Is this cross grain?

[JDW]

Hi

I've sanded my table down to bare wood to refinish with wax oil and I noticed these markings - are the thin lines running across the broken grain 'cross grain' and if so, how is it formed?

Thanks for any guidance

Jim

 

[Richard Berry]

Yes, another name for it is ray fleck and is a good indication that the boards are quarter sawn.

 

[custard]

"are the thin lines running across the broken grain 'cross grain'"

No, cross grain is something else entirely.

They're medullary rays, they're formed in some trees in order to take water and nutrients from the centre of the tree out towards the edges. You'll only see them in certain woods, and even there, as Richard said, it has to be quarter sawn.

 

[JDW]

Thanks Richard, I had a look around online at 'flecks' but could only find thicker, more irregular lines. Unfortunately, as you can see from these photos it's not all Quarter Sawn, mostly flat sawn. Do you think it's a oak mixed with pine? It all looks an oak colour now its bare but I know all oak is very expensive.

 

[peter-harrison]

Looks like it's all oak to me

 

[JDW]

Looks like it's all oak to me

Well that's good news Peter, it certainly feels like oak and it weighs a bit.

 

[Misterdog]

https://www.google.com/search?q=med...wRBUIHUIeBiUQ_h16BAgSEAE#imgrc=ojzyQ-7aA0G85M

 

[Droogs]

Only hardwoods have medullary rays (pine is a softwood), what you have looks like European oak. The rays are thin due to the angle the log went through the saw at. Cross grain is when you are looking directly along the length of the wood and looks like a bunch of straws bundled together (which is what is is)

 

[TRITON]

They look like checks to me