First, some business, I have a new Turning class up on the website Sept 21-22 and space has opened in my August 25th Rocking chair class, enrollment now is open for these classes so feel free to sign up, by emailing info@petergalbert.com.
This is really helpful. I’m going to rewatch this until it’s braingraved. One question- what do you do when you are seeking a certain dimension? Like square, but the tree didn’t grow that way?
I'm glad you asked. The way to think about this is that the relationship to the ray plane doesn't have to be perfect to see signs that you are shaving it correctly. On a square piece of wood that is shaved, one side may be perfectly in the ray plane and the entire ray may be visible, but on the opposite face, only portions of the ray plane will be visible because both sides can't be perfectly in the ray planes (because they aren't parallel to each other). As long as the visible portions of the rays are rectangular and running straight down the part, you are doing well. If they look angled, curved or appear very thin side to side, then you have twisted the plane or cut across the fibers. I hope this helps.
This is great. I watched this several times in a row. Just to make sure I’m getting this right, the spine of the notebook is not the pith, but the log is oriented along the top to bottom of the video screen. Is that correct? Also, do the medullary rays always tend to start at the pith and end at the sap wood or do they start and stop like the playing cards? Thanks!
Thanks Pete. What a clarifying and creative visual presentation that makes this previously elusive topic much less of a mystery for me. I am going to watch it several more times so I have it locked into my octogenarian woodworker’s brain. Wonderful demonstration and very helpful.
Terrific explanation. Great explanation and easy to see in the oaks. Cherry and maple not so easily seen. Any suggestions for the non-oak species used in chair making?
I've been working on some Buchanan Democratic chairs with some friends. First part I've shaved is a crest rail, which needs to be bent; for two chairs I made five, after breaking a couple bending (one is a safety). Curtis starts shaving in the radial plane, but I found it much harder to tell what's going on in a skinny part. Much easier was shaving to one surface of the tangential plane. In the ray plane I've lightly dragged the knife to see if it catches like a fingernail on a "page" but absent much visual feedback I wasn't sure if that was meaningful. I know (and can see) it works in the tangential plane. Anyway will try and be more aware now of the ray patterns going forward. Probably you showed this in the Jenny chair class, but some things stick and some things don't! The notebook is a tangible way to understand it, thanks.
Okay: Watched three times and now I am just starting to get it. I am not the brightest bunny in the park. Thanks for making the "note book / playing card demonstration." I guess your friends will have to bring the deck on poker night.
This is really helpful. I’m going to rewatch this until it’s braingraved. One question- what do you do when you are seeking a certain dimension? Like square, but the tree didn’t grow that way?
Kay,
I'm glad you asked. The way to think about this is that the relationship to the ray plane doesn't have to be perfect to see signs that you are shaving it correctly. On a square piece of wood that is shaved, one side may be perfectly in the ray plane and the entire ray may be visible, but on the opposite face, only portions of the ray plane will be visible because both sides can't be perfectly in the ray planes (because they aren't parallel to each other). As long as the visible portions of the rays are rectangular and running straight down the part, you are doing well. If they look angled, curved or appear very thin side to side, then you have twisted the plane or cut across the fibers. I hope this helps.
This is great. I watched this several times in a row. Just to make sure I’m getting this right, the spine of the notebook is not the pith, but the log is oriented along the top to bottom of the video screen. Is that correct? Also, do the medullary rays always tend to start at the pith and end at the sap wood or do they start and stop like the playing cards? Thanks!
Correct, the spine is the end grain
Thanks!
Thanks Pete. What a clarifying and creative visual presentation that makes this previously elusive topic much less of a mystery for me. I am going to watch it several more times so I have it locked into my octogenarian woodworker’s brain. Wonderful demonstration and very helpful.
Cheers.
Terrific explanation. Great explanation and easy to see in the oaks. Cherry and maple not so easily seen. Any suggestions for the non-oak species used in chair making?
For those species you can go by the exposed end grain on the surface that a draw knife finds, not easy but possible
I've been working on some Buchanan Democratic chairs with some friends. First part I've shaved is a crest rail, which needs to be bent; for two chairs I made five, after breaking a couple bending (one is a safety). Curtis starts shaving in the radial plane, but I found it much harder to tell what's going on in a skinny part. Much easier was shaving to one surface of the tangential plane. In the ray plane I've lightly dragged the knife to see if it catches like a fingernail on a "page" but absent much visual feedback I wasn't sure if that was meaningful. I know (and can see) it works in the tangential plane. Anyway will try and be more aware now of the ray patterns going forward. Probably you showed this in the Jenny chair class, but some things stick and some things don't! The notebook is a tangible way to understand it, thanks.
Okay: Watched three times and now I am just starting to get it. I am not the brightest bunny in the park. Thanks for making the "note book / playing card demonstration." I guess your friends will have to bring the deck on poker night.