Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Full Version)

Foro Flamenco: http://www.foroflamenco.com/
- Discussions: http://www.foroflamenco.com/default.asp?catApp=0
- - Lutherie: http://www.foroflamenco.com/in_forum.asp?forumid=22
- - - Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs: http://www.foroflamenco.com/fb.asp?m=336990



Message


ernandez R -> Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 6:24:19)

Alaskan Yellow Cedar backs and ribs


Just received an email from Gerry Chicolo of Master Grade tonewood and a video of him bucking up a Yellow Cedar beach log. I had sent him an email just the other day to remind him I was looking for some. He said they had a terrible heat wave down there, over 100f and hadn't been doing much in he way of beach coming.



Should have some fotos of the billets here soon.

On my previous Cedar (cheddar f'n spell check) thread Rob had suggested using AYC for Blanca ribs and back so I asked Gerry if he had any, he didn't. And it was mentioned that Anders had used the AYC also.

Guessing it will be a month before I have any in my shop but wanted to start this thread, give a shout out to Gerry, but mostly to get a couple ideas about thicknessing for backs and ribs. How well does it bend in the iron? Dry, wet, soaked? That kind of info. I read a lot of Anders posts from years past and missed the fact that he used the AYC but if someone has an idea if he had mentioned it and could point me to a date-ish or link that would help.

Thanx,

HR




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 12:30:07)

I believe the guitar Anders makes in Simon’s movie is using AYC, they discuss it in the wood selection scene. Also search on Nootka Cypress, it’s the same thing. That looks like really nice wood in the video you posted. I might give Gerry a call myself.




Tom Blackshear -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 13:45:55)

On my previous Cedar (cheddar f'n spell check) thread Rob had suggested using AYC for Blanca ribs and back so I asked Gerry if he had any, he didn't. And it was mentioned that Anders had used the AYC also.............

I started building with AYC in 1974 with lumber from a San Antonio Texas lumber yard. It was perfect for flamenco guitars. The only thing that detracted from it was the yellow color.

A player in SA bought one and took it to Spain on vacation. Spanish players gave it the name banana guitar and one player who owned a Santos said that the builder builds as good as Santos and that it would be a better guitar if he would only use our wood. No joke :-)




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 18:09:48)

Rob,

Mostly sure I watched the Anders film sometime shortly after my post foot surgery pain pill period. Can't say I recall much ;) I'll have to give it another watch soon.

Gerry remarked that this log had vary fine grain, not sure how important that is for ribs and backs?

HR




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 18:13:45)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tom Blackshear

On my previous Cedar (cheddar f'n spell check) thread Rob had suggested using AYC for Blanca ribs and back so I asked Gerry if he had any, he didn't. And it was mentioned that Anders had used the AYC also.............

I started building with AYC in 1974 with lumber from a San Antonio Texas lumber yard. It was perfect for flamenco guitars. The only thing that detracted from it was the yellow color.

A player in SA bought one and took it to Spain on vacation. Spanish players gave it the name banana guitar and one player who owned a Santos said that the builder builds as good as Santos and that it would be a better guitar if he would only use our wood. No joke :-)


Tom,
what made you decide to use AYC for backs and ribs? I know some steel string builders use it for tops by it was here in the foro that I heard it was being used for Blanca back and rib wood.

Heard of some serious flash flooding down your way, hope you are high and dry ;)

HR




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 18:42:20)

quote:

Gerry remarked that this log had vary fine grain, not sure how important that is for ribs and backs?

Fine is fine, no problemo. The stuff I have ranges from about 32-40 lines per inch.

Ummm, I wouldn’t take to long mulling it over, if you have the cash. Depending on how many logs he recovered it might not be around very long.




Tom Blackshear -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 10 2021 21:19:19)

what made you decide to use AYC for backs and ribs? I know some steel string builders use it for tops by it was here in the foro that I heard it was being used for Blanca back and rib wood...................'


