Ukulele bridge, quarter or rift, etc?

[Dekka]

Hi. About to make a uke bridge but unsure of best grain orientation.
Thought I'd ask what most of you folks do?

Cheers, Derek

[DarwinStrings]

I don't know what most do Derek but if you have quarter sawn then use it, dimensional stability is your friend.

[Dekka]

Hi Jim

Researching on the net has some suggesting that the perpendicular growth rings of quartersawn can create a splitting point in front of the saddle and argue for rift sawn.
(I'm tempted to use burl and avoid the restless nights of torment and worry. Lol!)

[kiwigeo]

Hi Jim

Researching on the net has some suggesting that the perpendicular growth rings of quartersawn can create a splitting point in front of the saddle and argue for rift sawn.
(I'm tempted to use burl and avoid the restless nights of torment and worry. Lol!)

The only negative I can see is the higher risk of the front of the bridge splitting away but this can be minimized by making sure theres enough meat between front of saddle slot and bridge and also at the sides. Don't do what I saw on a high end big name instrument where they'd chopped out the front of the bridge in between the strings.....looked pretty but was a bridge split waiting to happen.

[DarwinStrings]

Hi Jim

Researching on the net has some suggesting that the perpendicular growth rings of quartersawn can create a splitting point in front of the saddle and argue for rift sawn.
(I'm tempted to use burl and avoid the restless nights of torment and worry. Lol!)

Nothing is perfect some woods split on the radial just as easily, depending on the wood the cupping can work at a glue joint, you can use either or but I always use quarter sawn for bridges. If you are worried then compromise and go for skew sawn.

[Max Taylor]

Hi Jim

Researching on the net has some suggesting that the perpendicular growth rings of quartersawn can create a splitting point in front of the saddle and argue for rift sawn.
(I'm tempted to use burl and avoid the restless nights of torment and worry. Lol!)

Nothing is perfect some woods split on the radial just as easily, depending on the wood the cupping can work at a glue joint, you can use either or but I always use quarter sawn for bridges. If you are worried then compromise and go for skew sawn.

Is that always with the grain perpendicular to the strings (across the bridge)?

–Max

[Dekka]

Is that always with the grain perpendicular to the strings (across the bridge)?

Perpendicular to the soundboard.