Wood find

Wildestcat

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I just found this at my local wood supplier - a 12 ft length of 6x2 sapele with an amazing ribbon or flame figure.
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Because of the presence of tiny pin size worm holes at intervals along the length, it was priced at an irresistible £25.
Moisture content is currently 9%, and I am hoping my bandsaw can muster the power to convert this into soprano and concert sets, though I'll be needing a new blade.
Any advice on the conversion process welcome! It isn't quartered, more like 45 degrees, but the figure runs all the way through.
 
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Have any problems with this Paul, pop over and we'll convert it no problem together on my dedicated resaw. I have plenty of new blades...
 
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Nice score. The "worm" holes can be filled. Probably not caused by worms but by what we call over here powder post beetle larvae. Be aware that the little bastards lay their eggs in those holes so kill them now before they continue to eat your excellent find which does have some nice flame. Lotta ukes in there... The concept of quarter sawn wood still confuses me at times, but you say it was probably sawn at a 45 degree angle from the log, wouldn't that make it quarter sawn?
 
That's an incredible buy. I use sapele for necks and I pay a lot more than that for plain stuff. Don't worry about the angle of the grain, it's not exactly slab cut. I'd be tempted to use it all for body wood
 
Nice score. The "worm" holes can be filled. Probably not caused by worms but by what we call over here powder post beetle larvae. Be aware that the little bastards lay their eggs in those holes so kill them now before they continue to eat your excellent find which does have some nice flame.

I think these holes are due to ambrosia beetle and larvae, which as far as I can discover only attack growing trees or freshly felled logs. The holes are small diameter, quite deep, run across the grain and are black on the inside - which I gather are all characteristics of ambrosia. It doesn't attack seasoned wood, and kiln drying sees it off. Classed as "no treatment required" by specialist wood treatment companies.

I've ordered a couple of the supertuff fastcut blades, so I'll give resaw a try in a few days.
 
Any tips for resawing old furniture. I picked up a large table for £40 a year ago from fleabay with the intent to turn into ukes when my current stash runs out. Its more or less all perfectly quarter sawn 5/6" sections but over a metre wide.20171009_194940.jpg20171009_195129.jpg
 
You just made every piece of furniture in my house look like a future ukulele.
 
Nice piece of oak. I'd separate out the boards and take it from there sawing each board and then cutting sets out of the yield. I would also shoot for 4 slices per board. I am trying to source some larch which teams up well with oak. Get in touch when you have your sets and I'll let you have a set to play with :)
 
First lot of concert sets successfully sawn this morning. Have to say I am really pleased with both the Axminster BS11 saw and the supertuff fastcut blade. The BS11 may be only a 250mm benchtop saw, but one incorporating all the features you would expect on a full size floor standing machine (heavy cast iron wheels, 3 bearing guides top & bottom etc.). I have mounted it on a wheeled cabinet which also houses my Fein dust extractor, since in my somewhat compact workshop I need to be able to move it easily. I also like the table at chest height as provided by a benchtop machine. Its expensive, but the quality is there.

Anyway, set up with the Tuffsaws 1/2" supertuff fastcut blade in accordance with the teachings of Alex Snodgrass, it coped very well with the sapele.

I actually have two alternative sets of sides cut - one set incorporating the full flame figure which I have some trepidation about bending :), the other sets are from the plainer side of the timber.

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Struggling to get the bandsaw pic to appear vertically!

Anyone know how to delete photos / attachments? I can't find a delete option anywhere. I tried to delete a photo and it has just appeared as an attachment instead!
 
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Hi Paul, try editing your post, and highlight the code which represents the pictures. Then press the delete key on your keyboard, not the delete button in the edit script. This seems to actually delete the code, but the edit delete key doesn't.
Cheers Mike
 
Pete: I set up for 4 mm thick slices. I like to join my tops & backs at 4 mm, and with 45 mm thick wood I could easily get 8 slices at 4 mm + 1 mm kerf. I didn't think 10 slices x 3 mm would have been practicable given my inexperience. The final slice was a little thicker as all the vertical fence/blade alignment errors compounded. I probably should have re-squared the edge as I progressed, but I'll be taking these down on the drum sander so wasn't too bothered. I'm happy with four 6-piece concert sets with 4 spare sets of sides from less than 1/3 of the timber I picked up :)

Mike: I thought that's what I did! I'll have another go ...
 
Hi Paul, try editing your post, and highlight the code which represents the pictures. Then press the delete key on your keyboard, not the delete button in the edit script. This seems to actually delete the code, but the edit delete key doesn't.
Cheers Mike

Pretty sure that's what I did first time around Mike - the offending picture disappeared from the main body of the text but re-appeared as an attachment. I've just tried again with all the editing features I can find (including in "manage attachments") but no luck finding a delete option.:confused:
 
Hi Paul, just tried it on one of my posts and it seemed to go like this. Go to the post , click edit, then "go advanced", then manage attachments. The pictures relating to the post are at the bottom in the attachments pane. I ticked the box on the picture, and then (if I can remember correctly) I right clicked on the picture which gave me the delete option. It deleted the picture ok.
 
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