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  #1  
Old 07-20-2018, 09:42 PM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Default Wow...’Sinker’ Mahogany slab that is gorgeous

Recently scored this slab (2” thick, 8” wide, 25” long) of highly figured ‘Sinker’ Mahogany. Knew this stuff would look good, but when we ran it through the planer was blown away by how nice it looked. I mean it actually looks nicer than some AAAAA stuff used by Froggy Bottom! Unfortunately at 8” it’s pushing the limits for a Dreadnaut or OM, but think how nice this will look bookmatched on a 00 or LG sized guitar!
I’m probably going to have this one Professionally cut by a mill that specializes in cutting tone-wood...definitely don’t want to risk screwing this one up! Really hard to put a value on this as it’s off the chart.

Here’s a link to the pics (2nd one is laying next to some lightly figured Sapele which is also cool) - board is unfinished raw cut so you can imagine how nice it will be finished!

https://flic.kr/p/28f5815

https://flic.kr/p/28f57Zy
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Old 07-21-2018, 06:21 AM
KingCavalier KingCavalier is offline
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Great looking board, I wouldn't hesitate to build any Guitar with that.
You should have no problem adding a few pieces to the lower bout to cover the size. I build multi piece backs all the time, a 1/2 on both sides of top wouldn't stop me either.

Build on and post lots of pics.

SA
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Old 07-21-2018, 07:34 AM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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Easy enough to use offcuts to make wings for the lower bout... Just try to match the grain with the offcuts and it will be fine.
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:13 PM
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nacluth nacluth is offline
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Did you get some wood for sides as well?
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:36 PM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Sadly no, its the only piece. I did get a crazy, highly figured slab of Sapele that is 2" thick and big enough for back and sides. Best of all, this stuff was free so I can't complain about sizes
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:44 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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8" is plenty wide enough for a standard dreadnought, which is 15 5/8" in the lower bout.
The fact that you have at least 1/16" on each edge for the binding (1/8" total), and allow at least 1/32" for the backstrip, that means that the jointed halves only need to be 7.73" wide.
Martin glues the backstrip between the halves of the back. In most cases, I do the same. Some backstrips are close to 1/4" wide.
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Old 07-23-2018, 07:59 AM
redir redir is offline
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Sorry to be a downer but I don't like the end grain runout on that board. Your center seam would be a glued end grain joint but it's certainly been done before. If you do use it you might consider using some epoxy and doing a graft as well. You could make some ukes for sure and possibly even orientate the template so that you get the long grain.
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Old 07-23-2018, 07:03 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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I would build with it. Mahogany (particularly old mahogany) is pretty stable. The grain angle appears to be about 15 degrees.
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Old 07-24-2018, 07:24 AM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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You can also angle the guitar template so that the upper bout is kissing the same edge as the lower bout. This will have the grain more aligned with the center line.
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Old 07-25-2018, 06:34 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Quote:
You can also angle the guitar template
Yes, but that reduces it below dreadnought size. By angling the template that much, you would need a board that is at least 8 3/4" wide to make a dreadnought. But you can add wings to the lower bout.
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Old 07-25-2018, 07:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arnold View Post
Yes, but that reduces it below dreadnought size. By angling the template that much, you would need a board that is at least 8 3/4" wide to make a dreadnought. But you can add wings to the lower bout.
John, not all of us live in the Dreadnought world.
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Old 07-25-2018, 09:22 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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I am right with you there. Nearly all the guitars I own and play are smaller than dreadnought.
But as a tonewood supplier, I consider it a shame to build smaller guitars from dreadnought size wood. It not only wastes wood, but it wastes money. With available logs getting ever smaller and smaller, it is a continual struggle to get wood suitable to make the larger sizes of backs, sides, and tops.
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Old 07-26-2018, 06:46 AM
redir redir is offline
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Well if JA says he'd build with it then you can build with it. It will have a nice affect with the grain running together in a book matched arrow pattern. It is indeed true that mahogany is dimensionally stable. I've got some flat sawn boards of mahogany that was cut in the 1950's with the most incredible curl I've ever seen on mahogany that one day will make some stunning looking guitars.
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Old 07-26-2018, 08:33 AM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arnold View Post
I am right with you there. Nearly all the guitars I own and play are smaller than dreadnought.
But as a tonewood supplier, I consider it a shame to build smaller guitars from dreadnought size wood. It not only wastes wood, but it wastes money. With available logs getting ever smaller and smaller, it is a continual struggle to get wood suitable to make the larger sizes of backs, sides, and tops.
I also make amps and cabinets using pine. I wanted to build a 4x10 Fender Bassman sized cabinet and I had a board wide enough to make the back and sides but the cabinet is angles and the top is narrower and I could get away with a 10" board rather than a 12". I try to use knot free wood and while I had another 12" that I could have trimmed for the top I ran out and bought a 10" rather than waste the section of 12". Clean 12" boards do not show up around here all that much, 10" either actually.

I understand your concern using the most of wood especially if it is hard to come by, just giving a different option in case vibrolucky was thinking of less than Dred size, I think it looks better if the grain running parallel if I can get away with it. I have a 10" and a 12", 8' by 1" old growth Mahogany boards that I am saving for when I feel I am ready to build with. At first I thought to resaw them but then thought of them for necks. If I can get my resaw skills up to snuff they might end up as back and side sets yet
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Old 08-12-2018, 03:45 PM
Gribb Gribb is offline
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End grain mahogany?
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