Winding Sticks

[thiggy]

These are very useful to determine twist or warp in lumber. But how is it pronounced. Is it wind like "wind in your sails", or wind like winding a clock? I've never known.

[atgcpaul]

I don't know the answer for sure but it seems to me that winding sticks are used to determine twist in wood that has been "wound up" from the root "wind up".

[cwsmith]

I've always pronounced it "winding" as in winding a clock... no idea if that is correct, but it sounds logical to me. (But then again I've been known for some pretty weird logic at times. )

CWS

[cork58]

As a tree grows and is subject to wind it winds up tension, when cut it is released like a spring, therefore wind up a spring. Takes winding sticks to get it flat.

[thiggy]

OK, folks. I'll go with winding a clock. Thanks for the clarification.

[Carpenter96]

Winding a clock for sure.

Regards Bob

[woodturner]

Is it wind like "wind in your sails

The traditional pronunciation is like "wind in your sails", based on Moxon among others. Really, though, however you want to pronounce it is fine. I have heard a lot of non-handtool woodworkers pronounce it like "clock winding".

Joseph Moxon's book "Mechanick Exercises, Or, The Doctrine of Handy-works. Applied to the Arts of Smithing, Joinery, Carpentry, Turning, Bricklayery. To which is Added, Mechanick Dyalling: Shewing how to Draw a True Sun-dyal on Any Given Plane, However Scituated; Only with the Help of a Straight Ruler and a Pair of Compasses, and Without Any Arithmetical Calculation" is available for free on Google play, if you want to read about winding sticks.

Still looking for a reference for the historical background and how the term came into usage. I vaguely recall that the origin of the term made the "wind in your sales" pronunciation fairly obvious, but have forgotten the details. I'll update this message when I find a reference.

[jussi]

I always thought it was wind a clock. Since wind is a synonym for twist and you would use them to get the twist out of the board.

[LCHIEN]

http://forums.finewoodworking.com/node/73663

several posters not only say Winding sticks *like winding a watch) but also say they've seen dictionary references that say its so.

Thanks Ohcomeon. I remember reading about them on Shopsmith.com now that you jogged my memory. It is also in my very large unabridged dictionary and is pronounced like winding a watch.

[LCHIEN]

Lee Valley will sell you some for $30!

Seems like the home-made kind would work as well for a lot less.

I need a portable set with clamps to take down to Loews or HD to buy a reasonably flat 1x4!

[jwd12]

It is a small mind that can only pronounce (or spell) a word one way.