davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Nov 7, 2013 18:45:36 GMT
Apologies to Keith for using the C word in November but here's my Christmas tree : The tree has been there I suspect since our house was built in the mid 1930's and over the years has shed two of it's branches - most famously one Christmas Eve when one landed on the overhead power cable It's shape is a little sad and given the change to more "stormy" weather as an expected pattern its time has sadly come. The tree man came today and told me it's a Lawson's Cypress - Chamaecyparis lawsoniana. So what you might say, but do a little Googling and you'll find that Lawson's Cypress is known to us guitar makers as "Port Orford Cedar" - a highly prized tonewood for both acoustic and electric guitar builders and a dead ringer for Spanish cypress used in Flamenco guitar back, sides and necks. It's also a great top wood for acoustics both steel and nylon strung. The main trunk is around two feet in diameter and about twelve foot tall. So the tree is coming down in December (under the influence of tree surgeons rather than a storm hopefully) and will provide lots of Christmas logs for the fire and hopefully lots of Port Orford Cedar tonewood for at least necks and mandolin/dulcimers and who knows perhaps a some guitar tops and flamenco guitar backs and sides. I promise to be a good boy
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Nov 7, 2013 19:34:10 GMT
Apologies to Keith for using the C word in November but here's my Christmas tree : ......................... I promise to be a good boy Contradictory statements!! Keith
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Nov 7, 2013 20:25:04 GMT
Damn! Guitars really DO grow on trees Do you know what it's like to work with? Do I take it from your comments that dulcimers are to be added to your catalogue (after promoting, perhaps, from some folk on 'ere)? Marvellous news
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Post by earwighoney on Nov 7, 2013 21:36:54 GMT
Wow. Great find there Dave. Probably as good as it gets!
Port Orford Cedar, is one of the very best tonewoods around (to my ears anyway).
Here is a Tom Blackshear blanca with a POC top.
Here is a Stephen Faulk Spruce blanca, with POC back and sides.
Fingers crossed there will be good sets to come out of that tree!
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Post by jonnymosco on Nov 7, 2013 21:37:30 GMT
That is brilliant news - be cool to have a guitar totally made from it. How long before you'll be able to use it?
Jonny
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Post by scripsit on Nov 7, 2013 22:45:36 GMT
You can also make some lovely arrows from the smaller bits, Dave. It smells beautiful when you shave it.
Kym
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Nov 7, 2013 22:48:28 GMT
... said the bishop to the actress!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Nov 7, 2013 22:48:54 GMT
Dave, if you can just hang on until the inevitable extension of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to Buckinghamshire, you'll be minted!
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Nov 8, 2013 11:39:17 GMT
Damn! Guitars really DO grow on trees Do you know what it's like to work with? It should work like Spanish cypress but we'll see. Do I take it from your comments that dulcimers are to be added to your catalogue (after promoting, perhaps, from some folk on 'ere)? Leo - A one off "special" as part of De Faoite Stringed Instrument's 10 year Anniversary. Wow. Great find there Dave. Probably as good as it gets! Port Orford Cedar, is one of the very best tonewoods around (to my ears anyway). Fingers crossed there will be good sets to come out of that tree! Shubbs - It might be a little on the tight side for guitar sets but we'll see what comes out. At the very worst it will make some lovely smelling logs That is brilliant news - be cool to have a guitar totally made from it. How long before you'll be able to use it? Jonny Jonny - the trick is to get is processed into rough cut sets as soon as possible and then sticker them to dry. It will probably be useable within a year. You can also make some lovely arrows from the smaller bits, Dave. It smells beautiful when you shave it. Kym Kym - I just need some Yew to make a bow
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Dec 2, 2013 15:01:57 GMT
Well, the tree came down today and I have a log pile: Oh yes, and these four slabs to process : There are some knots in there to work around but it looks nice wood and there are at least some small guitar, mandolin and dulcimer sets in there. Or it could be another log pile, but I'm ever the optimist.
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alig
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Post by alig on Dec 2, 2013 15:19:51 GMT
Well, the tree came down today and I have a log pile: Oh yes, and these four slabs to process : There are some knots in there to work around but it looks nice wood and there are at least some small guitar, mandolin and dulcimer sets in there. Or it could be another log pile, but I'm ever the optimist. Wonderful Dave. Happy days!
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Sept 4, 2014 11:27:27 GMT
Yesterday Colin Symonds came to visit for a special meeting of the GOLF Club (Grumpy Old Luthier Farts) . He helped me set up my bandsaw and amongst other woods we cut up some of the logs from "The Tree". Here's "the master" Colin and the first log: Here's the "apprentice": And here's some of the results - a nice pile of Port Orford Cedar: There are tops, backs sides and neck wood for a range of instruments from harp guitars, acoustic lap slides, Appalacian dulcimers, guitars (including flamenco), octave/mandolin and ukes. The wood has lovely grain and colour and is pretty close to quater-sawn. Plus we've only processed about half of the logs.
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colins
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Post by colins on Sept 4, 2014 11:52:26 GMT
Indeed it was good to have a meeting of the GOLF Club, Re-Saw Sub-Committee. Making saw dust was really good fun, and very productive, I think Dave has the market cornered in POF. I came away with a couple of nice guitar top sets with left over for mandolins or Ukes.
A great time, apart from the drag round the M25, but at least I had Rachel, Becky and Kathryn to keep me company.
My car still smells of POF, but I have hopes of a UK woods guitar in the future.
Colin
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missclarktree
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Post by missclarktree on Sept 4, 2014 16:28:55 GMT
How exciting. Home grown guitars, and you haven't wasted any time cutting it up.
Perhaps you could plant a new one for future supplies.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Sept 4, 2014 16:49:34 GMT
Dave and Colin go mad with a bandsaw eh? Must have been a fun day. And you're looking very trim, if I may say so Mr White! Keith
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