Monkeypuzzle wood ????????

steersman · Post by **steersman** » Sat May 21, 2011 5:59 am

Hi guys
i have been researching wood.i can get a Monkeypuzzle tree that has been cut down " few years ago"
and is still lying where it fell.i know that Makala make ukes from it (agathis wood).
Has anyone built instruments with MONKEYPUZZLE wood please and have info about this wood?

Also i'm looking to make solid one piece necks without laminated fretboards. Can i use monkeypuzzle here?

Boughtme a new router for $199NZ on "trade me".its in the mail.Missing out so far on record 52nhalf vices ,hope to win one on sunday at a reasonable price. Still looking for a stanley 60nhalf block plane,all too dear.may just buy a new one.

Cheers Bob

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sat May 21, 2011 6:44 am

steersman wrote:Hi guys
i have been researching wood.i can get a Monkeypuzzle tree that has been cut down " few years ago"
and is still lying where it fell.i know that Makala make ukes from it (agathis wood).
Has anyone built instruments with MONKEYPUZZLE wood please and have info about this wood?
Also i'm looking to make solid one piece necks without laminated fretboards. Can i use monkeypuzzle here?

G'day Bob - Sorry that I can't tell you anything specifically about Monkey Puzzle, but I had thought that it was part of the Araucaria genus (Bunya, Hoop, Norfolk pines) rather than Agathis (Kauri). Either way, both bunya & kauri (& perhaps others?) get used for sound boards (haven't heard of anyone using them for necks).
Steve

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:24 am

Definitely not an agathis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_araucana

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:30 am

We have them around here. I never thought of using them for anything actually. Never saw the wood available either, now that I think about it.

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Sat May 21, 2011 6:16 pm

I guess it depends on what you can get out of the log (what diameter is the log?), I have never seen or used it as a wood but after a look around the net it looks great but those knots may be a problem the way the run right up the tree like they do. Makes for some fancy wood turning bits and seems varied in colour, I would love to see some photos once you mill it up.

Jim

steersman · Post by **steersman** » Sat May 21, 2011 6:43 pm

Thanks Steve,
i know about Bunya,i have a custom L/H Maton 425/12 with a bunya top and its THE BEST GUITAR i've ever had or heard.Thats why i'm interested in Monkeypuzzle.
It IS related to Kauri from my research which means its a SOFTWOOD?? Softwoods have fruits wiith many seeds?,Hardwoods have single or few seeds?
So for neck/frets i need hardwoods right?

Sorry Kiwigeo but my info puts you wrong, i've already done some research prior to my post. check out this below from here... http://www.agathis.info/guitars.php

What is Agathis?
Agathis is the name for a genus of giant tropical conifer trees found in rain forests in the tropical far east and the southwest Pacific. The genus is a member of the Araucariaceae, the plant family which includes the monkey-puzzles and Cook-pines as well as the recently discovered Wollemi Pine, a botanical “living fossil” from New South Wales in Australia. The Araucariaceae belongs to a group of plants known as the conifers, which also includes the pine family (pines, spruces, larches, firs, cedars), the podocarp family (podocarps, kahikatea, totara, etc.) and the cypress family (swamp-cypresses, giant sequoias, junipers & cypresses). The timber is immensely useful (see below) and is increasingly used, or so it would seem, for making guitars.

I have seen pics of timber online n looks much like Kauri..close grained.

Got my Router in Mail today He's a beauty ARGES model 1205.industrial quality. http://www.thetoolshed.co.nz
Won auction $40 antique wooden smoother "EMIR" brand still in box ,it IS Pretty.
I am Married to a DUTCHess n germanics call machines by the masculine.
It's funny when ya workm8 says "The Crane,HE is poked Boss!" I thinks of HQ Munros as SHE.
THINK i'll call All my wood tools BLOKES BUT.

Lillian, it is very nice looking wood and used alot for turning.The heart is nice n i think would make nice solid tops n backs for Tenor ukes which is specifically what i want to build.Have pics links in my favs when i figure how to post here.....Found a luthier last night who says to use the top third of the tree.

Jim, i havent seen the tree yet.Trying to find out a price to buy it?.
Knots is the very thing thats been worrying me,but it may turn out to be KNOT a worry,perhaps character?
Have seen some instruments with what appears to be knotty wood.But i will go back n look around the net again as i may KNOT have that right. Also found someone who has built guitars a;lready with this wood.will return l8r with links

What i need now is a BIG TWUCK.Think the farmer can lift Twee with his twactor.And i also need to find a Sawmiller to send the twuck to.

