pen blank pet peave

[Russianwolf]

What is the difference between a quartersawn, riftsawn, or plainsawn pen blank?

Can anyone give me a reason that any of those are different once turned? I can't think of a single way they are.

To me there are two ways pen blanks are cut:

With the grain, and biased to the grain. (Other than burls of course)

ANYONE?!?!?!?!?

 

[bobskio2003]

Quarter-sawn is basically a cut into quarters and the grain runs 60 to 90 degrees to the face of the board. If rift-sawing it is almost like a radial cut from the center and the grain run 30 to 60 degrees to the face of the board. With plain sawn the lumber is cut in such a way to gain maximum good wood and the grain can vary greatly.
As far as what affect the different cuts have to pen turning, it isn't much because of the minimal amount of grain that actually shows. I think it is more important on flat pieces where the grain has greater affect on the total piece. The different cuts also have some affect on the amount of warping, plain -the greatest amount of possible warp, quarter-sawn - the least amount.
Hope that helps, Bob I.

 

[mick]

Mike here's a drawing of each cut, so you can see the difference. As far as there being a difference in appearance after turning I'm still trying to picture what each would look like, but I can't visualize much difference. As a matter of fact if you go by the diagram the pieces that are the closest to the center of the quartersawn log will have the same appearance as the riftsawn.

 

[leehljp]

IMO, there is no difference in a rounded pen blank between the three cuts listed. I have seen it written before but it comes across to me as 'bull' trying to impress the uninformed. IF the blank were finished in a squared state, the correct facing would show some of the grain benefits from special cuts. However, in round turns, there are no differences.

OH having written the above, I will give a caveat: if the cuts were taken from cross grain / end grain or bias cuts, the Plain, Rift and Quarter can make a difference in the "grain" pattern on a round pen, but it will not show the normal grain peculiarities of Rift/Quarter sawn. A rift cut end/cross and bias cut will be more consistent in the cross grain pattern. A quarter sawn will only show consistency from the exact center cut pieces. A plain sawn grain will be consistent from the very center board only.

 

[Dario]

I agree with Hank. I was actually writing a very similar response but he beat me to it.

The cuts matter for flat slabs, not for square (and more so for round) pieces.