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I am in Vietnam and every day I pass some furniture shops with big logs piled outside. Many have 2-3' diameters. The interior of many of the logs are brown or reddish brown in color. Some are yellow...some white. I have a friend here who can identify the wood.

I am thinking about buying some logs and having them cut for building guitars. I understand what quartersawn is from the LMI catalog but have no idea how thick the pieces should be cut and what to do with the pieces that are too small.

I am not sure about exporting the wood but could probably have some crude table tops, solid doors or benches made if the wood can only be exported as finished products...I will check.

Any suggestions?

The first thing I'd check is that the logs haven't been illegally milled. I imagine the US authorities are going to be checking this out if youre planning to import the logs back to the States.

Good luck

Cecil, what species are we talking about here?

It's completely possible that it isn't cost effective.

It's also completely possible that it would be a fantastic deal if it's desirable wood.

Also, some pics would help.

I have a barn full of red oak, I wish it were something else.....

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I don't know about the legalities and will check on it. All I know is that I am seeing some really big logs sitting around waiting to become ugly Chinese style furniture. A lot of it painted black or stained so dark you can't see the grain.

Let's just suppose I can find a rosewood or mahogany log and I want to cut it for guitar backs/sides/necks/fretboards/bridges etc. What is the thickness I would want to quartersaw the wood to cure and dry it? The humidity this winter has varied from 75 to 95% on my cheapo meter but I think it is a good estimate. To get the wood dry to what you guys are looking at I would probably need to use a kiln or send it back to the States. I have 2 dehumidifiers running in the house right now just to keep the walls and floors from being wet and mold from growing on my clothes.

Cost effective? When people make a dollar a day a log doesn't cost very much.

I will try to get my driver to stop next time so I can take some pictures. It takes me 1.5 hours to travel to my worksite and I usually am to tired too bother.

I seem to be talking to myself here so I guess I will just have some mahogany and rosewood logs cut according to the furniture makers capabilities and have them make me some solid doors and tables I can send back in a seafreight container with my other possessions when I return to the States.

Sorry to start such a boring thread for y'all.

Cecil,

Not boring, it's just that no one has the answers that you are looking for with the information provided. You may be sitting on a goldmine, or it could be a waste of time. If you can identify the wood, then we can have something to go on.

Regards,

Al

Cecil
   If you find any rosewood or any truely exotic stuff, How about sending me a "table top". I think a plank about 8.5 inches wide and 35 inches long and at least one inch thick would make the sort of table I am interested in. Or you can do something in even multiples of those demensions. Thanks

John

[QUOTE=John K] Cecil
   If you find any rosewood or any truely exotic stuff, How about sending me a "table top". I think a plank about 8.5 inches wide and 35 inches long and at least one inch thick would make the sort of table I am interested in. Or you can do something in even multiples of those demensions. Thanks

John[/QUOTE]

Cecil, After you cut John's "table top" be sure to seal the ends with a wax or paint to prevent checking. And while it's sitting around waiting to be sent make sure it's stickered to help it dry out more evenly.

Cecil-
It seems there are a couple of things you need to check out; then you should get a pile of responses if you are interested n selling lumber, or even increasing your stash.
a)What are the restrictions on exporting lumber- do they really have to be tables (serving trays with a thin glued-on rim might be a possibility), or can you export/mail boards. At the right price, there are enough folks who resaw their own lumber that you could probably sell quartered boards with sealed ends.

b)What sorts of wood are you talking about (rosewood-like? or mahoganies?) and can the mills saw quartered boards?

Even at 90% RH, the boards/logs will still check at the ends, so the advice to seal was certainly correct.

It would be an interesting project.

John

Cecil, also be sure and check out any quarantine issues that may occur with importing wood to the US. There have been numerous invasive insects species introduced to the US from abroad (a good example is the emerald ash borer that is devastating parts of Michigan and Ohio). It is possible the wood will have to be fumigated before shipping or on arrival in the US. Better check out the regulations.   

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

    I import wood all the time. You will need fumagation papers or the customs people will confiscate it and burn it so do a little checking on what you need to do to bring it into the states
john hall

I think do not seal with oil paint, only water based paint or wax. Oil will wick into the wood and stain it.

The customs building isnt hard to find....just follow the scent of burning Brazillian Rosewood