Plank grain direction

[Mike Barnett (DN 5507)]

A group of us are planning to build about 8 DN planks.  To save time, the plan was to laminate 8-10 pieces of +8' long, 1" thick, 6-8" wide boards together.  Boards would be glued together on their faces.  Then we would resaw the white ash to have our laminated plank sections.

The difference is that the grain is going to be loaded tangential to the grain, which is opposite how we have seen all planks, as the typical board has the grain running parallel with the width of the board.  Essentially the grain will be similar to what you would have if the original boards were quarter-sawn and edge glued.

Are there any reasons we should not have the grain running in the vertical orientation?

I attached a small sketch.

Thanks for in advanced for the advice,
Mike
DN 5507

[Geoff Sobering]

I don't think it matters. In both the flat-sawn and quarter-sawn cases the stress/strain is running parallel to the grain.

FWIW, I built a plank with quarter-sawn grain in 2004 and abused sailed it until Jan. 2011 when is was destroyed in a crash.

Cheers,

Geoff S.

[Bob Rast DN1313]

Lou loenneke,Bob Cave and I have been using the same method ,gluing
Plain sawn boards laminated into a block like you are suggesting for years and it produces a good
Durable plank.The result is morelikequarter sawn lumber.
We also have used plan sawn with equal success.
We always try to find air dried lumber which would be the best but  harder to find.
For core material we have used Sitka ,ash,or cedar doesn't seem to matter although the
Ash probably produced a little stiffer plank.
I think the Pewaukee team recently made some planks with
2 laminates instead of 3 using using birch? Or maple?
It's rather top secret but next time I'm at marks I'll try to get a core sample when he's not looking.
Bob Rast
DN 1313
http://dncompositemasts.com/index.html