Aussie woods

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geoffrod
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Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:44 pm

Hi All,
Im newly registered here but have visited from time to time in the past.
i am looking to embark on a guitar building experience (acoustic) in december at the guitar making school, which i cant wait to get started at.
My father inlaw was a very good wood turner, but now is house bound and can no longer turn. as with many woodturners he has a lot of wood he has collected over the years, and the time has come to get rid of it, but i am a little apprehensive to get rid of it all as i might just like this guitar making caper, and might then be able to put some of his good wood selection to use. So i was hoping that some smart people on here maybe able to give me an idea as to what wood would be suitable for guitar making, acoustic and electric. I know there is a fair amount of camphor laurel slabs, and quite a bit of Jacaranda in slabs as well. Tasmanian hairy oak, there is some light coloured cedar, rose wood, gidgee, red cedar, that is all the mother inlaw could pick out herself, so, if any of that lot is any good, what sizes would i need to be looking for?

i really appreciate any help you can give

regards
Geoff

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:17 pm

Sorry, it is obvious to me now i have put this in the wrong thread section :oops:

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kiwigeo
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by kiwigeo » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:19 pm

We'll let you off this time Geoff but it'll cost you a case of Steinlager for me and a case each of that horrible black sh*t from Ireland for Bob and Kim :mrgreen:
Martin

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:27 pm

haha ok thanks martin
what is it with that black stuff, its like drinking a meal :gui :dru :toi

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kiwigeo
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by kiwigeo » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:51 pm

geoffrod wrote:haha ok thanks martin
what is it with that black stuff, its like drinking a meal :gui :dru :toi
It certainly comes out the other end looking like a meal :wink:
Martin

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Nick
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by Nick » Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:45 am

Pffff, heathens, :roll: Nothing wrong with a pint of the black stuff, or two or three :gui :gui :gui
Welcome to the forum Geoff. :D
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geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:42 am

thanks nick,
so should i put my question about the wood types i mentioned???

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Re: Aussie woods

Post by jeffhigh » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:59 am

Gidgee may be good if it's in fretboard sizes.
I have used red cedar in classical necks, but you want it from the denser, harder end of the range.

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Re: Aussie woods

Post by GregL » Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:32 am

Hi Geoff,

I'm no expert, but here's what I would say:

turning blank sizes - not usually big enough for top/back/sides/neck, maybe big enough for other bits

Your wood:
camphor - not so good for acoustic, maybe OK for electric guitar body
Jacaranda - not sure (species?)
hairy oak - not sure (species? I think it's an allocasuarina like sheoak?)
cedar - Aust red cedar? maybe back and sides or neck, if harder type
rose wood - NSW rosewood - dysoxylum? maybe back and sides
gidgee - fingerboard, bridge, headstock veneer

Guitar wood sizes (approx):
top - spruce - 220mm x 550mm x 5mm x 2 joined for complete top
back - anything - 220mm x 550mm x 5mm x 2 joined for complete back
sides - anything - 130mm x 850mm x 5mm x 2
neck - qld maple - 25mm x 80mm x 920mm
fingerboard - hardwood (eg gidgee) - 60mm x 510mm x 8mm
headstock veneer - anything - 100mm x 200mm x 3mm
rosette - anything
braces - spruce
bridge - hardwood - 200mm x 15mm x 55mm
linings - anything - 6mm x 15mm x 400mm x 4
neck block - hardwood - 100mm x 75mm x 25mm
tailblock - hardwood - 125mm x 100mm x 20mm
bridge plate - hardwood - 100mm x 200mm x 5mm
(wood type suitability only very rough guide)

Thanks,
GregL.

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Nick
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by Nick » Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:50 am

geoffrod wrote:thanks nick,
so should i put my question about the wood types i mentioned???
I'm on the other side of the ditch Geoff, in Un Zud so Aussie Timbers aren't my strong point, just wanted to welcome you to the forum but from what I've seen knocked out by you Ockers on the forum, it would seem 98% of Aussie Timbers can be used somewhere on a guitar!
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geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:28 pm

Hi all,
Just going thru some of the father inlaws wood, have come across some red mahogany posts
Some black heart sassafras slab, and some other stuff, any of this any good?
I will try uploading some pics later

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Nick
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by Nick » Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:27 pm

geoffrod wrote:Hi all,
Just going thru some of the father inlaws wood, have come across some red mahogany posts
Some black heart sassafras slab, and some other stuff, any of this any good?
I will try uploading some pics later
Posts, if they are cut ok & don't show much sign of cracks (I imagine as your outlaw was a wood turner it would be nice stable stuff), could make some good neck material & the Black Heart (again depending on how it's cut) makes for good back & sides, depending on the size of the slab either for Guitar or Ukes. Not too sure about "other stuff" though Geoff, maybe cut into veneers & turned into other stuff rosettes? :lol: Pics will improve your choices :D
"Jesus Loves You."
Nice to hear in church but not in a Mexican prison.

