As Judith Selwyn said it sounds like finger jointed stock which makes use of short pieces of knot-free wood rather requiring a much more expensive knot-free piece at full length. I don't think this is a good solution for a piece outdoors (much better for interior trim with lots of opaque paint on it).
 
Reminds me of an electric guitar I bought some 25 years ago, a "pre-CBS" Fender Stratocaster (meaning made back in the early 60's before CBS bought the company), that had been stripped and refinished in clear varnish or more likely polyurethane.  I was told that it had obviously been meant to be a solid color, not even "sunburst" where the grain only shows in a fairly small area, fading from opaque black at the edges,  through red and orange to a tranparent light yellow in the middle (I think the sunburst is the most valuable finish for these guitars), because the grain colors and patterns didn't match well. I still haven't gotten around to rectifying the situation but since I only pull it out of its case about once a year and it doesn't make a difference in how it sounds I don't think it will get a paint job soon.
 
Bruce (finger joints lock up and hurt at my age anyway)
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: The listserv which takes flossing seriously! [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Met History
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 2:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [BP] built-up wood trim question...



 
A homeowner at 114 East 101st Street, an 1882 rowhouse, has embarked on a "restoration" campaign of some innocence - this is a modest, working class block, completely ferae naturae as pertains to preservation.   Among other improvements, the owner has stripped the wooden door surround of globs of paint, and polyurethaned it.  
 
The door surround is of modest profile, and must be of the 1960's-1970's.  The stripping has revealed that the trim was made up of entirely separate parts - there are irregular joints in the wood every 12-36 inches or so.   It appears the owner is completely unaware of anything beyond the fact that he or she has exposed "the natural wood" - even though the wood was meant to be painted.
 
The joints I interpret to indicate that the stock was "cheap", and this was an economy move.
 
1.    Am I right?
2.    Why would stock be made up like this?  Like, how is it saving money?
3.    Is there a term for this?
 
Christopher Gray