181–190 of 205 posts
How much timber can be made this way (including similar methods like coppicing)? Is it enough to contribute a noticeable amount to the modern timber industry? Or is it more of a "huh that's cool" conversation topic?
This is the same question with renewable energies.
The answer is that maybe, just maybe, the "modern X industry" is unsustainable and we should strive to be more frugal/efficient
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There was not much in the way of civilization there 150 years ago. There were indigenous, sure.
How is a self sufficient society with its own language not a civilization? Maybe you meant to say "We didn't leave much of that civilization"
There wasn't much left of their civilization 120 years ago (thanks to Europeans) and they didn't leave much behind that endured.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They probably mean 'stronger' in the sense of a beam, and stronger in the sense of stronger than the cedar that is not grown like that. This is probably due to the straight grain and lack of knots. That is not the property people need everywhere timber is used. Perhaps the finger board of a violin needs to be hard. The wooden bed of a scaffolding (and they are still wood in the uk) lorry needs to be tough and durable…
Fair point (although I'm fairly confident that a straight grain and a lack of knots is very desirable for wooden instruments, so if this is true for coppicing in general (so regardless using mutant cedars) that seems like an avenue worth exploring)
To get planks good enough to make a guitar out of the tree needs to at least twice the diameter of the plank, a plank sawn right through the middle of a tree will warp horribly and probably split down the centre. To get wide planks you need an old tree.
See 'quarter sawing' on your favourite online resource.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A German friend phrased it this way for Americans: We have beers older than your country. The depth of history and culture in Europe never ceased to amaze me while I was travelling there, especially in Greece and Italy. I grew up on the prairies in Canada, there was pretty much nothing there 120 years ago.
At the same time, USA has the oldest constitution, and east coast cities for all intents and purposes are 250 years old. If Europe's imperial capitals are essentially 19th century inventions, so are America's (Paris, NYC, Barcelona, Philadelphia, ... all ballooned to their dominant feel during the same decades). The biggest difference is that the brand that the USA is not old or has little heritage, has been along fo…
The local history can be traced straight to the stone age.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Trees don't move; it's perfectly possible to guard them from poachers.
" it's perfectly possible to guard them from poachers" This is completely overlooking the sheer size of the earth and the sheer numbers of people/tech devices it would take to guard them from poachers. We can guard some trees (and some animals) from poaching, but it really is beyond us to guard them all, even if they don't move.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Clearly there is, from the industrial revolution forward. France tried to completely recreate itself several times during this period. By way of example, we no longer call it the Frankish lands nor the monarchy. Aggregate governance structures have changed tens of times, whereas the US really hasn't changed dramatically in the post Native American and post Revolution periods.
The French national identity goes back to Charlemagne, not merely de Gaulle.
Related https://us.eia.org/blog/japan-a-major-market-for-high-risk-t... . It seems like this ancient practice can not fulfil Japan's timber demand.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
At the same time, USA has the oldest constitution, and east coast cities for all intents and purposes are 250 years old. If Europe's imperial capitals are essentially 19th century inventions, so are America's (Paris, NYC, Barcelona, Philadelphia, ... all ballooned to their dominant feel during the same decades). The biggest difference is that the brand that the USA is not old or has little heritage, has been along fo…
Only Americans think 250 years is old. My home town is closer to 600 years old, and the nearby castle started construction about 750 years ago. The local history can be traced straight to the stone age.
Clickbait title. Japanese do cut trees. This technique is just used in very minor situations.
Given I was asked for my location, popup permission and signup before I could even read the article, the title is the least of it's problems.
. o O ( A/B test, maybe? )