Tortoise blues [Archive] - Mandolin Cafe Forum

Jim Hilburn

Mar-08-2006, 4:22pm

I tried one more time to get tortoise celluloid from Stew-Mac, and I've been told they still have their stock of binding, but the problem is shipping it.
Now there are other companies shipping it, some with the extra cost for being hazardous and some without. The problem for me is that no one has the same quality stuff as Stew-Mac, although I haven't tried LMI yet.
They did tell me if I came to the store they could sell it to me. Maybe someone in the area should go there and stock up and then sell it to me at a small profit, of course.

oldwave maker

Mar-08-2006, 5:22pm

Jim- the LMI stuff is more hawksbill and less pepperoni than the stewmac, a lot like the 60's german stuff I got years ago from Mike Stevens. That said- if anybody stops in at stew mac, I'll take a couple dozen, since its cheaper and longer length than lmi!

Dale Ludewig

Mar-08-2006, 6:24pm

Jim, Bill James has tortoise. The .060 is pretty nice. Looks like the stuff StewMac had. He said he wasn't very happy with the .100 that he'd gotten from the company that made it. I don't remember if it was Delmar. But he said it was very dark brown with almost no light streaks etc. in it, which is what we want, and that before he'd sell me any he wanted to send me a sample. Which he did. And boy was he right. He sent about an 8" strip of the .100 and a similar strip of the .060. No comparison. Just my opinion, but if you want a nice dark brown binding, and my sample is a representative sample, then it'd be good. But if you want the mottled stuff we're more familiar with, not so good. Just as Bill said.

He said that he'll be looking into getting that changed next order from the supplier. Bill's a class act, be it tailpieces or supplier of binding.

junksuph

Mar-08-2006, 6:49pm

I buy mine from Martin Guitars online builders shop. I bought a bunch a few months ago. Check them out. Pieces are 60" pieces.

mandolooter

Mar-08-2006, 10:15pm

Sorry guys, i don't have any nor do i live near there but Im looking for some tiger stripe pickguard material like the old kalamazoo instruments had. Anyone know where that could be found? I swear i seem it somewhere but I've came up emptyhanded in my search now that i need some! My apologies for the attempted hijacking of your thread!

Antlurz

Mar-08-2006, 10:57pm

The LMI I've used is pretty dark. A bright white backing is a must to see anything at all.

Ron

Jim Hilburn

Mar-08-2006, 10:57pm

That's OK, looter. There's not much else to say about it.
It's just very frustrating to know they have it but won't sell it. There's no reason it can't be shipped. UPS likes to get a big surcharge, but some are ignoring that. And there are pickguards,picks and all kinds of celluloid being shipped everyday.

Burner

Mar-09-2006, 3:03am

If anyone get a consignment and wants to send some to UK - no questions asked...... <touch finger to side of nose> http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Jim Rowland

Mar-09-2006, 8:23am

Are there statistics anywhere showing that celluloid binding has caused serious conflagrations enroute to anywhere on any type of carrier? If so,is it a case analagous to the infamous "alcohol related" accident, where an empty beer can is found in the car trunk?
Jim

PaulD

Mar-09-2006, 8:39am

Just for "fun", Rob Griffin ignited the shavings from some white celluloid StewMac binding and posted the resulting pic to MIMF. Quite a shot! Granted, these were shavings; Ellie Erickson on MIMF (MandoCafe poster too, IIRC) said her attempt to burn whole binding was "underwhelming" (I think that was the word).

Paul Doubek

I just noticed something... hopefully he doesn't store his celluloid binding in those tubes strapped to the ceiling above and behind the flame! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim Hilburn

Mar-09-2006, 9:31am

There's no doubt it's all beaurocratic. It's like how you used to be able to get a gallon can of lacquer, but now if you order a gallon, you get it in 4 quart containers in the same box.

Jim Hilburn

Mar-09-2006, 9:34am

I ordered 10 strips from Allparts, and they shipped it in a soft mailer, no questions asked. Unfortunately it was very light and swirly, not what I have in mind for mandolins.

mando_pete

Mar-09-2006, 9:54am

Jim.

I live about 1 1/2 hours from Stew-mac. If you let me know exactly what you want I'll go get it and send it to you for cost plus shipping. I've been meaning to get down there anyway and I'm actually thinking about taking a day off here real soon anyway. Anybody else want some?

