One of the biggest thrills for me is looking through speciality wood stores and lumber yards.. I even check the "big box" stores cause they let some great curl slip into their maple stacks.. The latest find was 3 8ft birdseye slabs from Home Depot.. I've got enough now to last my whole life, but ya never know what's in that next pile...….
kterry
OMG. What is it about strong curl on a curved surface that makes it dead sexy? The Shakers had it figured out with chair and table legs, and luthiers certainly exploit it in instrument necks. I am SUCH a sucker for that . . .
There's a guy with a bandsaw mill in my neck of the woods who has land developers and tree service companies bring him logs, he is set up to mill most stuff with the Woodmizer but also has a chainsaw mill for the giant stuff. I love to go there and see what he's got on the yard!
Clark Beavans
A really, really long maple fret board with very "light" frets?
Couldn't resist.
Wow. Picture shows some fine figuring, I know, photos of bare wood can't do it justice, but wow.
That's gorgeous, Steve. I'd be proud of it; wish I could make something that beautiful.
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You should meet the guy I am building it forA really, really long maple fret board with very "light" frets?
Couldn't resist.
Paul Bunyon and his upgraded Goodtime banjo.
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Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).
My website and blog: honketyhank.com
Thanks for the tip, Marty! Very good to know.
And thanks Mark!
I think curly maple when it's been stained and finished looks like a pond of honey with a breeze blowing across it.
Steve
"They're approaching. That's very forward of them."
I've also really liked searching for local lumberyard wood. Attached picture is birch, not maple, but there is a strong precedence for mandolins with birch backs, thanks to early Gibsons. I've used birch on 3 Mandolins and 1 mandola and am plenty satisfied with it as a tone wood. Have also used lumberyard cherry and maple.
Peace
That's a lovely piece of birch!
Steve
"They're approaching. That's very forward of them."
I’m so jealous of you guys with big box stores that stock maple, cherry, etc...
All I get around here is poplar and red oak.
That's a great find, Skip.
A wood seller friend of mine said that some of this is milled for millwork, and the figure is actually something they have to avoid since they want the product to stain uniformly, hence it being sold off at what seems like insanely low prices to us.
I've found some wonderful stuff in strange places.. quality spruce at Home Depot in Manchester Conn(had it cut into 4ft lengths and shipped to Ohio).. Birdseye in an Ohio store.. Ebony in a reclaimed wood store.. Mahogony at a hobby shop.. Basswood for almost nothing at a carving show.. the list goes on and on.... it's out there , you just have to look.in non traditional places....
kterry
Wow, Marty, what a find!
Steve
"They're approaching. That's very forward of them."
My $75 craigslist rosewood log score from last year. I actually bought three of them....'only cost me $600 in bandsaw blades and 2 1/2 days of sawdust hell to mill it up!!
Wow, guys! This is an inspiring thread. Thanks! I've got to look harder!
Ebay, of all places! 3 kay upright boards delivered for $100, my favorite smell on this planet after roasting green chile, the pernambuco cutoffs free extra in the pkg. And a Fester Jazz Blaster birdseye fretboard, from my neighbors childhood bedframe, airdried in south new mexistan for half a century. Keep on making, the wood will eventually find you!
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