Camphor Laurel/Noxious Weed
Camphor Laurel/Noxious Weed
Thought I should post some pictures of the latest "Localeles".These are made out of Camphor Laurel which has been declared a noxious weed up our way for quite a few years.In keeping with a minimal look while saving the planet no extra bindings or rosettes were injured in the making of these ukes.Bodies and necks are Camphor with a Cooktown Ironwood fretboard.Also an Ironwood stiffener in the neck just in case.Minimal bracing is QLD Maple just because I ran a bit of it off for the last batch but I think that Camphor bracing would be just as good.No fan braces this time but a longish bridge patch like the early Martins.Result is louder then the last batch with a different sort of throb and a bit more Hawiaan sound.Possibly more sustain as well .Should be interesting as they play in a bit.The photos are two Sopranos and a Baritone with the colour somewhere between the first two photos one with a flash and one without.Cheers from Micheal.
Should have metioned that the finish is all natural as well.Two coats of a product from Whittle Waxes.It is an" Oil and Wax combinations on a base of natural, sustainable raw materials including Linseed oil, sunflower oil, Jojoba oil, Beeswax, carnauba wax and candalilla wax. " Good enough to eat.3 coats would be better but it is easy and I will use it again.Much less work than 10 coats of nitro with all the rubbing and cut and polish although a different look and feel.Cheers.
- John Maddison
- Blackwood
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:15 pm
- Location: Albany, Western Australia
- Contact:
- DarwinStrings
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1877
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:27 pm
- Location: Darwin
- ozziebluesman
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1529
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:12 am
- Location: Townsville
- Contact:
Very nice indeed Michael. The Camphor Laurel smells good too!!! The Ironwood has a rich earthy colour. They all look great. I'm building a Concert uke for my daughter as a Christmas pressy or if I run out of time, a birthday pressy in early Feb. I have built an all blackwood uke and had great fun doing that!
Do you have a link and name of the finish product you used?
Cheers
Alan
Do you have a link and name of the finish product you used?
Cheers
Alan
- hilo_kawika
- Blackwood
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:29 am
- Location: Hilo, Hawaii
- Contact:
Fun looking ukes there Micheal. It's hard to make something simple these days but you've done a nice job of it. Hope you can bring one to Playmakers for my friend Doug to play.
aloha,
Dave Hurd
www.ukuleles.com
aloha,
Dave Hurd
www.ukuleles.com
How to become a millionaire? Start with $2 million and become a luthier...
My Floor Sanding trade supplies sent me a sample pot which will do a few instruments so I haven't priced this stuff.This is a link to the company.It seems like it should be quite nice.I used it on the fretboard as well where it soaked in and I buffed it off with a clean clothe to leave the frets uncoated.It all got too exciting though and I forgot to screen print on the LOCALELE logo before I strung them up.
Kim , This weed is better for your sinuses but still pretty strong across the hot pipe bender.
http://www.whittlewaxes.com.au/Lists/We ... =&Ref=5615
Kim , This weed is better for your sinuses but still pretty strong across the hot pipe bender.
http://www.whittlewaxes.com.au/Lists/We ... =&Ref=5615
Allen , The finish should be good and would be easy to recoat as a wipe on oil.Any scratches could be spot repaired and they also make a repair wax which I haven't had to try yet.A different finish from Nitro or French polish though and obviously not a rich glossy finish but it does feel nice and smooth to the touch.It can also just be maintained with a good furniture polish like U-Beaut Traditional Wax.
- Hippety Hop
- Blackwood
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:18 am
- Location: Moorabbin
- sebastiaan56
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:23 am
- Location: Blue Mountains
Cool Ukes Michael! Ive wondered about Camphor Laurel many times. The timber often shows amazing figure and chatoyance. The only bits Ive got have had no tap tone at all, more of a tap thud.
Here is a link to its status as a noxious weed http://www.camphorlaurel.com/57reasons.html the fumes are believed to be toxic as well as the fact that it is rather invasive in Aus. It was used to make blanket boxes as the moths wont go near the stuff. I like the smell but start sneezing if I get too much of it. But it is pretty...Sam Price wrote:Kinda annoys me that beautiful timber like this gets burned. The rest of the guitar building planet would love to buy this stuff.
make mine fifths........
Nice ukes!
Camphor laurel is a bloody pest down here. Great for turning, but bad if sapplings spring up near concrete paths, foundations, driveways, retaining walls, near sewage pipes etc. i.e in YOUR yard.
That reminds me, it's time go and do the yearly cutting down of the camphor laurel weeds that have sprung up. Saw three or four in the yard on Sunday. And don't the bloody things grow FAST!
Camphor laurel is a bloody pest down here. Great for turning, but bad if sapplings spring up near concrete paths, foundations, driveways, retaining walls, near sewage pipes etc. i.e in YOUR yard.
That reminds me, it's time go and do the yearly cutting down of the camphor laurel weeds that have sprung up. Saw three or four in the yard on Sunday. And don't the bloody things grow FAST!
Sebastian, I am new to the mysterious "Tap Tone" but have noticed that Bunya has a fairly dead tone as compared to say NGRosewood but soundboards are popular in Bunya and I haven't seen a NGR top yet on a guitar.I have used them on ukes and will soon do it on a guitar.
It certainly has nice figure but great care and a steady hand is needed to sand the grain the right way around the Chatoyance.A ridiculously sharp cabinet scraper is usually best to preserve this feature.Cheers from Micheal.
It certainly has nice figure but great care and a steady hand is needed to sand the grain the right way around the Chatoyance.A ridiculously sharp cabinet scraper is usually best to preserve this feature.Cheers from Micheal.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 94 guests