Wood for build

[Mike $]

I ordered Honduran Mahogany for my first non-kit build, and I forgot to add kerfing, bracing, heel and end blocks on my order. I don't want to pay any more shipping than I absolutely have to. What woods can I get from the typical home building/hobby places (Home Depot, Lowes, Michaels, etc..) to fill my needs? Is it best to stick with all mahogany or can I go with some other, more common hardwood for these purposes? I am open to suggestions but will ultimately do what is best for the build. Thanks for your advice and wisdom.

 

[Sam.R.B]

I've used basswood from Hobby Lobby of Michaels for solid linings, they sell it in pre thicknessed sheets, I think i usually get 3/32 or 1/8" and then use a wheel marking gauge to cut it into strips.

And depending on how tight the grain is and how close to quarter sawn it is you could probably find spruce or cedar for brace wood.

You could get away with poplar for heel and end blocks, it wouldn't be ideal but it would work and be cheap/easy to find. I think some Menards have Philippine mahogany which would probably be the best choice

 

[sequoia]

I've used basswood from Hobby Lobby of Michaels for solid linings, they sell it in pre thicknessed sheets, I think i usually get 3/32 or 1/8" and then use a wheel marking gauge to cut it into strips.

And depending on how tight the grain is and how close to quarter sawn it is you could probably find spruce or cedar for brace wood.

You could get away with poplar for heel and end blocks, it wouldn't be ideal but it would work and be cheap/easy to find. I think some Menards have Philippine mahogany which would probably be the best choice

All good suggestions except I wouldn't use poplar for the blocks. I don't think it is hard and dense enough. Also, you don't want these blocks to be deforming/moving with changes in humidity. A good stable hardwood would be better. I don't know where you live other than planet earth Mike, but here in the civilized world, they sell mahogany at the lumber yard. Laminate if you have too to get the right thickness.

 

[Uke-alot]

All good suggestions except I wouldn't use poplar for the blocks. I don't think it is hard and dense enough. Also, you don't want these blocks to be deforming/moving with changes in humidity. A good stable hardwood would be better. I don't know where you live other than planet earth Mike, but here in the civilized world, they sell mahogany at the lumber yard. Laminate if you have too to get the right thickness.

Typically, maple and oak are available at the big box stores. Either of those would be plenty strong for end blocks. Maple would be the more traditional choice of the two, I imagine. Pricing of these woods can be quite expensive compared to real lumberyards, although maybe it doesn't matter if only a small quantity is needed. Mahogany of some description might available as well, as stair treads or decking.

Bracing could be made from 2x lumber that is spruce (for those who can tell the difference between spruce and the other species that are generically sold as "SPF") or douglass fir.

I was just reading the other day that western red cedar is suitable for bracing, and that is sometimes available as quartersawn clapboards.

OP - if you're in the US, are there any Woodcraft stores near you? If so, they often have a bargain bin with small cutoffs or whatever. And they will likely have Honduran mahogany if that's what you really want.

 

[Timbuck]

I've used basswood from Hobby Lobby of Michaels for solid linings, they sell it in pre thicknessed sheets, I think i usually get 3/32 or 1/8" and then use a wheel marking gauge to cut it into strips.

And depending on how tight the grain is and how close to quarter sawn it is you could probably find spruce or cedar for brace wood.

You could get away with poplar for heel and end blocks, it wouldn't be ideal but it would work and be cheap/easy to find. I think some Menards have Philippine mahogany which would probably be the best choice

I go on eBay and look for reclaimed Mahogany..i just purchased a nice chunk half an hour ago.

 

[Ken W]

I second the “western red cedar for braces“ comment. I found a perfectly quartersawn board at my local chain store and there was enough wood in that board for several soprano tops and a whole bunch of braces. I like the way they sound and other folks seem to also. I did have to sort through a bunch of boards to find the quartersawn, however.

 

[BradDonaldson]

Most of the Home Depot’s I have been into have African mahogany (sapelle or khaya). If you have a Woodcraft store near you, it is ideal because they have bins of small pieces of exotic wood.
Brad

 

[jupiteruke]

All good suggestions except I wouldn't use poplar for the blocks. I don't think it is hard and dense enough. Also, you don't want these blocks to be deforming/moving with changes in humidity. A good stable hardwood would be better. I don't know where you live other than planet earth Mike, but here in the civilized world, they sell mahogany at the lumber yard. Laminate if you have too to get the right thickness.

