lacewood for my next uke

Went to southern lumber today and bought some lace wood. I'm going to try building a uke from solid lace wood.
Anybody have any experience with lace wood. How does it bend ex...

Dan

We got some lace wood while we lived on the Big Island of Hawaii. I know that it is a wood many people have allergic problems with so wear good dust protection. It has an interesting grain pattern. I've shied away from using it myself.

I have it as a back one a concert sized uke I made. Also have used it as binding.
It is brittle and tough to bend if very thick, likes to splinter.
It does look god for trim and headstock caps.

Curlykoa, thanks for that info. I will have a mask on for the build for sure..
Zog, How does it bend compared to walnut or mahogany?
I want to do a koa uke but they didnt have any. I didnt want to go all that way and come home empty handed. I bought the lace-wood but am still looking at koa.
Will keep ya posted.

Dan

It wants to crack in the tight bends. Cant remember if i bent it on the pipe bender or with the blanket. I been using the paper method on my last few sides and it seems to bend better with less splintering on the tight corners.

I think I have a problem. Told Steve I want to do a Koa uke. Went to the wood store and they didnt have any. I bought lacewood. Instead of cutting it up today, I bent some mahogany.
Koa
Lacewood
Mahogany ??
Whats going on ??
I think next week I will cut the lace wood. Then pay day start looking at Koa.
Up till now Ive only done sopranos. I want to do a Koa in concert size. So I will need to build a concert bending jig.

Zog, I dont know the paper method can you explain it to me??
Dan

Another cautionary note on Lacewood aka Silky Oak- the saw dust is bad news. For those sensitive even contact with skin can have a reaction similar to poison oak. Wear a long sleeve shirt, and at least a dust mask while sanding, and have a vacuum system running to suck up the dust as you sand if at all possible. Lacewood trees have beautiful grain but are considered giant weeds here in Hawai'i especially on Maui along with the other introduced OZ tree the Black Wattle a species of Acacia (pretty grains but tends to crack easy). I was one of the fortunate few who are not allergic to Silky Oak or Mango wood (another problem wood) but still wore protective clothes and used a vacuum which I do for all woods regardless of species after a run-un with deadly beautiful Earpod wood dust.

Lefty, If you want to use koa, I hope you'll check out our website, curlykoa.com. If you buy a set from us, you'll know you are getting properly quartersawn and air dried wood, and you can see the bookmatch pattern of each set for sale. Most of our sets are highly figured, but we do have some select grade. There is one offering that one picture is used to describe multiple sets because they are so similar. About $30 if I remember correctly, plus shipping of about $8. My first uke was of select koa and it is a beautiful intrument.

Speaking of mahogany I recently bent my first sides out of African mahogany and I really had trouble with them cracking on the upper bout bend. It's the first time I've ued kiln dried wood and I'm wondering if it' a characteritic of the wood or the drying process. What have you experienced with mahogany?

Curykoa, I will check your web soon as Im done posting this.
As far as Mahogany. Im not the guy to ask. Ive only gotten it from my friend. when he finds good wood he sometimes asks me if I would want some. The mahogany Ive bent was just cut by him but dont know old it is.

Dan

Dan
The paper method uses paper along side the wood to hold the moisture in, some people wrap aluminum foil over the paper too. This is used in a fox bender or bending with a heat blanket.
I have bent some mahogany never had problems with cracking {if} the wood was to proper thickness. This was kiln dried.
Only thing I have ever broken was koa one side I think I let it get to hot before tighting down the screws. I have bent zebrawood sides they are tough but will bend if you take it slow.
Mike
Ps If you look on youtube there are lots of examples on bending using different methods. Pete Howlett has several up I think.

curlykoa, I looked at your site and like it.
I ordered some tenor koa and am very excited to receive it.
I hope this is the start of a nice business relationship.
Down the road, once my koa uke is built I will post photos.
Thanks again.
Dan