Old timer at the lumberyard changed my whole approach to grain matching last Tuesday

He just pointed at a cherry board I was about to buy and said 'that grain's gonna fight you in six months, son,' and sure enough the piece I picked instead laid flat as glass when I glued it up - has anyone else gotten advice from a random stranger that totally saved their bacon?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugomurray1mo ago

Man, I used to think grain matching was just about how it looked and not much else... figured if it fit the cut, it was fine. But last year a guy at the yard stopped me from buying this wild-figured maple, said it would twist on me. I didn't listen, glued it up, and three months later the damn thing looked like a potato chip. He was right, and now I take that old timer's advice to heart every time.

ivan_mason1mo ago

Double down on that advice by paying attention to how the grain runs along the edge of the board, not just the face. A straight grain on the face can hide a wild spiral on the edge that'll warp like crazy once it's cut. I've learned to run my hand along the edge before I buy, feel for any twist or waviness. Your maple story is a perfect example of why quarter-sawn or rift-sawn stock is worth the extra money for table tops, your mileage may vary but it's saved me a lot of heartache.