Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => The Environment => Topic started by: Sam Brown on 08/10/2018 14:11:09

Title: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: Sam Brown on 08/10/2018 14:11:09

Cindy has asked:

"Where I live in Latin America, wood-cutters will cut down trees only on a full moon. In fact they have a special calendar produced for the year that give them the correct dates. Full moon is also when a lot of planting and harvesting takes place.

Is there any scientific basis for this?"

What do you think?

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: Bored chemist on 08/10/2018 19:15:45

Quote from: Sam Brown on 08/10/2018 14:11:09

Is there any scientific basis for this?"

No.

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: evan_au on 09/10/2018 10:18:03

Quote from: Sam Brown

wood-cutters will cut down trees only on a full moon... Is there any scientific basis for this?

If they are a bit late getting home with their big pile of wood, they can still see where they are going, by the light of the full moon?

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: Colin2B on 10/10/2018 09:04:23

The people who believe in moon based agriculture speculate that just as the moon affects tides it also affects the drawing up of sap into plants, so dictating the best times to cut, plant etc. Tests have failed to show a real difference.
If you wanted to cut wood at the best time you would choose reduced sap and that is more complicated than just full moon, but would also apply to new moon. I’d go with @evan_au suggestion, if you are working late you can see better.

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: evan_au on 10/10/2018 09:59:40

It might also be a sustainability thing - you are limited to how much wood you can extract on 1 day in 28 days...

...or maybe just a laziness thing? I can't get you any wood today - it's not a full moon...

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: randomcrumb on 29/01/2020 18:50:07

Sorry, rekindling an old post here but I think it's worth it to counter the previous responses.

Enter the following into researchgate dot com search engine and check out the study.

Lunar_Rhythms_In_Forestry_Traditions_-_Lunar-Correlated_Phenomena_In_Tree_Biology_And_Wood_Properties

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: Petrochemicals on 30/01/2020 17:24:19

So the tree spirits are appeased or protected against. Sycamore is a dangerous tree to cut anytime.

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: toml on 18/02/2020 19:23:45

It is obviously to hide the fact they are actually werewolfs

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: ninaholm on 26/02/2020 12:21:35

Some furniture builders insist on cutting wood during the growing moon to ensure that the moisture content is high since the sap is being drawn up into the trunk of the tree, which makes wood easier to steam and bend.

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: Bored chemist on 26/02/2020 13:44:44

Quote from: ninaholm on 26/02/2020 12:21:35

since the sap is being drawn up into the trunk of the tree

What is drawing the sap up?

Title: Re: Why cut wood on a full moon?
Post by: costarican on 01/03/2020 20:26:03

Quote from: toml on 18/02/2020 19:23:45

It is obviously to hide the fact they are actually werewolfs

Hahahah, indeed