Plated brace growth ring orientation?

[Chuck Nickerson]

I've managed to recover the hardware from three busted plated (Ultimatum) braces. In selecting wood for the new brace bodies, I suspect I want rift-cut wood for additional strength.

Anyone have some experience or reasoning to offer?

TIA

[Luke Dupont]

I've managed to recover the hardware from three busted plated (Ultimatum) braces. In selecting wood for the new brace bodies, I suspect I want rift-cut wood for additional strength.

Anyone have some experience or reasoning to offer?

TIA

I actually suspect flat-sawn, which is used when building bows, for instance. You typically want the rings parallel to the plane of force being exerted on the wood.

The shape, and curvature of the swing is probably the most important thing determining strength though.

Take this with a grain of salt though, as I may not know what I'm talking about

[george wilson]

Actuallly,I 'd say the opposite: Use a flat sawn piece of wood plank to begin making your brace. A quarter sawn piece will break easier. We did make several wooden braces for some of the shops in the Toolmaker
s Shop. The Cooper's shop only still uses our braces. We made their bits,too,which were short spoon type bits for the dowels in the heads of the barrels,holding the planks together.