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Minor wood gloat and a Zebrano question
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=678		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:20 am ]
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So I went a-wood hunting today, mostly planning to go out and get me some Honduran mahogany while it's still fairly readily available. Hard to find well-quartered stock, I have to say. But in the end, I got two boards a good 8-9" wide, 1.3" thick (in the rough) and a good 6 foot long, one perfectly quartered, one 2/3ds perfectly quartered, 1/3 'skew'. Pretty much the only two out of a small pile of 30 boards or so that were at least decently quartered. Had some perfectly flatsawn stuff, which might be good for laminating necks, but I feel 1.25" might be a mite thin. They've got another big 'ol stack of thicker stock as well, I'll have to sort through that some other day, with a flashlight.

I also found 3 pieces of almost dead-on quartered, flawless (no cracks, no knots) Brazilian, nice spider-webbing, dark colour, looks like they're consecutive from the same tree. Again, the only three in the stack of blocks that size that were perfectly on quarter, although there were a lot more skew and flatsawn pieces stacked there as well. Rough dimensions: 1" x 4" x 25.5". I'm not entirely sure what I"ll do with them. At the very least, they could yield 16 or so bridges each.

Damages for all this? 200 Euros. I'm fairly pleased.

Now the question: they had a couple of slightly thin (a hair under 1" thick, planed both sides) perfectly quartered, 9" wide, 5' tall zebrano/zebrawood boards, striking figure. What're the hopes of getting more than one set out of something that thin? Anyone ever built with Zebrano before?

Author:  Dickey [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 2:00 am ]
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You need 1 inch wood to get two sets. I just haven't had any luck getting more than three pieces out of 3/4 inch material. Bob may say differently.

I have a new bandsaw blade coming in that has a .025 band and .040 kerf, with perfect sawing and a Timberwolf 3/4 3 AS 2/3 varipitch, you might be able to do it, but I ha'e me d'oots! Congrats on the haul though. Brazilian, brazilian........ snap out of it.... snap out of it.......... sorry lapsing into momentary ADD syndrome....

Zebra seems to be a pretty tame wood, but from most reports a sleeper seller, which I hate to hear or pass on.
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 2:47 am ]
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Right..well, the wood's literally 24-25mm thick, so about 1/32-1/64" shy of a full inch. This would be a 'put away until I have a bandsaw' board, but it is really, really nice. If it's there when I go back next week, I might have to go buy it. First up is a trip to Rivolta for s'more of those lovely Italian Spruce tops.

And yes, the brazilian's all pretty, ink lines, dark browns, the lot, although not quite so fragrant as some I've had my fingers on (other boards in the same pile, smaller pieces in the pile next to it). Probably get the full-on scent sensation when I get around to cutting it up/levelling/sanding it. It's old; been lying there at least 20 years, they said, and they're a trustworthy bunch is my impression.
Author:  Dave-SKG [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:40 am ]
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I made an electric out solid Zebrawood. It was very heavy but it Killed! It looked so beautiful...just tung oiled. Paduk neck. Macassar Ebony fretboard.
Author:  Don Williams [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:52 am ]
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GO GRAB THE BRAZILIAN ! ! ! You can easily get 4 slices out of that. Brazilian gets thinned quite a bit anyway. I know a famous builder that routinely goes down to .080 or .075" thick on brazilian backs. All you need to do is GRAB THAT WOOD and then find a source for some sides. If you don't want it for yourself, grab it for me and we'll trade!


Don
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:10 am ]
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Congrats on the haul! My advice is buy it--whatever it is, buy it. You'll eventually find a use for it. The rosewood can make you a 4-piece back...or you could cut matching fretboard / peghead / bridge stock. A nice look. And again--go get that Zebrawood.
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:13 am ]
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...that you could send a scrap of your rosewood back to Allied Lutherie and they will find you matching sides. That will cost a few euros for sure, but then you'll have a set with real history!
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:15 pm ]
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[QUOTE=Don W] GO GRAB THE BRAZILIAN ! ! ! You can easily get 4 slices out of that. Brazilian gets thinned quite a bit anyway. I know a famous builder that routinely goes down to .080 or .075" thick on brazilian backs. All you need to do is GRAB THAT WOOD and then find a source for some sides. If you don't want it for yourself, grab it for me and we'll trade!


Don[/QUOTE]

Heh. I've already grabbed the three boards that were well-quartered (two are definitely off the same log, and I'd bet good money the third is as well). Either way, the blanks are *almost* long enough for sides for the parlour design I've got. Non-tapered heel and a wider end graft and that'd be sorted, possibly.

They've still got a massive, massive stack left, maybe 50-60 mostly flatsawn or rift-sawn rough cut boards. And then there's the pile of 1.5" square turning blanks, and smaller rectangular blanks. I'll have to look through the stacks s'more, see if I missed any (some were so dark coloured and waxed that it's difficult to make out the grain, in the rough-ish state they're in). Not sure about getting all-flatsawn wood, although that would be fine for backs and headstock overlays, I suppose. Wouldn't want to use it for bridges, methinks. Or am I wrong about that?

[EDIT]
I contacted the company about a CITES certificate for the stuff, since I forgot to ask then and there (silly me). They don't have one, since they got their stock off some old (retired) woodturner/woodworker a good number of years back, who'd had it stacked up for a good 20 years before that. So it's definitely old stock, old-growth, but exporting it could be problematic, I think.Mattia Valente38364.1920601852
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:16 pm ]
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Steve: good points. I'll see if I can find the time to swing by again soon, and hope the boards are still there when I do!
Author:  roger [ Wed Jan 12, 2005 7:46 am ]
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Greetings,
I have built several classicals from Zebrano, a truly beautiful timber but tricky to work, the dark stripes are very hard and the light areas soft so lots of care needed, it will tear out great chunks under the plane without the slightest warning unless you talk nicely to it, when french polished it is breathtaking
buy it
good luck
Roger.
www.zenguitars.com
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Wed Jan 12, 2005 8:57 am ]
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Well, one more to put in the bag. I've reserved two boards. Popped in just before closing time, and they're fine about sticking a sticker on there with my name, and having me come around to pay for it and pick it up later next week.

They're both off the same board, both wide enough for backs, 1" thick. Only minor blemish is a crack on one piece (along the grain, stops 3-4" in, plenty of room either side), and a couple of knots that'll need avoiding. Nothing to detract from the majority of the board, which is straight, quartered, and oh-so-pretty. Even under flourescent, dim indoor lighting the colours are simply stunning. I figure one will yield backs (slightly wider), the other sides, and the smaller bits, well, there's always headstock overlays, maybe even a bridge if I'm feeling funky.

It'll probably sit on a shelf for the next few years, since I don't see me in a position to buy or (mostly) house a bandsaw for some time to come!

In other news, I'm off for a good 5 days, will be swinging by Rivolta for some more of their lovely Italian spruce tops. Hopefully get some pics of what they've got available as well. If it's at all interesting, I'll be posting 'em.
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