Timbers for instruments

[chappy]

Hi all,

This my first posting after being a lurker for some time attempting to gain some knowledge.

I need to fire some questions at the forum in particular the suitability of timber for things of a luthiery nature. A local is selling some timber in sizable chunks, namely english elm, osage orange?, yellow cedar. The yellow cedar is 50mm thick, 600mm wide by 4m long.
He also has red gum, but not too sure about using that as I have used it for firewood in the past. He also has some sizable chunks of blackwood as well that could be for sale.

Could anyone on the forum shed some light on the suitability of the timber for instruments and if it should all be quarter sawn?

If this is suitable I would also need to find someone to assist with the resizing of the big bits, with the trade off of timber for services.

I am in Gippsland but will travel.

Thanks,

Alan

[colburge]

Hi all,

This my first posting after being a lurker for some time attempting to gain some knowledge.

I need to fire some questions at the forum in particular the suitability of timber for things of a luthiery nature. A local is selling some timber in sizable chunks, namely english elm, osage orange?, yellow cedar. The yellow cedar is 50mm thick, 600mm wide by 4m long.
He also has red gum, but not too sure about using that as I have used it for firewood in the past. He also has some sizable chunks of blackwood as well that could be for sale.

Could anyone on the forum shed some light on the suitability of the timber for instruments and if it should all be quarter sawn?

If this is suitable I would also need to find someone to assist with the resizing of the big bits, with the trade off of timber for services.

I am in Gippsland but will travel.

Thanks,

Alan

Alan

You really need to get timber on the quarter or close to it for your soundboard, sides and back at least. There are some that don't use quartered for the neck but instead use flat sawn, but is not the norm.

I would doubt cedar in that size would be quartered as the tree would have to be 1.2m diameter, but Alaskan yellow cedar is used in soundboards, but not common.

Blackwood for back and sides, bridge, bindings, fretboard, head plates etc.

Osage Orange for back and sides maybe. Redwood for bindings and head plates maybe. Elm - no.

If it was me I would buy the lot if it's cheap, you might get something useful out of it for lutherie, and if not, make something else. If you want to come to Brisbane I'll cut it for you.


good luck

Col

[chappy]

Hi Col,

Thanks for the reply.

The timber I eventually bought was:

Satin Box - 40x60x700
Osage Orange - 50x75x1800
Ebony - 40x200x900. "Ebony" is his description, definitely not the black ebony
Blackwood - 80x180x900. Almost 1/4 sawn
American Mahogany - 40x60x1100. "Mahogany" his description again.
Also got a few offcuts of Blackwood as well
He had a nice piece of what he claims was Antarctic Beech that was a bit pricey.
He also had a large piece (maybe 25x400x600?) of African Zebrawood, looked nice grain wise and 1/4 sawn but the internet says it is not a greatly user friendly timber. Would make a nice back and side set, ukulele size if it was workable.
The bloke did a lot of wood turning and making bowls from burls, that sort of thing so a lot of the stuff he had was still in raw form, ie trunks. If I bought all of his stock I would need a semitrailer.
I might take up your offer of cutting as I will be coming to Brisbane in June next year for family stuff, going to Caboolture area, so I might keep your email address and contact you later near the time if that is ok

Cheers

Alan

[nnickusa]

Interesting comment about the zebrawood. I've read that it is much like Indian Rosewood to work and in its tonal characteristics....Do you have a link re: the difficulties with it? I bought a chunk and have two back and side sets from it, so am interested.

Cheers,
nick

[chappy]

I just googled up "zebra africa wood" and it came up with the description. Said there was some degree of tearout, here is the link.

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-ide ... zebrawood/

The piece I looked at was very course grained and would need a good pore filling. Interested in your thoughts as I think it would have an interesting outcome if it's difficulties can be overcome.

Cheers

Alan

[colburge]

Hi Col,

I will be coming to Brisbane in June next year for family stuff, going to Caboolture area, so I might keep your email address and contact you later near the time if that is ok

Cheers

Alan

Sounds like you got some nice wood there. PM me next year Alan, I actually live at Caboolture! Maybe not for long though, as I am in the process of selling up and moving so I can get a bigger shed, so I don't know where I will be next year.

Col

[colburge]

Interesting comment about the zebrawood. I've read that it is much like Indian Rosewood to work and in its tonal characteristics....Do you have a link re: the difficulties with it? I bought a chunk and have two back and side sets from it, so am interested.

Cheers,
nick

Allan (demonx) might have an idea as to it's workability as he just re-sawed some on his Laguna. I think he might be using it for veneer though, being an electric guy.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5662&start=25&hilit=laguna


Col

[maurie]

Hi Chappy

If the Zebrawood is well quartered I say go for it.
I am about to string up an 8 string cutaway baritone built from it and was pleasantly surprised by it's workability.
It bends well, sands well and glues well but does require heavy grain filling and glue is difficult to remove. I bent the sides at 0.085 on a pipe without any additional thinning for the cutaway and no problems. Bent as easy as rosewood.
While the data states it tears out, for back and sides use face planning is not necessary after thicknessing with a drum sander.
Information likens it to Indian Rosewood, though it doesn't tap as well, but workability is almost as good. It will be interesting to see how it sounds.
Go for it.

Cheers Maurice

[chappy]

Thanks Maurice,

I'll go back next week and retrieve it.

Thanks also Col,

I'll PM you closer to the time

Cheers

Alan

[demonx]

Allan (demonx) might have an idea as to it's workability as he just re-sawed some on his Laguna. I think he might be using it for veneer though, being an electric guy.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5662&start=25&hilit=laguna


Col

I just replied to the ops PM

Sorry I cannot offer any assistance in this matter, all I did was book match a single half a meter board and then put it in a pile of other tops. I'm yet to work with it and the laguna with the resaw king cuts everything I put to it like butter, so I cannot even offer advice on how it cuts

As to veneers, thinnest pieces I use are usually half inch thick for tops. I stay away from veneers. Screams china guitar to me. May as well just print a figured timber decal and stick that to the top, oh china already do that too! Half inch tops for me thank you

[demonx]

On the topic if cutting, you're welcome here (Ballarat) but I'm on the wrong side of melb for you, its prob a three to three and a half hour drive, closer than qld but I'm sure there's some melbournites here that are much closer.

Cheers

Allan