I differ on the opinion on poplar. Poplar is very stable and strong. On all that oak furniture made early in the last century the carcass was most often made from poplar as it is very stable. Does not warp or check over time. I once took apart an old baby grand piano, thinking it was mahogany. Nope - mahogany veneer over poplar. They chose poplar for the core for stability reasons as you don't want a 5 foot piano lid warming.

 

[Arcy]

If some of you could suggest possible names for these establishments, I might have a better chance of finding one.

"Woodcraft" is the name of a popular chain of hobbiest woodworking stores. https://www.woodcraft.com/store_locations
"Rockler" is another https://www.rockler.com/retail/stores/

I get useful hits searching for "hardwood lumber near me" as well.

 

[Wildestcat]

O.K., thanks Arcy, I didn't realize the store named Woodcraft was what they were talking about. I found one that I will check out. Looks like I have all the info I need. Feel free to add, suggest, comment and generally give advice if anyone feels it is appropriate.
Thanks everyone.

I would recommend high quality baltic birch ply, particularly for the tailblock. The grade sold in the UK as " 9 mm laser ply" works well and is available in small sheets. Add a hardwood veneer (leftover back/sides) to the front face for appearance . You can do the same for the headblock, although more work will be required to achieve the necessary thickness and appearance on three sides. High grade ply is extremely stable and will not split - prerequisites for the end blocks.

 

[necessaryrooster]

I ordered Honduran Mahogany for my first non-kit build, and I forgot to add kerfing, bracing, heel and end blocks on my order. I don't want to pay any more shipping than I absolutely have to. What woods can I get from the typical home building/hobby places (Home Depot, Lowes, Michaels, etc..) to fill my needs? Is it best to stick with all mahogany or can I go with some other, more common hardwood for these purposes? I am open to suggestions but will ultimately do what is best for the build. Thanks for your advice and wisdom.

Not sure about your budget or desire to keep building, but just an fyi...you can order a "kit" from LMII to help ensure you don't forget any parts. It basically just walks you through and has you pick out each separate part from their stock and then they bundle it all together. They'll make recommendations, too. They'll also do stuff like profile/join/sand your pieces, bend your sides, and cut slots in the fretboard. They'll even bend binding for you. You can also just order the plain pieces and do it all yourself.

 

[Uke-alot]

I differ on the opinion on poplar. Poplar is very stable and strong. On all that oak furniture made early in the last century the carcass was most often made from poplar as it is very stable. Does not warp or check over time. I once took apart an old baby grand piano, thinking it was mahogany. Nope - mahogany veneer over poplar. They chose poplar for the core for stability reasons as you don't want a 5 foot piano lid warming.

I recently completed a project (a bed frame with rolling storage drawers to go underneath) where I bought a mixture of true poplar and tulip wood (which is marketed as "poplar" even though it is a completely different species). They came from a local lumber yard. They are considered more or less interchangeable from a commercial standpoint. They do generally have a substantially different appearance, but that doesn't matter because probably both mostly get used in painted projects or for internal parts that don't show. I had never worked with either species before.

If "poplar" has green, gray, purple coloration and a distinct grain pattern, it's probably actually tulip heartwood. I understand that tulip sapwood is a lot lighter and better resembles true poplar, but I don't think I got any of that. Long story short, I liked working with the tulip better than the poplar. The tulip was noticeably harder and denser. It planed more consistently. Mine had a lot of green in it (which would reportedly turn brown over time if exposed to UV light) and had a pronounced grain pattern that grew on me (the boards I worked with were all flatsawn, so they had cathedral grain). I might consider using tulip in a ukulele build, but I'm not sure poplar would be my first choice for that. One the other hand, it appears to be a perfectly fine wood for a bunch of purposes, including the ones you described.

 

[printer2]

If there are any radio controlled aircraft hobby stores you can get spruce from them. It will be a good grade as they do not want their planes falling out of the sky. I have bought 2x4's from lumber yards and cut them up as bracing and kerfed linings. You do have to select a good one, at least with enough straight grain for the lengths you want. At least uke's are short, you should be able to find enough easily. Home Depot here has better spruce/pine board section rather than construction grade (although some is crap there also but I have found terrific pieces there).

As examples.

They normally have some hobby poplar and oak, should be by the dowels, they would be good for linings and end blocks,

The braces should be quartered but even if you buy some that is cut on an angle as long as you can plane it to shape it is fine.

This was crap fence board, you can do better. Just used it to show you can take a pig and make a purse out of it.

