i've been curious about the distinction Phleps makes between "left hand' and 'right hand' spirals, where a clockwise spiralling grain (looking up the tree) "should be rejected for building purposes" ??!!!1 how could this matter? more checking? twisting? white spruce with spiral grain does seem to check big. of the two big checked logs in our house (white pine) one is a strong left hand check, the other straight. any experience with this?
there are two crabapple braces (4X6) going up in the frame (tomorrow!!) and i'm a little concerned about them. my buddy (out of whose backyard the tree came) did some reflective carving on a waste chunk remaining and it checked pretty huge. mind you he had left it on his deck in the direct sun, but eventually the wood will get warm and dry out in any case. only the crabapples can really know what it's made of.