The Japanese were using it before me. The SA lumber yard had a lot of residual from their in house furniture mill so I bought a lot of lumber shorts and gave it a try. It makes a good guitar.

I just said something about it because this wood has been used for many years before this list. And I don't think it would make a good nylon strung flamenco top, even though Bob Ruck used Port Orford cedar for some of his tops.

I built one flamenco top with PO but I like Englemann spruce better.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 13 2021 16:58:46)

Couple photos of the AYC billets. Should have a few in the shop in about ten days.

The longer billets for the ribs were not perfectly straight and were discounted accordingly. I told him I didn’t mind a little caricater ;)

Dark color is from water in the “swamp” he stores the billets in so they don’t dry out and split etc.

HR





Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px




Andy Culpepper -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 13 2021 18:38:01)

Niiice, I love AYC for blancas. I used it for my first guitar back and sides, and probably 7-8 others. The one I have in the classifieds right now is AYC. It did spontaneously develop a crack in the back while it was in my shop, but it had done a fair amount of traveling, gigging, etc. My #1 is still perfect. Overall it seems like stable wood, but it bends about like other softwoods (not great, wants to kink). I prefer bending it on the machine.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 14 2021 4:54:00)

Andy,

Gerry warned me that I needed to processe this wood ASAP cause it was vary suseptable to checking in the raw like this. Guessing I'll saw it all up the day it lands here.

Thanx for the heads up about bending. Would like to go almost Torres thin for the ribs, what's your ideal rib thickness for the AYC you've used/bent. Also how much moisture/soak/mist to bend in the Fox?

Couple years ago on the Delcamp there was a gentalmen who joked he was in the wood collecting stage of luthiery, I joked I was in the guitar building stage. Jokes on me now, I'm super busy with outside chores undone for a year with my broken foot, seems now I'm in the wood hoarding stage ;)

I've got a couple luthiers interesting in coming up to my part of Alaska for a vacation who have a lot more experience then I so if it works out hoping to gain some of the hands on learning I've missed out on when we all went into lockdown.

Still planing to see my daughter in Boston of all goes well in the fall, Lady Lamb has a show there and we are fans, mid October, I politely suggested to the Boss we might have to take a drive down your way.


HR




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 14 2021 5:03:29)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

I believe the guitar Anders makes in Simon’s movie is using AYC, they discuss it in the wood selection scene. Also search on Nootka Cypress, it’s the same thing. That looks like really nice wood in the video you posted. I might give Gerry a call myself.


Rob,
Just rereading this thread. Did you get a hold of Gerry? Perhaps we could do a trade. Let me get this cut up and see how the rib wood resaws. He mentioned it wasn't perfect but I told him I didn't mind at this point, I'm certainly not building perfect guitars ;)

HR




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 15 2021 1:19:25)

Hi HR. I ended up not giving him a call, as I checked my pile and decided what I have left will have to do for now. The trade idea is cool, but I think we’d get killed on shipping because it gets so expensive each time the border is crossed. It’s nuts what’s happened with CDN/US shipping costs in recent years - using the post office used to be so affordable. At any rate, I think I better sit tight with what I have for the foreseeable future.

I have a feeling you’re going to like this wood. Hopefully the side billets work out OK.




JasonM -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 15 2021 15:23:12)

I prefer pork back and ribs




Andy Culpepper -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 16 2021 4:05:44)

quote:

Andy,

Gerry warned me that I needed to processe this wood ASAP cause it was vary suseptable to checking in the raw like this. Guessing I'll saw it all up the day it lands here.

Thanx for the heads up about bending. Would like to go almost Torres thin for the ribs, what's your ideal rib thickness for the AYC you've used/bent. Also how much moisture/soak/mist to bend in the Fox?

Couple years ago on the Delcamp there was a gentalmen who joked he was in the wood collecting stage of luthiery, I joked I was in the guitar building stage. Jokes on me now, I'm super busy with outside chores undone for a year with my broken foot, seems now I'm in the wood hoarding stage ;)

I've got a couple luthiers interesting in coming up to my part of Alaska for a vacation who have a lot more experience then I so if it works out hoping to gain some of the hands on learning I've missed out on when we all went into lockdown.

