Grain direction for silhouette portrait cutting

[tford]

Hi Everyone

Compliments of the Season!!  I hope 2018 is your best year yet.

I hope I am not opening a can of worms by asking a question that may invoke a split of opinion.  However, I would like to know the "best" way to have the grain direction of plywood 9or any wood), when cutting silhouette portrait style cutting.  I cannot decide what will be best.

Thank you for the input.

Kind regards

Tyrone

Edited January 2, 2018 by tford
Updated a greeting

[lawson56]

Just me,I have found it Easier to gut across the grain,but no matter,sooner or later you will go with and against it,I now do all my cutting in 1/4 Luan,so it dosen't really matter that much fo me.

[JimErn]

I like the grain to go up an down for a portrait, even if the art is a landscape oriented

[Fab4]

Hi Tyrone:

To answer your question, you can always try a few small pieces of whatever wood you're using and see what works best for you
but I always found that going with the grain is much easier and looks better once done
Just like a lot of things we do, it becomes a personal choice as to what you are trying to achieve

Good Luck 
Fab4

[WayneMahler]

Hi Tyrone

Welcome to the Village

For me if it is a taller cut I like the grain going up and down If it it a wide cut I like the grain going sideways.

[fredfret]

I look at the grain and the pattern at the same time One above the other then turn the wood for different grain and go with the one that is most pleasing to my eye. There is really no Right or Wrong just what you like.

Fredfret

[Scrappile]

I agree with Fred.

[jbrowning]

I like making my grain corner to corner, just for something different. Just a personal preference I think.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

In woodworking the rule is the longer the project the grain runs with it. If it is wider than longer than the grain runs with it. That is the way I do many of my projects. Now if it is long as it is wide I take a long look at it and flip a coin but usually top to bottom. 

[Sparkey]

10 hours ago, WayneMahler said:

Hi Tyrone

Welcome to the Village

For me if it is a taller cut I like the grain going up and down If it it a wide cut I like the grain going sideways.

Yep this is also what I do.

[spirithorse]

I also use Wayne's description with the grain going in the longest direction of the stock EXCEPT
if I want a particular area of the grain to help simulate water or clouds or something like that.
In that case, I try to use the wood grain to best represent or enhance the cutting.

Thanks for an interesting question for the group to ponder.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[Lucky2]

Tyrone, I run the grain in either direction on portrait type cuttings. For me, it all depends on how the piece is to be framed. If the cutting is to be framed so that the long side of the frame is on the left or right hand side of the piece, then the grain usually runs up and down. If the cutting is to be framed so that the long side of the frame is going to be positioned on the top or bottom of the piece, then the grain usually runs from side to side. Now you should have noticed that I used the word usually in my explanation, the reason for that is that there is NO steadfast rules on how the grain has to run. It can depend on many things, one of which is the person doing the cutting. And the pattern itself could be a major factor in determining grain direction, some just don't fit within the norms.

Len

[Lucky2]

Oh yeah Tyrone, welcome to the Village.

Len

[tford]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for the input.  I think everyone kind of said the same thing, in their own words. It is simple yet not that obvious. I believe I understand it fully.  Thank you once again.

Kind regards

Tyrone

[wombatie]

I prefer the grain to be running up and down same if its Landscape.

Marg

[amazingkevin]

On 1/2/2018 at 5:04 AM, tford said:

Hi Everyone

Compliments of the Season!!  I hope 2018 is your best year yet.

I hope I am not opening a can of worms by asking a question that may invoke a split of opinion.  However, I would like to know the "best" way to have the grain direction of plywood 9or any wood), when cutting silhouette portrait style cutting.  I cannot decide what will be best.

Thank you for the input.

Kind regards

Tyrone

Its a matter of personal preference i think,What ever looks good to you!!!!

[tomsteve]

On 1/2/2018 at 5:04 AM, tford said:

, I would like to know the "best" way to have the grain direction of plywood 9or any wood), when cutting silhouette portrait style cutting.  I cannot decide what will be best.

Thank you for the input.

 

for me theres beena  few variables. first one being practice. theres been times after cutting ive thought i should have had the grain direction differently. theres times when im doing something like an eagle, i try and get the grain to flow with the feathers. 

basically i try and envision the work completed and how it would look. ill take the pattern and set it on the wood and  move it around.

sometimes i really complicate it and end up putting a pattern away for a bit.