Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn, and Rift Sawn

Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn, and Rift Sawn

Better furniture is usually either quarter sawn or rift sawn (or a mix of the two). Correspondingly, higher grade and more expensive hardwoods are typically quarter sawn or rift sawn. There is more waste from the log in doing it that say, but the quality of the boards produced is far better due to the alingment of the grain (the grain is tigher and the boards will be more dimentially stable).  

What is the difference between plain sawn, quarter sawn, and rift sawn lumber? 

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