[quote=Thomas Erickson;19642]The way I tend to think of it is that quartered wood is like what you get when you split firewood, whereas flat or slab-cut is what you get if you take a log and just saw it into boards. If that makes sense.
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Do you mean commercial 'grade cutting' when you say "just saw it into boards"?
I have some experience with sawn logs. There is more than one way to cut a log. Here is some results from
'flitch cutting' walnut logs. I have a maple log or two that was cut the same way.
In commercial flat sawn lumber they cut a couple slices (or more depending on the log) off of one side and then turn the log a quarter of they way and continue as they cut most of the first grade all around it. This is called FAS meaning First and Seconds. This yeilds
flatsawn lumber/boards. I have some experience watching some of my wood coming off the chain this way as well. I have probably bought more wood personally than most people in the wood business that is also hands on in the making process, not just the lumber buyer. This is in my KSB business but some of my wood has been used to make double basses as well, just not by me.