On 3/24/2010 2:18 PM, SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Ehh... you need to be careful for what purpose is the statement being
made.

Face and edge mean very specific things when you are considering
grain. Edge grain is very different than face grain in terms of
apperance and somewhat structurally when gluing. However, even that
has some ambiguity because you cut wood from round logs.

More importantly, most "boards" are cut from the "length" of round logs.

Tree cells are generally elongated and and that elongation is aligned to
carry water and nutrients along the length of the tree trunk (log) and
limbs.

"Long grain", running along the length of elongated cells structures,
and "end grain" running across the elongated cell structure, are much
better terminology for joinery/gluing purposes, IMO.

An edge to edge glue joint is super strong. A face to face glue joint
is super strong. An edge to face glue less strong. This last sentence
is conjecture on my part but it seems to bear out in my experience but
matbe because edges are usually narrow and faces usually wide so the
joint has available leverage to break it.

Not to quibble, but I would tend to disagree somewhat with that conjecture.

Long grain to long grain, whether it be on a "face" or "edge", should
have the same relative glued strength characteristics for the most part
and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, should also the same relative dimensional
stability for joinery/gluing purposes (although the way it was cut from
the log (i.e., flat, rift, QS, etc) will cause some differences in the
latter)

Why? ... mainly because both have same elongated axis of cell structure
exposed to the chemical reaction of gluing.

CAVEAT: Not a botanist, but took two semester of botany in college,
although 40+ years ago, that's how I remember it, and I'm sticking to
it.

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Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)