Still planing to see my daughter in Boston of all goes well in the fall, Lady Lamb has a show there and we are fans, mid October, I politely suggested to the Boss we might have to take a drive down your way.


HR


I would probably bend them at about 1.8mm with a misting of water on the bending machine, a bit thinner if bending by hand. Definitely let me know whenever you're in the area! Visiting Alaska also sounds incredible, maybe some day.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 16 2021 6:09:34)

quote:

ORIGINAL: JasonM

I prefer pork back and ribs


Jason,

Back in the day it was a double Stoli Kazi and a beer back...




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 16 2021 6:18:14)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Andy Culpepper

quote:

Andy,

Gerry warned me that I needed to processe this wood ASAP cause it was vary suseptable to checking in the raw like this. Guessing I'll saw it all up the day it lands here.

Thanx for the heads up about bending. Would like to go almost Torres thin for the ribs, what's your ideal rib thickness for the AYC you've used/bent. Also how much moisture/soak/mist to bend in the Fox?

Couple years ago on the Delcamp there was a gentalmen who joked he was in the wood collecting stage of luthiery, I joked I was in the guitar building stage. Jokes on me now, I'm super busy with outside chores undone for a year with my broken foot, seems now I'm in the wood hoarding stage ;)

I've got a couple luthiers interesting in coming up to my part of Alaska for a vacation who have a lot more experience then I so if it works out hoping to gain some of the hands on learning I've missed out on when we all went into lockdown.

Still planing to see my daughter in Boston of all goes well in the fall, Lady Lamb has a show there and we are fans, mid October, I politely suggested to the Boss we might have to take a drive down your way.


HR


I would probably bend them at about 1.8mm with a misting of water on the bending machine, a bit thinner if bending by hand. Definitely let me know whenever you're in the area! Visiting Alaska also sounds incredible, maybe some day.


Andy,
Thanx for the info.

We have an old style 100 year old Roadhouse with rooms and some rental cabins we discount to friends . We also have a bunkhouse and some trailers we put up riffraff, my fly in pilot friends, and luthiers gratis. Anyone interested just pm, would love to be able to give back cause.

HR




Tikahtnu -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 17 2021 0:49:56)

Ah this is super cool that this thread is current, I was just looking up the viability of AYC as flamenco back and ribs. Synchronicity :)

I’ve been lurking around for a little bit, this forum is great, such a dense collection of knowledge here. I really appreciate it. I’m originally from the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, born and raised, currently working as a diver cleaning boat bottoms in Sausalito in San Francisco Bay. I haven’t built any guitars but I’m taking Robbie Anderson’s classical guitar building course next February and I’m seriously considering traveling to Spain later I’m 2022 to work with Paco Chorobo to build a flamenco guitar. I’m currently in the acquisition stage. I have an ancient spruce top for a tenor ukulele and an ultra light Sitka spruce top for a guitar.

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

I believe the guitar Anders makes in Simon’s movie is using AYC, they discuss it in the wood selection scene. Also search on Nootka Cypress, it’s the same thing. That looks like really nice wood in the video you posted. I might give Gerry a call myself.


quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

I have a feeling you’re going to like this wood. Hopefully the side billets work out OK.


What video are you talking about? I’d love to check it out if it’s available online. And is Gerry a member here? Is he in the business of selling billets or not so much? I’d love to stock up on some AYC and Sitka spruce. I have a 75 year old triple planked New Sealand built kauri double ender sailboat that I’m working on getting back in blue water shape. I’ve found a spot on the deck that appears to be damaged from an engine fire in the past that I’m replacing with AYC, just got the lumber the other day (with the ultra light Sitka top and ancient spruce tenor ukulele top). The wood smelled AMAZING when I opened one of the boxes. I had to shut off the world for a second and breathe it in.

Very excited to hear it makes great back and ribs for a flamenco.




