George Vondriska

Set-Aside Crotch in Woodworking

George Vondriska
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Duration:   3  mins

Description

If you’re lucky enough to have a sawmill, you understand the excitement of slicing into a log to reveal the unique grain pattern hidden within each piece of wood. Cutting logs into slabs always unveils something special, with surprises around every turn. However, not all parts of a log are equally likely to showcase stunning grain patterns.

One section where you’re more likely to find striking grain patterns is crotch wood. Crotch wood forms where two main trunk sections, or a large limb and a trunk, meet to create a “Y” shape. This intersection is where two grain patterns converge, often resulting in a swirling effect within the crotch wood’s grain.

Crotch wood can be used in various ways to highlight its distinctive grain pattern:

Table top: A slab table is an excellent way to display a beautiful piece of crotch wood. This provides a large surface area to preserve the integrity of the wood while showcasing the unique grain pattern.

Turned bowl: Bowl turners often seek out crotch wood for their projects. A bowl made from crotch wood is special because it captures the grain pattern from the edge, rather than just a cross-section like you would see in a table top.

Decorative wall art: Some woodworkers use crotch wood to create art pieces that can be hung on the wall, similar to a painting. This is a wonderful way to honor a unique piece of crotch wood.

Whether you’re using a chainsaw mill, a bandsaw mill, or just a bandsaw in your shop, exploring the use of crotch wood in your woodworking projects is highly rewarding.

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