Wood identification

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Pat.Hawkins
Myrtle
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:30 pm
Location: Lower Barrington

Wood identification

Post by Pat.Hawkins » Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:34 am

Hi Folks,
I have been given a lot of this timber and am hoping it's suitable for necks and bracing.

It's been shelved for around thirty years, very consistent tan colour, dead straight grain, completely free of knots and light in weight.
I planed one of these pieces and it has a nice sheen when held in the light.
I was told it's cedar.
Unknown timber1.jpg
Unknown timber2.jpg
Any ideas?

Cheers

Bruce McC
Blackwood
Posts: 395
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:29 pm
Location: Canberra ACT Australia

Re: Wood identification

Post by Bruce McC » Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:54 pm

Hi Pat

I'd say red meranti or one of the Shorea species.
Bruce Mc.

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Mark McLean
Blackwood
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Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:03 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Wood identification

Post by Mark McLean » Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:59 am

If it was being called cedar it might be “Australian red cedar” (toona ciliata), which is not a cedar species at all - but it is a good timber for furniture and joinery and would probably make a good guitar neck.

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peter.coombe
Blackwood
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Location: Bega, NSW
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Re: Wood identification

Post by peter.coombe » Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:59 am

Looks like meranti to me. I don't think it is red cedar.
Peter Coombe - mandolin, mandola and guitar maker
http://www.petercoombe.com

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Kim
Admin
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Location: South of Perth WA

Re: Wood identification

Post by Kim » Sat Apr 20, 2019 7:00 pm

Yep my vote is Meranti or perhaps Nyatoh. Sand and sneeze its probably Nyatoh.

http://mtc.com.my/wizards/mtc_tud/items/report(92).php

Used for everything where straight grained, knot free, and cheap wood was required in the 70's through 90's, its a fast growing sand sucker from s/e Asia that's sure to blunt your tools quick smart. As a tonewood, a great many early M.I.J. Yamaha lower end 'student grade' guitars, were constructed entirly from Nyatoh, even the top as part of the ply however the Japanese gave it the more alphabetically frugal name of "Nato". IMHO it would be good wood for necks as its stable however it can be a bit splintery until under a finish...From completing literally dozens of jobs where the customer did not want to pay for more expensive options like jarrah, (WA) sheoak, doug fir etc, nyatoh makes really good staircase stringers, knewl posts, balustrading etc. Sure its a bit boring to look at in the raw but with carpeted mdf treads and a lick of paint it works well as a functional budget option. Oh, and did I mention stable..

Cheers

Kim

Pat.Hawkins
Myrtle
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:30 pm
Location: Lower Barrington

Re: Wood identification

Post by Pat.Hawkins » Wed May 15, 2019 4:45 pm

Hi Folks,
thank you for the replies,

Now..... the next newbie question........

The second photo shows it way off the quarter. Am I right in thinking that gluing as shown will balance out any tendency to move?

Cheers

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