Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: DLH on April 15, 2015, 11:59:59 pm

Title: What causes snakey grain?
Post by: DLH on April 15, 2015, 11:59:59 pm

Does anyone know what cause snakey grain? I would guess genetics? Maybe growing conditions?

Title: Re: What causes snakey grain?
Post by: joachimM on April 16, 2015, 10:31:41 am

Pretty surely, the genetics is the least important part of it. Snakey grain is just a reflection of the shape of the log or branch, which is caused by light availability: all plants are phototropic: they grow towards the light. As light conditions change (because other trees/branches are also growing nearby and catching light), so does the direction of growth.
Nearly all wood can be grown to be pipe-straight, if you give them good light conditions and prune side branches immediately.

Another way of causing snakey grain is by just pulling a branch or sapling in a desired shape or direction and let it grow. Once you have additional lignification (one year later) the basic shape is determined. This way you can probably grown branch or sapling bows immediately in a RD design :-)

Title: Re: What causes snakey grain?
Post by: Zuma on April 16, 2015, 08:25:34 pm

I sure would like to see some snakey grain.
Joachim--- nice discription.
The only snakey grain I have seen was a cobra in a rice paddy.
Zuma