Nail Biting Time

[Timbuck]

Today I feel like Joseph Asscher The Guy who was given the task of splitting the "Cullinan Rough Diamond" Somehow I've ended up being tasked to make a Ukulele out of the the most expensive timber on the planet. ..bending the sides without problems is one of the worries ..plus bindings being fitted without gaps or cracks and all the other things that can go wrong. They say that Asscher had a doctor and nurse on standby when he did the job in case he had heart failure.

 

[printer2]

Piece of cake. You will nail it.

 

[EDW]

Piece of cake. You will nail it.

Probably better to use glue

 

[Moore Bettah Ukuleles]

The only problem you’re likely to run into is when bending could be a tendency to facet somewhat. Make sure your sides aren’t too thin so that you have room to sand those facets out.

 

[Ukecaster]

What exactly is that wood?

 

[Timbuck]

What exactly is that wood?

 

[Ukecaster]

Oh wow, they also link to this:

The Tree: The Most Notorious Tonewood in the World - StewMac

The discovery, the history, and the legend of the most notorious tonewood in the world

www.stewmac.com

Good luck with it Ken!

 

[oldjazznut]

She calls it "Tree mahogany"? Isn't all mahogany from trees? Not much of a description. I know there are many species of mahogany, usually named to their location. Maybe they should call it Soggy Belize Mahogany? Being one of a kind, which I find a little hard to believe, I guess "The Tree" will do.

It bothers me now that the formerly common woods are being supplanted by woods we never heard of, that builders wouldn't touch a few years back. If a wood wasn't desirable then, how did it get better? My LU-21Cs are Nato, that was one of the first substitute woods. At least it's a first cousin to mahogany. Laminated anyway.

 

[oldjazznut]

Today I feel like Joseph Asscher The Guy who was given the task of splitting the "Cullinan Rough Diamond" Somehow I've ended up being tasked to make a Ukulele out of the the most expensive timber on the planet. ..bending the sides without problems is one of the worries ..plus bindings being fitted without gaps or cracks and all the other things that can go wrong. They say that Asscher had a doctor and nurse on standby when he did the job in case he had heart failure.

View attachment 157033

In this case, to paraphrase the old saying, "Measure ten times, cut once" ..... ... I undertand he would study the diamond for days before each cut.

 

[Mike $]

Too bad you won't be auctioning that one one ebay. That would be a fun auction to watch.

 

[oldjazznut]

On eBay? More like Sotheby's ! ....

 

[TerryM]

Had not heard the George Lucas paneling part of The Tree's story. Good luck with it.

 

[sequoia]

Cute model. Who cares about the wood... Don't make her cry Ken.

 

[John Colter]

Relax, Ken! You've already bent some mahogany with a very similar figuration. This is your 01081118. It'll be fine - (where's the "crossing fingers" emoji?)

 

[Timbuck]

Relax, Ken! You've already bent some mahogany with a very similar figuration. This is your 01081118. It'll be fine - (where's the "crossing fingers" emoji?)
View attachment 157083

I remember that one John ...it was Sapele I bought it for neck wood but the grain was all over the place like knots so I did an experiment and tried it out as side ribs, I was amazed with the finish and it bent without any bother.

 

[Timbuck]

Now here is a strange thing .. I have been doing a bit of studying on this timber, and find I can get two soprano pairs from it joined down the centre ...and the book-match on both sets line up almost exactly, even tho they are on opposite sides

 

[Bad Juju]

They will be stunning!

 

[Island Jim]

Are the sides wide enough to get two sets out of them?

 

[kerneltime]

Are the sides wide enough to get two sets out of them?

You could do laminate sides to make two sets of sides?!

 

[kerneltime]

Or do an all-mahogany soprano