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Topic: Question for lap steel builders. |
Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 12 May 2016 4:01 pm |
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| I was watching Barnwood Builders wanted to know what you think about using some of that 200 year old wood to build a steel with? |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 13 May 2016 7:06 am
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It certainly would depend on the piece, but in general, some reclaimed old growth timber could make an excellent base for a steel. There are some arm pit guitar builders using reclaimed wood to great success.
If you really want some old old wood, some of that 50,000 year old Ancient Kauri they have been salvaging out of the bogs in New Zealand would make for a fun steel. I got a couple small samples in from a supplier and my impression is that it is a very lively and resonant wood.
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 8:25 am
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Hi Tom, I saw the article on that wood in Vintage Guitar mag.
I was thinking some of those logs are maple but they used what was growing in the spot they were going to build there log home and others near to the build. Also some times the floor boards are 2"x3" thick. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 13 May 2016 10:42 am Barn Wood
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I've been asked several times to make some one a steel guitar out of their reclaimed wood.
If one plans to make them selves a steel guitar and uses old school hand planes and tools generally speaking,
no worries , and most any wood species will work for a one off home brew project.
If you want to use modern power tools, it brings up a whole can of issues , that drive cost up tremendously.
Likely there are hidden nails spikes and other debris that require both an
XRay and Metallurgical survey to prevent damage to cutters and potential fatal injuries to operators of said equipment.
Next is the Moisture content of the wood, 7-8 percent is a standard required by modern standards.
It is one thing to reduce moisture and another more complicated to increase it.
Of course there is the added expense of surface planning and wide belt sanding to attain correct thickness and level planks.
Currently Hardwood Prices are higher than ever , super exotics even more so.
Using Reclaimed Barn Wood to build another Barn or large beam house is becoming more and more common , at huge expense.
Perhaps this subject belongs in the "If Money Were No Problem" discussion.
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 11:17 am
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Good points George, like Tom you both know what go's into making a steel. The BwB take down old cabins put together with wood pegs. Sometimes they end up with logs that are to bad to use but not all bad but maybe to short for them to use. Also on some that do have nails they just cut above the nail line and remove them. The Kauri is 50 million years old so no nails but the cost is who knows but I would think very high.
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 12:50 pm
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50 million years old?
Did you count the rings?  |
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 1:46 pm
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Good one Erv 
The article said they were knocked down in a natural disater 50 million year's ago in what became a peat bog. Some are 90' around! They are mined not cut till they are out of the ground. |
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 3:36 pm
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| Dennis Smith wrote: |
Good one Erv
The article said they were knocked down in a natural disater 50 million year's ago in what became a peat bog. Some are 90' around! They are mined not cut till they are out of the ground. |
The article said 50 thousand years but what's a few zeros. In any case, it was way before us!
Anybody ever use black walnut for a lap steel? I've got several board feet of 3/4" thick that my dad sawed and ran through a thickness planer about 40 years ago. I've been wondering if I glued together two pieces for a total of 1.5" thickness if it would be strong enough. Does gluing pieces like that adversely affect sustain? |
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 4:08 pm
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Well, with inflation.
Opps, misread it. Thanks Bill
I think the body in the article was walnut and I like liked the way it looked before the wing cover. |
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