Hoop Pine?

[schrammguitars]

Hoop Pine? Well, you guys in Australia are probably familiar with it. I live in California. Is this a common wood in Australia? Is it an inexpensive wood? I'm curious about it because of Greg's Smallman's use of it for his laminates. Is this a common wood that is used by Australians for laminated backs and sides?

[Allen]

Very common and inexpensive David. I don't know a lot about it, but you can find it at most of the hardware / lumber stores.

I'd liken it to Douglas Fir in it's working properties. At least the little bit I've used.

I've used it for laminated linings and think it's one of the best local woods for this. I'd like to try it for laminations on sides, so will be attempting that in the near future.

[woodrat]

Yes David, Its very available in Australia. Its not a true pine but an aracaria but it looks like a pine tree, especially to the early settlers to the Great South Land who would have given it its common name. I recently picked up a small piece about 2 x 1 and 3 feet long to experiment with. It was a nice dense piece and it was very resonant so I thought it would have a guitar application. I used it for linings and it is very good for that. It is nice and consistent in its colour and knot free over long lengths too. Supplies here are good as it is grown as a plantation tree in Queensland. Cole Clark use Bunya pine for soundboards which is another aracaria species closely related. Hoop could possibly be used sucessfully as a soundboard material although I am not inclined to try as I love spruce for that. Could be very good for laminated sides.

Cheers

John

[liam_fnq]

its very common. hoop pines line stacks of beaches all up the eastern seaboard. i've got a funny feeling that in ye olde times they used hoop pine trunks for the masts on the ships. There is probably a few blokes on here that can clarify that one. If they can remember back that far