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 17 2021 8:23:06)

Hi Tikahtnu,

I’ll leave it to HR to answer your questions about the wood supply, but here’s a link to the movie I mentioned:

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=268456&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 18 2021 3:55:28)

Tika,
Welcolm to the foro.

Gerry is not on here but the link at the top should lead you to his other videos about beach harvesting WRC and AYC.

I had been looking at Alaska tone wood but they didn't have much for AYC and the price was prohibitive. I was more interested at WRC at the imentendi their selection was limited.

Shipping from Gerry's Master Tonewood is a killer though but no way to get around that. Sliced up the WRC and waiting for it to sit a year or more before I work it into a top. I am going to brace up one of the less optimal pairs this summer just cause .

Boats are like airplanes only worse, they don't fly ;)

Had planed a couple luthier training sessions down in America just before the covid and also Spain... Tangled with a moose a couple weeks into our state wide shutdown, seems the extra larg ungulat didn't get the memo, crushed my foot and laid me out for almost a year. Can't get my flight medacal back yet. Just now walking sorta normal but damn near a year of undone outdoor chores to catch up on so little time in the shop last month or so, but it's coming.

Lotta good helpful talent here on the foro for both playing and building.

HR




Tikahtnu -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 19 2021 5:19:04)

Was it a vehicle accident with a moose or were you attacked? That sounds terrifying either way. I’ve been charged by moose that were with heir calves when I was younger, getting too close to them. They don’t f*k around.

Have you ever gone through Alaska Specialty Woods? That’s who I got my two soundboards from, and the lumber for the deck of my boat. I’m very new to the world of tonewoods. My three nicest guitars so far have all been Cordobas, and I understand that they put quite the foul taste in peoples ears around here. I can understand, as recently I’ve heard my F7 next to a Glenn Canin blanca. I thought my g string was somehow dead, or deader than normal, and it sounded like my guitar was made out of wet cardboard. Connecting with the sound produced by wood is one of my favorite experiences in life and I’m glad that the limit is so much higher than where I’m at with it currently. Next Saturday I’ll be hearing an assortment of Jason McGuire’s guitars, two of which Glenn Canin’s. Very much looking forward to that.

Sailboats and planes are remarkably similar. Many of the concepts are interchangeable, but the names for the concepts are all different. I wish more sailors had been involved in early aviation. Perhaps they were and I just haven’t run across any of the information. One thing I prefer about sailboats is that I don’t have to pay a mechanic $100 an hour to work on them. I can pay much more than that struggling to do it on my own [:D]

For wood suppliers in Alaska, I know of Alaska Specialty Woods, and now Alaska Tone woods (or are these the same company?) and Gerry’s Master Tonewoods? I’d be interested in developing a relationship with any that I can. I sent the deposit today for the flamenco build with Paco Chorobo today, very excited for that. I’ve yet to leave North America and he’s offering a brand new course next year involving no electricity whatsoever, all traditional methods and no synthetic material. Really hoping to be able to combine newfound knowledge, Alaskan woods and my sailboat to point me in a new direction in life.

Hope you heal well, sorry to hear you haven’t been able to retain your medical. Such an enormous investment being an aviator, such a shame to have your wings clipped.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 19 2021 8:45:42)

Tika,

Think I got the names of the companies confused in my head and they are one in the same.

Moose ran me down, head butt from behind, crushed my foot in a bunny boot, 21 pieces of titanium, then tried to stomp me to death. Living the dream!

So, my AYC is in US customs being inspected per the tracking info, somewhere in the Bay Area it seems, kinda like like luthier Christmas Eve...

Looking at getting a straight tail manual flap C150 once I get my medical back. Small and easy just to burn blue gass and make noise.


HR




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 29 2021 6:09:44)

Pulled two pieces of the AYC and ran them through my drum sander, quick pass with worn 220 on the DA, two wipes of shellac, then naphtha first the photo.
I still need to slice up the rib billets :/
Photo with WRC is to get camera to do the color correction to get the real color of the Yellow









Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 29 2021 16:09:44)

Very nice.

