Center/flatsawn mahogany - worth the buy?

[packocrayons]

I recently came across a large block of mahogany (7'*8"*6*) that looked very nice. From what I could tell (didn't have long to look at it) it looks like it was one half of the center of a tree, Basically a really thick flatsawn piece that was lopped off at the sides.

Is there any use for this? Any back/side/top sets I pull out of it would be flatsawn. I know that's not a huge deal for a back/sides, but as much as I want to do a hog top, flatsawn doesn't seem to be the way to go.

Necks would be the same, I could probably get quartersawn neck blanks out of it, or off-grain neck blanks for the rest of my life out of it.

Would you pay 175 canadian pesos for ~28bf of off-grain mahogany?

[charles Tauber]

Id need more information to provide any useful input.

At less than $7 per bd. Ft., what kind of mahogany is it? Not likely Honduran.

You say it is the Center of the tree. The pith? If so probably not useful.

[runamuck]

I think you already know the answer. On another thread you posted, "... the structural properties of quartersawn, straight-grained ...".

The same is true for back and sides.

[redir]

Mahogany is fine in any orientation imho. Ideally you would still want QS wood. Some buyers would not like the flat sawn look others don't care but overall mahogany is very stable in any direction. But a chunk that big would give you many many necks so if the price is right then it's worth it. Flat sawn necks are perfectly fine and in fact there are studies out there that show flat sawn is actually stronger and as stated mahogany is very stable and of course you could always laminate the necks.

Don't forget too Flat Sawn and Quarter Sawn are terms used by sawyers. For guitar makers a flat sawn board flipped on it's side is "Quarter Sawn." OR what would be better called vertical grain.

A pick of the end grain would help.

[packocrayons]

Thanks for the input everyone.

If It's gone by the time I go back, I'll learn my lesson. If it's still there, there's a reason as there are plenty of luthiers in the area.

Don't believe it's honduran, was just labelled "mahogany", and would probably have some pith in it.