly more predictable and uniform effect on what your ultimate display face will look like. 

 

 

 

[davec]

Jaager-

 

Many thanks!  I  misinterpreted what they said when I first read it, and agree with your interpretation.  Thanks for clarifying.  I hadn't given a lot of thought to which direction I milled my wood in, and your comments have really helped me think about which direction I mill in terms of grain pattern on the sides of the wood that will be visible on the model, as well as how it will work for planing and chiseling.

 

Many thanks!

 

Dave

[Jim T]

On 5/28/2020 at 5:58 AM, davec said:

I'm using up the last of my Castillo boxwood supply on my current model, and looking to buy enough for my next project, which will likely be a fully framed Swan or Echo class ship in 1/48.  I've been in touch with Gilmer Wood, who as usual, are being tremendously helpful.  I mill my own wood, and have been happy with with what I have purchased from them in the past.  The pictures they sent me of the billets look great.  They also sent a description "perfectly flatsawn (quartersawn on the edge)."  This isn't something I have considered before.  Is flatsawn the best choice for milling scale lumber, or should I be requesting quartersawn?  By the time I get the wood down to scale lumber sizes, does it even matter?  The wood has been milled to 2x4" stock in 33" lengths.

 

thoughts?

 

thanks!

 

Dave

Castello's website shows numerous listings for boxwood. Which one are you looking at?

 

It's good to know about them. I have a well equipped wood shop, so could mill my own lumber, as you do. Plus, they're located only 60 mi. from me.

 

Jim

[davec]

Hi Jim -

 

The boards aren't on the website.  I emailed them with what I was looking for.  They seem to have other wood in stock that they don't post, and what they post is aimed at a lot of different interests (wood turners, instrument makers. . .).  A lot of other woodworkers want the opposite of what we do - prominent grain in interesting patterns. I emailed them looking for  tight grain and nice color, as well as a similar piece of swiss pear.  If they don't have anything in stock that is right, they have been great about emailing when something comes in.  I've ordered from them twice before, and been really happy with their service and quality.

 

It would be great to be driving distance from them.  When I lived near Boston, I used to drive up to Yankee Lumber on the north shore.  It was fun to see all the different kinds of wood, and be able to pick out what I was going to buy in person.  It wasn't very economic - whatever I saved in shipping got used up in lunch at Woodman's fried clams, which was nearby.   Now that I moved south, I don't have any place like that in driving distance, and have to be satisfied with seeing the look on the UPS driver's face as he carries shrink wrapped 2x4's up the steps.

 

Dave 

 

 

[mtaylor]

I'm just curious, is there anyplace left that will sell boxwood in a size less than a huge billet?  Even a 2X4 is too large for me to mill.  I'm not looking for a large quantity just a few sheets for my stock.