How do you like the smell?




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 29 2021 17:57:15)

I have about 20 sets but there are a few inclusions in there.
I need to run them through the drum sander to see what a really have, waiting a week or two for them to dry up some. I ran the one set last night cause I wanted to know ;)
Was surprised how resinous the AYC is, it really loaded up the band saw blade and I played around some until I found a light touch of parifin from a candle worked best as a lubricant the oil mixture I use or water didn’t help. The heat from the blade vaporized some of the resin and it was powerful in the shop. Smells wonderful in there now.

HR





Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 30 2021 4:59:35)

Slicing up some tasty Yellow Cedar ribs...

Oh look it’s sideways upload day!

HR







Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 30 2021 5:15:32)

Maybe it’s difficult to tell from one sideways picture, but those sides don’t look wonky, they look just fine. Can you get a picture of a cleaned up side showing why they were discounted? The grain sure looks nice and straight in the shot you posted.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Jul. 30 2021 6:50:08)

Rob,
The two long billets Gerry had suitable for ribs had one with a twist of about 5-8 degrees along a 37" inch length and the other had a wave of less then 1" over a 38" lenth. Normally he only ships perfect fro split billets. I told him I didn't mind the variation as this was my first experience with the AYC and was eager to get my hands on it just to see. He did mention the grain was extra fine and he also mentioned this wood was old and was ready to use.

I'll let this rib wood settle a bit and then I'll sand out a set for show and tell. So far it looks good, I sliced six sets off until I ran into the noise curfew, I'll get another 10 sets from this billet and guessing I'll get the same from the other. I got greedy and was trying to use this one bandsaw blade but it's done, wasted a lot of time with a dull blade. Foolish.

HR


quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

Maybe it’s difficult to tell from one sideways picture, but those sides don’t look wonky, they look just fine. Can you get a picture of a cleaned up side showing why they were discounted? The grain sure looks nice and straight in the shot you posted.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Aug. 1 2021 19:34:12)

Rob,
First cut with new blade set.

Small closeup is of an inclusion I see but just a few and never more then one slice thick.

The last few slices of the billet had some zigzag in the grain but perfect for some lower bought cheirector.

Have some friends of a luthier from half way around the world staying with us and wanted to have this ready to send some AYC and WRC back with them.

I still have one more long billet to slice up.

HR







Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px




RobF -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Aug. 1 2021 22:22:06)

Sure is nice looking wood.

One small suggestion, if you aren’t doing this already, is to mark out the book matches either by numbering the slices or by crosshatching and labelling. It would be so easy to mix up a stack like that if someone goes through the wood, and not so easy to sort out if the order is lost.




ernandez R -> RE: Alaskan Yellow Cedar for back and ribs (Aug. 2 2021 6:13:48)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RobF

Sure is nice looking wood.

One small suggestion, if you aren’t doing this already, is to mark out the book matches either by numbering the slices or by crosshatching and labelling. It would be so easy to mix up a stack like that if someone goes through the wood, and not so easy to sort out if the order is lost.



Rob,

Thanx, it has a nice tap to it, not dead at all so I'm hoping for good things.

And Thanx for the indexing suggestion, up thread you will see I pencil a few diagonal lines across the end of each billet as a reference. Still haven't played 52 pickup with a stack but close a couple times. I did use colored markers once but the damn ink bled deep into the end grain so I went back to my no sharpy in the shop rule except for writing on parts bags, pencil only.

Once the wood dries up some and the edge sealer cures, takes a couple weeks, I'll sand them up some, 80grt to get rid of the saw marks and grade them. I find I like to join thick, cut out the plantilla outline, then thickness accordingly.

And yes the shop smells great every time I walk in there. BTW: sent a couple pm couple weeks ago.

HR




Page: [1] 2    >   >>

Valid CSS!




Forum Software powered by ASP Playground Advanced Edition 2.0.5
Copyright © 2000 - 2003 ASPPlayground.NET