Thanks for your Help and Response guys .. i'll go have another LION RED
Cheers Bob

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun May 22, 2011 11:50 am

steersman wrote:
Sorry Kiwigeo but my info puts you wrong, i've already done some research prior to my post. check out this below from here... http://www.agathis.info/guitars.php

What is Agathis?
Agathis is the name for a genus of giant tropical conifer trees found in rain forests in the tropical far east and the southwest Pacific. The genus is a member of the Araucariaceae, the plant family which includes the monkey-puzzles and Cook-pines as well as the recently discovered Wollemi Pine, a botanical “living fossil” from New South Wales in Australia. The Araucariaceae belongs to a group of plants known as the conifers, which also includes the pine family (pines, spruces, larches, firs, cedars), the podocarp family (podocarps, kahikatea, totara, etc.) and the cypress family (swamp-cypresses, giant sequoias, junipers & cypresses). The timber is immensely useful (see below) and is increasingly used, or so it would seem, for making guitars.

Technically I'm not wrong.....The Monkey Puzzle is "closely related" to members of the genus Agathis but it's not the same genus. If you're going to talk about a specific genus then you should use the correct genus name instead of another genus belonging to the same family. When you start using colloquial terms like "agathis wood"....it starts getting confusing.

Sorry if I sound anal but I'm a scientist and in my job I spend half my time trying to convince people to stick to standards that others have spent alot of time and effort establishing.

Regards Martin

Puff · Post by **Puff** » Sun May 22, 2011 12:26 pm

I have to side with Martin here. I am related to hell knows how many other humans but closeness thins out from my immediate kin to those who go back 600 years to find a common ancestor. "Close" is a subjective relative term only.
Another hardwood/softwood broad brush is that hardwoods are deciduous while softwoods are evergreen. Broad brush and not 100%.
Your query on Monkey Puzzle was referred to R and D here and the memo back said it should properly be referred to S and S Dept with T and E as referee. That's the gnomes in Suck and See and the dwarfs in Trial and Error respectively.

Whatever it would work as a lecky drop top and you could use the knotty parts et al.

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Sun May 22, 2011 3:19 pm

steersman wrote: It IS related to Kauri from my research which means its a SOFTWOOD?? Softwoods have fruits wiith many seeds?,Hardwoods have single or few seeds?

The difference between hardwood and softwood is not a matter of the number of seeds but the way the seeds are formed or plant reproduction differences. Look up Gymnosperms and Angiosperms if you are interested. Alternatively the way woods workers differentiate between the two (in the absence of fruit or cones) is that hardwood is open grained, it has pores and softwood is closed grained, no pores.

Jim

Botanical names ROCK!!!

Puff · Post by **Puff** » Sun May 22, 2011 3:34 pm

So there ya go. Cats and dogs are hardwood, horses and peoples ain't.

So do Monkeys have pores or hands?

ckngumbo · Post by **ckngumbo** » Mon May 23, 2011 8:16 am

Puff wrote:So there ya go. Cats and dogs are hardwood, horses and peoples ain't.
So do Monkeys have pores or hands?

Well rather oor hands because of that thumb thing they have going on

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon May 23, 2011 9:25 am

ckngumbo wrote:
Puff wrote:So there ya go. Cats and dogs are hardwood, horses and peoples ain't.
So do Monkeys have pores or hands?
Well rather oor hands because of that thumb thing they have going on

The best test for a Monkey Puzzle is a monkey...if the monkey gets up the tree then its not a Monkey Puzzle. If he can get halfway up the tree then it's probably a close relative of the Monkey Puzzle.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon May 23, 2011 11:53 am

kiwigeo wrote:The best test for a Monkey Puzzle is a monkey...if the monkey gets up the tree then its not a Monkey Puzzle. If he can get halfway up the tree then it's probably a close relative of the Monkey Puzzle.

jeffhigh · Post by **jeffhigh** » Wed May 25, 2011 9:28 am

Just noticed that monkeypuzzle is CITIES appendix 1 listed as is brazillian Rosewood.
Therefore Monkeypuzzle must be a relative of brazillian rosewood.......

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Wed May 25, 2011 2:05 pm

MMmm now Im really puzzled

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Wed May 25, 2011 3:38 pm

Doh! Jeff. Maybe the relative that BRW never talks about.

Jim

steersman · Post by **steersman** » Wed May 25, 2011 8:39 pm

so nobody here really knows alot about using or has used mkp then!thanks guys.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Wed May 25, 2011 8:56 pm

steersman wrote:so nobody here really knows alot about using or has used mkp then!thanks guys.

Sorry but no. Am interested to see how you go with the stuff though.

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Monkeypuzzle wood ????????

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