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Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
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Author:  Rod True [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
So I have two guitars to make which will both be out of Aussie Blackwood (which I got from Tim Spittle of Aussie Tonewoods [:Y:] )

Now, I've never worked with this wood before and I don't want to have to call Tim up and ask for another set because I screwed something up.

Bending? Anything I need to know here? I'll be thinning the sides down to 0.080-0.085" I normally wrap my wood in aluminum foil after a light spritz with water. Will this be OK or will it turn green like Koa can?

Glueing? I'm planning on these two guitars to be mostly built with fish glue, will this be a problem at all for the Aussie blackwood?

Working? My guess is that the wood works easily enough. I use a drum sander for thicknessing and your basic other power tools - routers for binding channels etc...

Thanks in advance for any responses (perferably on target and not smart grass comments :D )
Author:  Jim Watts [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Rod, It works similar to Koa. I believe that wrapping it in aluminum foil will turn it green, not sure though. I wrapped mine in paper and it bent just fine.
Author:  bob_connor [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
The aluminium will turn it green Rod. Just use kraft paper.

Other than that it's fairly easy to work with no special precautions needed.

I don't use fish glue but both Titebond and hide glue work on it.

Bob
Author:  Hesh [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Yep Black Tasmanian Blackwood Acacia..... :D can be worked just like Koa.

Rod got any pictures of your zoot please?
Author:  James W B [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
I`ve used it for bindings,and it seems extremely brittle.This was on a cutaway,which gave some problems in this area.I used kraft paper and didn`t have any trouble with it turning green.I also used super soft ,which seemed to help.
James
Author:  Jeff Highland [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Don't touch it with any steel tools when it is wet either, or you will get black stains.
So dont try to clean up fresh glue with a chisel..
Author:  Rod True [ Sat Sep 06, 2008 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Awesome, thanks guys. Jeff good advise on cleaning up the glue squeeze out, I usually use a poor quality 6" engineers scale but I'll use some spruce sticks sanded to a knife edge.

Hesh (and other's) here's pictures of the two sets I have. Both will be Olson SJ, no cutaway, with lutz tops.

This will be the second guitar in AB (austrailian blackwood) and I'll be starting that one hopfully in Feb 09.
Attachment:
Auction Material.jpg


This will be the first guitar in AB and I'll be starting this one this coming week I hope.
Attachment:
Blackwood-3.JPG


I'm looking forward to working on these two guitars.
Author:  sebastiaan56 [ Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
gives me a woody....

Ive worked with tassie blackwood from Tim, it is very well behaved,
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Very purdy Rod!!!! I love the stuff and look forward to building with it again.
Author:  Howard Klepper [ Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Most significant workability issue is interlocking grain, which can make planing tricky.
Author:  Shane Neifer [ Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Hey Rod,

My guitar with a Venetian cutaway bent great on my fox bender with light bulbs! I did get staining from my slats so use craft paper. NOW, my flamed maple bindings are whole other story...I now have a double heat blanket systems and I just can't those puppies bent! I have broken about 10 sets now.

Have fun, Aussie Blackwood is one of my favs and those sets are particularly spectacular!

Shane
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Like other have said; Use no foil!!!!!!!!!!, use only distiled water if moistening!! I have had no issues bending at 300-310f Works pretty much like Koa and tooling issues are as Howard said interlocking grain. Out side of that you will have no problems
Author:  Don Williams [ Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Interesting....I use aluminum foil around all my wood, and have bent a few sets of Tasmanian Blackwood/Aussie Blackwood/Black Acacia with no staining issues at all. Maybe I got lucky, but then maybe I was using distilled water to moisten it...
Author:  Rod True [ Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Don, it's because you command a higher level of respect from your wood than the rest of us do :D

Thanks for all the input folks. I'm looking forward to building these next couple of guitars.
Author:  Don Williams [ Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Rod True wrote:
Don, it's because you command a higher level of respect from your wood than the rest of us do :D


If only this were true!

laughing6-hehe
Author:  George Thomas [ Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Aussie Blackwood questions - bending, working
Hi:

I have toasted a side by leaving it a little to long in the bender (using a blanket) so suggest avoid to high a temp or watch the time in the bender. This was when my router speed control unit aka temperature reostat had died and I did not know it.
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