Barnwood to Tonewood

Dougf

Dougf

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
1,967
Reaction score
0
My brother is in construction, and his current project requires the demolition of an old barn with old-growth redwood siding. Before turning it over to a local salvage operation, he let me cherry pick a few pieces. I found two nice pieces that were quarter sawn, and although quite weathered, they looked promising, with pretty tight growth rings.

Here’s a shot after hitting them with the pressure washer.

redwood-barnwood.jpg

Here’s what I got after cutting around the nail holes, worm holes, and splits.

good pieces.jpg

Then I selected just the heartwood.

heartwood sections.jpg

Here are the first four 1/8” slices from the smallest piece.

first cut.jpg

I might be able to get two bookmatched sets per piece, if I can cut it just right, or at least one set per piece. So somewhere between 5-10 sets total.
 
That wood looks nice, keep us posted on how it turns out
 
I live here in redwood country (Mendocino County, Northern California) and a find like that is always a bonus. Yes, let us know how it turns out. Probably not old growth, but who cares. My only question is how long to season it once it gets down to plates.
 
I'll definitely post some progress pics, I'm just waiting for a new bandsaw blade.

I'm pretty sure it's old growth. It has about 25 rings per inch, and the salvage guy, who seemed to know his wood, said it was old growth. It was nailed with square nails, along with a few of more recent vintage. He loaded up on the old weathered stuff, but left behind quite a bit that he didn't think was old growth.

The barn was in Marin, just outside of Novato.
 
I would like to make a uke of reclaimed wood and keep the weathered look on the outside of the instrument. That would be painstaking, I think, but would look pretty cool in the end.
 
Matt Clara said:
I would like to make a uke of reclaimed wood and keep the weathered look on the outside of the instrument. That would be painstaking, I think, but would look pretty cool in the end.
Click to expand...

I found this idea intriguing, but since my good pieces were only about 4 1/2" wide, I didn't think it would work. Then I realized that I might be able to bookmatch two pieces on the horizontal axis instead of the usual vertical and it might just work. Here's a shot of two weathered sides bookmatched as such, so I think I'm going to go for it. The big challenge will be getting the thickness right, and also cleanly attaching the bridge.

barnwood-weathered.jpg
 
Hey Doug! Your wood looks great :)

Are you going to stick with pineapple shape on this one?
 
gyosh said:
Hey Doug! Your wood looks great :)

Are you going to stick with pineapple shape on this one?
Click to expand...

I think my best results have been with pineapple-like shapes since the bending process is much easier and uses less wood. It also gives more surface area for the top and back, which in this case I think I want to maximize. But I do want to get some real forms and try more traditional shapes at some point.
 
Dougf said:
I think my best results have been with pineapple-like shapes since the bending process is much easier and uses less wood. It also gives more surface area for the top and back, which in this case I think I want to maximize. But I do want to get some real forms and try more traditional shapes at some point.
Click to expand...

Can't wait to hear the latest ukes. Have you come up with a name yet?
 
gyosh said:
Can't wait to hear the latest ukes. Have you come up with a name yet?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm calling them "K'oto Jalulu", which means manzanita flute in the Nisenan language. I've used manzanita in every one I've built, I'm just about to finish up #17.
 
Matt Clara said:
I would like to make a uke of reclaimed wood and keep the weathered look on the outside of the instrument. That would be painstaking, I think, but would look pretty cool in the end.
Click to expand...

I saved a rough edge from the neck blank on a tenor in progress, it's seen on one edge of the headstock. The player it's going to is a little scruffy so I thought it would suit. Kind of hard to put any finish on though.
 
Sven said:
I saved a rough edge from the neck blank on a tenor in progress, it's seen on one edge of the headstock. The player it's going to is a little scruffy so I thought it would suit. Kind of hard to put any finish on though.
Click to expand...

Maybe some decking/water resistant seal? ;)

This last summer I built a bat house for a friend and am in the process of building another. I used reclaimed wood from a barn, some oak, some pine, some maple. http://i.imgur.com/2n35eKL.jpg
 
While out at antique shops with my wife this summer, I came upon a full 6' bundle (10 pcs) of 8" western red cedar siding for $8. The tag on the wire wrapping the bundle was from a lumber yard that went out of business 62 years ago. All of the pcs are quarter sawn, and I can't count the grain without a magnifying glass. I've used WRC for tops on a couple of tenor builds. I think they sound great, but the wood is a bit blah in appearance compared to some of the other possibilities. I like the "barnwood" term in your post title. I try to use only what can be found and re-purposed. The two tenors I mentioned involved WRC from scraps on a siding job, fir from reclaimed wainscoting, maple necks from the firewood pile, and walnut sides from an orphan table leaf. The fretboards were sawn from an ebony cribbage board I found at a flea market for $3. The Hawaiians used Koa because it was local wood. It is beautiful, and I wish it grew here in New Hampshire. I could afford to send for some, but it feels just too much like eating hummingbird tongues or Argentinian raspberries in January. I'm not condemning the builders out there that produce incredibly beautiful instruments from exotic species found all over the world. I'm feeling relatively comfortable that most of the materials out there are sustainably sourced.
Good luck with that redwood.
 
Here it is

Just finished stringing it up, my barnwood-weathered-side-showing ukulele. Thanks for the idea, Matt.

For now, the weathered side is unfinished, I may just leave it that way.

The neck is also from the barn wood, made by gluing a few of the 3/4" thick pieces together.

The back, sides, fingerboard, and pretty much everything else is manzanita.

barnwood-uke.jpg

barnwood-uke2.jpg
 
Looks great! Can't wait to hear this one!
 
Here's a little show-and-tell vid.

 
This soundboard is pretty interesting and gives it a ]
lot of depth and interest. Cool looks and sounds great
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jupiteruke
Very interesting talk on scientific evaluation of tonewood
Replies
2
Views
413
jupiteruke
jupiteruke
P
Goncales - Tigerwood, as tonewood?
Replies
5
Views
354
pondweed
P
N
Baritone Uke Tonewood
Replies
17
Views
938
merlin666
M
A
Matching Neck to tonewood
Replies
5
Views
535
Pegasus Guitars
Pegasus Guitars
S
tonewood comparison vid
Replies
7
Views
577
wy_uke
W
Top Bottom