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Fri Sep 21, 2012 3:25 pm

Thanks nick,
When I get home I will post some pics, can't seem to do it from my iPhone at moment.
Cheers
Geoff

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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:36 pm

ok here are some pics
there is-
hairy oak
mexican pine
osage orange
silky oak
red mahogany
blackheart sassafras
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J.F. Custom
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by J.F. Custom » Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:44 pm

Hi Geoff.

Most timber can find a use somewhere... Even as inlay or veneers.

Electric guitars are a lot less constrained than acoustic timber choices. Most of your mentioned species could be used with care, but that is going by species rather than by "piece in hand" which is what you would need to assess.

As mentioned already, Gidgee is a great fretboard material for any instrument. Camphor has been used for solid bodies as well as acoustic back and side material - you have the smell to consider there though. If the "light coloured cedar" is Western Red Cedar, than the right piece could be used for soundboards. Hairy oak is quite decorative and could certainly be used for electric body caps. Blackheart sass is used by many for solid and acoustic instruments - I think you get the idea.

Nice score and good luck with your building.

Jeremy.

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:52 pm

J.F. Custom wrote:Hi Geoff.

Most timber can find a use somewhere... Even as inlay or veneers.

Electric guitars are a lot less constrained than acoustic timber choices. Most of your mentioned species could be used with care, but that is going by species rather than by "piece in hand" which is what you would need to assess.

As mentioned already, Gidgee is a great fretboard material for any instrument. Camphor has been used for solid bodies as well as acoustic back and side material - you have the smell to consider there though. If the "light coloured cedar" is Western Red Cedar, than the right piece could be used for soundboards. Hairy oak is quite decorative and could certainly be used for electric body caps. Blackheart sass is used by many for solid and acoustic instruments - I think you get the idea.

Nice score and good luck with your building.

Jeremy.
thanks a lot jeremy for your input, greatly appreciated.

regards
geoff

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Bob Connor
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by Bob Connor » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:57 pm

Geoff

The Osage Orange will make fantastic bridge plates. It's very similar to Brazilian Rosewood tonally.

Regards
Bob, Geelong
_______________________________________

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Kamusur
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by Kamusur » Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:24 am

Geoff, you have some nice wood there and Jeremy is right about finding a use for most of it. Been working with some Camphor L this week and found it was just so unstable, but my mate cut some Jacarandah for a guys lapsteel and it was a really nice piece of wood.

Steve

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:49 am

Kamusur wrote:Geoff, you have some nice wood there and Jeremy is right about finding a use for most of it. Been working with some Camphor L this week and found it was just so unstable, but my mate cut some Jacarandah for a guys lapsteel and it was a really nice piece of wood.

Steve
thanks for the info steve, there is a tree load of jacky that was cut and slabbed in july 2007
how is this wood tonally?

i haven't even got to the good wood yet, all the wood so far has been kept outside, under cover, the better wood has been housed in a garden shed.

there was some wood in there marked tamarine, seems very dense, not sure what it is.

i hope in the future to be able to use some of this wood to make some guitars, even if like you guys say it is for inlays and veneers. it would make the old fella happy to know some of it went to good use.

just on all this wood. how does one go about getting it prepared for use in guitar making? I mean what tools are required, or can it be prepared by someone else?

regards
geoff

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:50 am

Bob Connor wrote:Geoff

The Osage Orange will make fantastic bridge plates. It's very similar to Brazilian Rosewood tonally.

Regards
thanks for the info bob.

i wasn't sure if osage orange would be any good for fret board as well?

cheers
geoff

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Re: Aussie woods

Post by ernie » Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:32 pm

We have a lot of osage orange here in KansasCity , the us midwest, it makes great FB and bridges, wood is prone to tearing with planes.It can also be stained ,radially it can be used for rosette inlays, bridge patch, used by local indians to dye wool.

geoffrod
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by geoffrod » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:50 am

Hello again,
I have just started my first build.
I am attending classes with Strato at AGMS, have chosen to build a Steel String Guitar of the Trevor Gore variety, with a 14th fret neck join, i think???
anyway i have chosen my wood for the back and sides (Tas Myrtle) Engelmann spruce top, mahogany neck. thats it so far, but i have some of my father inlaws (RIP) wood that i thought might make for a nice headstock face plate, and also use it in the rosette, it is quite hard, and heavy, but i am uncertain as to the name of it, and as i am using it as a way of having a piece of the old fella around, as he obviously chose the wood and had used some of it in his work, i would really like to know what it is, so i thought why not post some pics and someone may recognize what it is.
thanks in advance.
Kind Regards
Geoff
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kiwigeo
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by kiwigeo » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:22 am

geoffrod wrote: ...have chosen to build a Steel String Guitar of the Trevor Gore variety, with a 14th fret neck join, i think???
Another recruit joins Gore's Army 8)
Martin

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Re: Aussie woods

Post by TimS » Sat Dec 15, 2012 1:20 am

Hi Geoff,

I think you are looking at a sheoak (lace figure) allocasuarina. From the end you can see the typical dominant medullary rays.

regards

Tim
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Dominic
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Re: Aussie woods

Post by Dominic » Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:46 am

kiwigeo wrote: Another recruit [rejects the worship of false idols, embraces logic and reason and] joins Gore's Army 8)
When do we get the Tee shirts?
Dom
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