-- pete

Howard Klepper

Mar-09-2006, 10:32am

Me. #If you can get the .070" that they had a couple of years ago (or thicker) I'd go for some. #Please email me (howard@klepperguitars.com).

Mario Proulx

Mar-09-2006, 10:35am

I've said it before, but it bears repeating. There is life after StewMac <bg>

GW Musical in Toronto has my favorite TS bindings. Just the right colors, IMHO. I strung up this one(my first "blond"!!) last night. The bindings are GW's, and the pickguard(and pickguard's binding) is TorTis "Firestripe" material(leftovers from my guitar pickguards...) available from LMI, among others.

Here's the link to GW. Gary's the one you want to talk with. Exporting is not a problem. He's got ivoroid also...

http://www.thindesign.com/gwmusical/

http://www.proulxguitars.com/clients/mandolins/images/IMG_3415.jpg

http://www.proulxguitars.com/clients/mandolins/images/IMG_3422.jpg

thistle3585

Mar-09-2006, 10:55am

I'd take two dozen strips Pete. Its just a bit more than I would want to drive, 3.5 hours one way, but I might if I was going to buy a lot of stuff. Where are you at. I might be willing to come to your place.

Frank Ford

Mar-09-2006, 1:44pm

Ping pong balls are (or at lease were) made of celluloid. Are they HAZMAT, too?

Tom C

Mar-09-2006, 1:51pm

Now you have to show us more of the string grommet and how you have the string attached. -Please?

Jim Rowland

Mar-09-2006, 4:19pm

No doubt the stuff is inflammable. I've smoked a ton of it(no,not what you think)with my little non adjustable heat gun,and I'm sure that under a given set of conditions it could blow up by itself. So can rock. That,of course,is not the problem. The problem is a raft of unemployed overpaid employees who sit around thinking up ways to protect their sinecure by pretending to protect the booboisee. Sorry, I just get fed up sometimes.
Jim

mando_pete

Mar-09-2006, 4:58pm

Thistle,

I'm north of Columbus right by Alum Creek Reservoir. I'll probably go to stew-mac next week. I *need* to take a day off and rt33 south from Columbus is a fun drive.

-- pete

thistle3585

Mar-09-2006, 5:54pm

Pete,
Unfortunately, thats the wrong direction for me, but I do get up to Hoover and Buckeye lake a couple times a year to sail. A friend of mine builds boats in Sunbury, which I think is near you, and I try to get over there to see him every so often. If you get a chance to go to stewmac, and are taking orders, let me know.

Andrew

Dale Ludewig

Mar-09-2006, 6:03pm

Does anyone know what their actual current inventory of the stuff is? Particularly the tortoise?
I find it odd that with all the discussions that have gone on here and no doubt other related builder sites, I've never seen One post from someone at StewMac. Has anyone?
I agree with Mario; there is life after StewMac and celluloid. Obviously. The stuff Mario showed was beautiful.

Wondering, could we join forces and just go buy up all their stock of tortoise?...?...? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Mario Proulx

Mar-09-2006, 6:17pm

life after StewMac and celluloid. Obviously

Just to be clear, GW's tortoise is celluloid. Far as I know, SM are the only ones who stopped sending it(it's a long story; Don explained it to me)

Tom, I'll start a new thread on the strap-hanger if you want, instead of hi-jacking this one.

oldwave maker

Mar-09-2006, 6:26pm

Mandopete- I'll take 2 dozen- you want paypal or postal mo in the mail tomorrow? let me know

sunburst

Mar-09-2006, 7:00pm

I've burned celluloid shavings like that picture too. It's quite a quick fire!, (I did it outside) but, you know what? The wood saw dust from under the bandsaw burns almost the same.

PaulD

Mar-09-2006, 7:53pm

Tom, I'll start a new thread on the strap-hanger if you want, instead of hi-jacking this one.
Another vote for the strap hanger thread!!! Beautiful mandolin... love the contrast between the blond & TS.

pd http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

thistle3585

Mar-09-2006, 9:37pm

I called Stewmac about their inventory. 168 pieces of .100 and .86 pieces of .070.

Keith Newell

Mar-09-2006, 10:10pm

If someone is going to pick some up I would love to have a dozen pieces of the .07 thick stuff. I wonder if you can pay them and have them put it in "will Call"?
Keith

thistle3585

Mar-10-2006, 6:48am

You have to call in the order 24 hours in advance before picking it up. I wanted to send them a call tag under my UPS account so that they technically wouldn't be the shipper, but they weren't interested in doing that.