Grain orientation

[Joe Chritz]

391188I need to make one of these for a replacement. I know why this break happened but is this something I can get from one board? Should I try for 45 degree grain and go for some kind of bridle joint or something? I would rather avoid any visible joints but if there isn't another way that I am missing I will use them.

Thanks in advance.

Joe

[Paul F Franklin]

There's no way to make that out of one piece without having short grain somewhere. Is the stress that broke it mostly on the section that broke? If so, making that part long grain might be enough. You could do plywood if the application allows. Or laminate it out of three thicknesses with alternating grain. Or just make it out of three pieces so you have mostly long grain everywhere.

[Jamie Buxton]

Plywood is your friend. If you build that hook with a single board of solid lumber, you're going to have short grain crossing the hook someplace, and it will likely break. Plywood, with its crossed plies, will not break. You can use standard plywood, or you can use baltic birch, whose edge is better looking.

[Bill Dufour]

I think you will have to do like the old time ship wrights and have trees specially grown for that. Make sure the root flare angles are correct for you job. Looks small enough you could probably do bonsai on a branch and bend it to the rough shape needed in less then a decade.
Bill D.

[Cary Falk]

I would do a bent laminated glueup. Done right it would be hard to see the glue lines

[Wayne Lomman]

If you must have an identical look, cut a new one, saw it in half bookleaf style, hollow it out and lay a 1/4 " rod across the short grain. Glue the two halves back together an the job is done. Cheers

[Jim Becker]

One thing I would consider for these parts, given their nature, is to laminate multiple layers of "thick veneer" of the species you need with alternating grain direction. This would provide a lot of the benefit that commercial plywood brings relative to strength while preserving most of the look. (yes, there will be end-grain on the edges, but...) Wood movement shouldn't be a major issue for things of this small size. Laminate with cauls and/or vacuum pressing if available, cut out the parts, ease the edges and finish.

[Pat Barry]

They say wood glue such as Titebond is stronger than the wood itself, so, why not just glue it up?

[Bill Adamsen]

Laminate or plywood.

[Joe Chritz]

I got it squared away. It also took me a day or so to get my password reset and get past the super slow typing bug.

Ended up cutting a slot and insetting a piece opposite to piece it back together. I wouldn't build it like that from scratch but this works for what it is.

Thanks all

Joe