Bits od scrap plywoods for endblocks are fine. Actually more stable than solid wood. The linings were made from spruce.

 

[Mike $]

-Thanks Sam, didn't consider Menards. I will look for one near me. Thanks for your other suggestions as well.
-Thanks Sequoia, Uke-alot, Timbuck, and Ken W. The focus of my search has widened significantly thanks to you. I really appreciate all the suggestions so far. I haven't found any woodcraft stores near me unfortunately, that would have been quite a nice solution. I am searching through ebay and will check for cedar, douglas fir and spruce at the home building stores. I haven't located any lumber yards nearby.
-Thanks Jupiter, I will consider poplar if I find some. Thanks Brad, this is the second time woodcraft stores with bargain bins have been mentioned. I am wondering if there are any woodcraft stores near me. A google search yields nothing for the generic search of "Woodcraft stores near me" and a few variations like "woodworking" or "...place to work on woodcraft". In my mind I imagine a place where people go to work on their wood projects, and they supply some tools to use and a space to work and charge somehow. I could be totally off. But, if some of you could suggest possible names for these establishments, I might have a better chance of finding one.
-Thanks Arcy, I didn't realize the store named Woodcraft was what they were talking about. I found one that I will check out.
-Thanks Rooster and Printer2, I appreciate the suggestions.
Looks like I have all the info I need. Feel free to add, suggest, comment and generally give advice if anyone feels it is appropriate.

later that day...
Part of my problem has been solved. They sent me a 3"x4"x6" hunk of H. Mahogany which will be plenty for the neck and end blocks. Maybe i'll make the bridge out of mahogany and cut up the ebony bridge blank (8-1/2" x 1-1/4" x 15/16") into an extra bridge for a future project and a saddle and nut for this build. There will still be plenty left over.They also sent me an extra piece of 3-1/2" x 7-1/2" mahogany about as thick as a side. I guess I can use some of it for the bridge plate, and maybe sound hole bracing. So i'm pretty happy about that.

 

[sequoia]

Part of my problem has been solved. They sent me a 3"x4"x6" hunk of H. Mahogany which will be plenty for the neck and end blocks.

Not sure the dimensions are enough for a neck. Seems kinda short. Plenty for end blocks though.

 

[jupiteruke]

I recently completed a project (a bed frame with rolling storage drawers to go underneath) where I bought a mixture of true poplar and tulip wood (which is marketed as "poplar" even though it is a completely different species). They came from a local lumber yard. They are considered more or less interchangeable from a commercial standpoint. They do generally have a substantially different appearance, but that doesn't matter because probably both mostly get used in painted projects or for internal parts that don't show. I had never worked with either species before.

If "poplar" has green, gray, purple coloration and a distinct grain pattern, it's probably actually tulip heartwood. I understand that tulip sapwood is a lot lighter and better resembles true poplar, but I don't think I got any of that. Long story short, I liked working with the tulip better than the poplar. The tulip was noticeably harder and denser. It planed more consistently. Mine had a lot of green in it (which would reportedly turn brown over time if exposed to UV light) and had a pronounced grain pattern that grew on me (the boards I worked with were all flatsawn, so they had cathedral grain). I might consider using tulip in a ukulele build, but I'm not sure poplar would be my first choice for that. One the other hand, it appears to be a perfectly fine wood for a bunch of purposes, including the ones you described.

Ah, common names. Here in the Eastern US "poplar" is 'Tulip Poplar', aka 'yellow poplar', Liriodendron tulipifera. In other parts of the US 'poplar' is more likely one of the aspens which are indeed lighter and more even in color.

 

[Uke-alot]

Ah, common names. Here in the Eastern US "poplar" is 'Tulip Poplar', aka 'yellow poplar', Liriodendron tulipifera. In other parts of the US 'poplar' is more likely one of the aspens which are indeed lighter and more even in color.

In the New England lumber yard where I bought my tulip and poplar, the owner had the tulip and poplar separated and labeled, which was a nice touch. As I think of it, it seems a little strange how interchangeable they're considered commercially given that they don't look alike, and of course that has led to woodworkers sometimes not knowing the difference or not knowing the proper name of what they're using, etc. Red maple and birch are more alike in appearance and working properties than poplar/aspen and tulip, but AFAIK they've always been distinct products instead of being lumped together.

Of course, do I know that the "poplar" I got wasn't some kind of aspen or cottonwood? I do not.