I had typed out a long response to this, but I decided not to post it. Might be seen as an offense or even an attack which is not what I want to do.

Now what interests me the most is the idea of moon cycles. I have read some about the old traditions in Germany. Trees to be cut for carpentry are always cut in the winter, this works well because generally you can't build a house at this time of year, so it gives you a great opportunity to cut and hew a lot of timber. BUT, you don't just go and cut down a tree or two a day, and do that all winter. Instead, you go around and choose your trees carefully, and decide what traits you want a tree to have. Do you want it to resist bending? Do you want it to resist tension? do you want it to maintain its shape as it dries? and so forth. (Keep in mind that this is done with oak in mind, or in some cases pine or whatever other material is available locally. The Germans don't use varying species for different characteristics) You pick the trait you want, and on a specific day you cut down the tree and it will have those qualities. Even the hour of the day is believed to be of importance. In some cases you cut the tree at night. What determines the right day is the cycle of the moon. I believe one important day generally falls somewhere in the neighborhood of February 3 or so.

This is interesting. We are tempted to say this is all a bunch of superstitious hooey. But the Germans didn't give a superstitious explanation for it centuries ago, they said simply that the moon cycle had some effect on the way the tree grew and so on. Today we know that moon cycles do, for some odd reason, have some effect on plant life. (Purdue University, I believe, has done some study into this area, and found that it is so.) Back in the day we all used to plant and harvest according to the moon. Some people in recent times (in regards to gardening) have discovered that the moon does have an effect on the early stages of plant growth.

So maybe moon cycles have an effect on trees. It would be an interesting study (although one that would take many years to produce any kind of conclusive results) Me, I'd like to learn about it and apply it to some degree (maybe for my own house?) if for no other reason than just as a curiosity.

DL, superstitions are often rooted in some type of fact. When we try to tease facts from the superstition... that's where I think we often go astray. I would be interested to hear more about your findings about timing of felling.

Right now the taps are in the maples, the sap is flowing, it is full of sugar. The temperatures and day length have triggered an enzyme reaction within the trees, stored starch is being converted to sugar and I believe co2 is the "pump", being released from that reaction to initiate flow. The old ADP/ATP cycle that I'd have to read up on to discuss. Sugar, starch, and cellulose are just different combinations and builds of C,O,and H. Right now there is a tasty fluid coursing through the maples' fiber. Tasty to an ambrosia beetle, I pass one tree daily that they have so thoroughly riddled that it is wet and can be smelled a half mile before I get to it. But, a powderpost beetle is more interested in starch than sugar and I've certainly had them riddle maple as well. They can convert the starch to energy, so from that viewpoint I've decided that timing might not be so critical to me, it seems if there is food, someone evolved to eat it.

The minor variations in moisture content are free water, the easy moisture to remove. I can't see that really affecting drying time.

You mention timing of the harvest relating to strengths, now that is of interest. Do you know more?

Hello,

This is a voice I have missed as of late. Glad you regained access.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Relating to what you are talking about, I would hazard a guess that moon cycles could trigger certain chemical changes and biological responses within the tree, similar to the changes occurring within the maples. It would be interesting to see whether or not the sugar flow in maple tends to center around moon cycles. I would not be at all surprised if in the old day they tapped the trees when the moon was right...

The nutrient content of sap is at its lowest between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice, so to prevent bug attacks trees are harvested on the days immediately preceding the new moon during that period, but not on the new moon. Cutting during this time and leaving the branches on will supposedly allow the rest of the nutrients to leach out into the branches as the tree dies.

The old wisdom apparently says that there are other resins and chemicals that are usually present in the roots that will flux around through the rest of the tree during the winter season, perhaps as a way that the tree protects itself during this time? Or perhaps merely a by-product of environmental conditions.

We also know that the makeup of the air is different in the winter than in the summer. Perhaps this has some effect?

There appears to be significant differences in carbon and calcium content in the wood (possibly among others) that does indeed revolve around moon cycles.

the Swiss to the rescue, here is a quite detailed scientific study and explanation of how and why moon phases affect timber qualities (in English) published in Switzerland:

http://www.compasnet.org/afbeeldingen/Books/Moving%20worldviews/Z%C3%BCrcher.pdf

I get from the article and other sources 2 things:

Wood harvested during the waning cycle of the moon has a higher density than wood harvested during the waxing cycle.

Trees have some biological response to moon cycles, and chemical properties change according to them. This explains how specific timing of cutting can have permanent effects on wood properties.

I also gather this:
Cut wood during the waning cycle if you want to use it to make something, it will be stronger, denser, resonate better (for instruments) etc. depending on the day.
Cut wood during the waxing cycle if you want to burn it. Wood cut during this cycle seems to store more energy, and therefore burn hotter despite the reduced density.

I suspect that the reason for cutting wood in winter cycles may be merely to stave off insect and fungus attacks. It is entirely possible that the moon cycle trends are true year round. I say this, because tropical societies also harvest building materials according to moon cycles, yet have no winter. Tropical climates are divided into dry season and wet season, rather than summer and winter.

Perhaps there is some organization out there that could study this phenomenon in detail among American tree species, and across various seasons and lunar cycles? If true, it would certainly be something for us to take into consideration.

It is said that to this day in Austria, many foresters will stamp logs with the moon cycle and zodiac sign they were cut under. I also read that in centuries past, Violin and cello makers would supervise the cutting of trees to make sure they were cut under the right moon, because that would affect the resonance properties.

I wonder if it is really the moon which is setting this schedule? Could it be something else and the moon just happens to be in sync with its 28 day cycle? Perhaps it is the Sun?

That is interesting but do be careful how far you run with that though. One mechanical property was tested, compressive strength. It and density went up with moon phase and energy value fell during that same phase... this sounds like an extractive, it could be silica for that matter. This did not measure any other mechanical properties that would be more indicative of a change in the wood itself. A chemical analysis would be interesting to see what is causing the density increase. I'm not dismissing the report by any means.

We do brand products with whatever the market wishes to buy. I'm reminded of the standing dead claim by some suppliers. I ran into a logger who told me "yup between the time when the saw exits the cut and the tree hits the ground, it's standing and it's dead".

This can be circular and frustrating and I don't want to be perceived as having my heels locked. We are learning new, or old, things every day. By the same token it is easy to hear what one wants to hear and to see proofs where they may not exist, healthy skepticism is warranted, this is slower but tends to reveal the truths, which is in the end what we want to get to.

This is a link to book 2 of Vitruvius, a contemporary of Julius Caeser, roughly the time of Christ, scroll down to chapter 9;
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Vitruvius/2*.html

Don, I've enjoyed your postings as well. My wife's family is from NL, I've followed your posts with a bit of special interest.

the moon has 5 different months, none of them are 28 days.

The progression of lunar cycles is 29.53059 days. That is the time from one new moon to another.

the other 4 months are around 27.5 days, and have to do with the moons orbit around the earth.

moon cycles are caused by the fact that the moon wobbles in its orbit. the moon is literally closer to the earth during the full moon, and occupies more space in the sky.

Old time wisdom has to do with the moon's progression through certain constellations and across certain stars, and its phases during those times. I suspect that this has more to do with establishing a point of reference to measure from than thinking that the stars hold sway over the earth.

The moon wobbles in its orbit, and at the same time it rotates around the earth. The cycle of its wobble, it's orbit, and its day are more or less the same, which means that the same side of the moon is always facing the earth.

Thanks for the Vitrivius link! I've come across references to him many times, and have thought I ought to read his works. This is a very helpful resource for me!