Matthew's new project

**Matthew Tucker** · #1 05-14-2009, 06:12 AM

I have a huon pine log that I was given by my Dad. It's been in the shed for about thirty years ... so should be dry enough by now, and thanks to a luthier mate it migrated from Hobart to Sydney earlier in the year.

Now it starts its adventure. "Now then, tree ... wanna be turned into something nice? Yeah? Ok then."

I'm not sure what double bass I'm going to make from this pine yet. Huon pine is a very rare and expensive wood, found only in southern Tasmania, and come from trees sometimes thousands of years old. The wood is soft, tight-grained and oily, with a fantastic aroma. It has a wonderful honey colour and is lovely to work with. Cutting trees is forbidden, so all the wood comes from fallen logs and logs buried for years in mudbanks and lakes. The instrument i make from it, must be a special one.

I think it is too dense for soundboard wood, but I have a hunch it will work well for back and sides.

I have to prepare the log to take to another workshop to have the slices cut. My bandsaw only has a 7" depth so I can't cut the full 14" depth I need for a bass back.

First I set up my bandsaw with a ridiculously dangerous blade, and made sure it ran smoothly.

I had to brace the table to support the weight of the wood. First we trimmed one long edge to see what the wood was like underneath and to give us a known base to work from.

My friend Angelo helped take the weight of the log as it came out the other side.

We cut off the end, too, to reveal the grain lines, and drew them in clearly.

I need to make sure that I get as much of the "vertical" grain as possible for the centre of the back, for strength and stability. I think the top two slices will be fine. I might have to add some wings to the lower bout.

We tried several arrangements to see what the optimum cutting strategy would be to allow a bass-sized slice to be taken, and to minimise wastage of this rare and fragrant timber.

I'll have to get a couple of slices off it for ribstock, too.

This wood is so nice to touch, I reckon I'm going to have to try a huon pine neck and scroll, too. But it'll have to be a laminated one. Hmmm. I'm thinking a single ebony stripe down the back ...

What do you reckon? Should I make another cornerless, or do something else?

M Ramsey · #2 05-14-2009, 06:47 AM

It's good to see you back in action. I thought you had fallen off the edge of the continent down under.

As you document your productivity, I'll end up wasting a bunch of my time watching.

DallasStrings · #3 05-14-2009, 08:26 AM

That bandsaw blade is crazy big! Will you be able to varnish it and still maintain that pleasant aroma?

Ken McKay · #4 05-14-2009, 08:26 AM

Matthew, good to see you back designing a bass, you addict.

Houn Pine; seems to have a density of a medium wood like maple. Could you get a little rectangle piece and measure the density? Put it in water and measure the the waterline, then flip over and measure again and average the two. Compare to the total length and get the density.

I would consider using it for a top personally. After all you have the measurements from the last two basses and mine to guide you. I suspect it will be thinner at the desired stiffness.

If you have enough I would go ahead and use it for back and sides also.

Another cornerless would be the ticket. Same pattern. It is tempting to want to move on to another pattern, I know.

A maple or similar neck, no center stripe would be my vote, if I get one.

Paul Warburton · #5 05-14-2009, 08:53 AM

Cool, Matthew. We be watching.
I sent my Luthier, Bob Ross (another crazed bass luthier who's life I helped ruin, besides Ken McKay's, by interesting him in this silly ***.) the link so he can bookmark and watch along.
I would like to see some kinda corners for a change though.

Beween you and Ken....jeesh. Cornerless city.

Paul Warburton · #6 05-14-2009, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasStrings

That bandsaw blade is crazy big! Will you be able to varnish it and still maintain that pleasant aroma?

Why would he varnish his bandsaw blade? What's such a big deal about having the aroma on the blade?

(Psst...hey Bob. I hear Matthew is varnishing his bandsaw blades now. Les' check it out.)

Eli_Upright12 · #7 05-14-2009, 09:36 AM

Yes now I have something to read for the summer.

DallasStrings · #8 05-14-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Why would he varnish his bandsaw blade? What's such a big deal about having the aroma on the blade?

(Psst...hey Bob. I hear Matthew is varnishing his bandsaw blades now. Les' check it out.)

I happen to like smelly blades..

Jake deVilliers · #9 05-14-2009, 12:27 PM

Nice score Matthew. Is it tangy like Yellow Cedar, chamaecyparis nootkatensis? I Googled Huon Pine and the leaves look pretty similar.

Ervin Somogyi makes his guitar linings from yellow cedar so his guitars smell good - I had a customer bring me a Ramirez Flamenco guitar the other day with Yellow Cedar back and sides and it smelled great!

ctregan · #10 05-14-2009, 04:54 PM

Where is the thrust bearing on your band saw guide?

**Matthew Tucker** · #11 05-14-2009, 05:26 PM

Mike, I've been itching to start another build, but busy with other projects such as repairs for other people, and carving a new top for my old ply bass:

Craig, the thrust bearing is there, but you can only see the edge. And there's a better-placed one below the table. Yes I am really pushing this poor bandsaw to the limit with this blade. It is very scary to use! But I can nicely re-saw very thin stock up to 7". I have another project to build a scaled-down Lott copy. It will do for that.

I *could* make a top with the huon, but the grain direction in this piece isn't ideal, and the amount of woodchip wastage would be a sin. And its a bit of a risk - I'd use the whole plank, virtually, and what if it doesn't work? The grain is incredibly dense, its a very slow-growing tree. I doesn't really ring like cedar or spruce, and that's why I I'm pretty sure it will be a nice wood for back and sides. Light, but dark. A huon pine neck would complement the body and be lovely to touch - the smell keeps coming out of the wood for years and years. Not sure about strength for a neck, yet. I'll have to think about this, whether CF reinforcement would be enough. I would need to oil-finish the body, i think, and yes that would kill the aroma a bit. But it is such a distinctive and strong aroma that the bare insides would be enough to mean an insect-repellant bass for years!

And no, I don't need to varnish my bandsaw blades, because the oil from the pine has effectively done this for me!

**Matthew Tucker** · #12 05-14-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

[...] Bob Ross (another crazed bass luthier who's wife I helped ruin, besides Ken McKay's, by interesting him in this silly ***.)

Wow, you get around, Paul

bassist14 · #13 05-14-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

I have another project to build a scaled-down Lott copy.

interesting!
why is it scaled down?

**Matthew Tucker** · #14 05-14-2009, 06:38 PM

Well if I can only cut 7" ribs myself, I might as well make a smaller bass, but a nice one. Most half-size basses I've seen are germanic style with sloping shoulders, I suppose to make it easy for students. I think it would be nice to scale down an "orchestral" shape bass. Something a bit different. I've also come across quite a few players who are after a slightly smaller bass body, but in all respects, a bass. And some excellent students who deserve a better instrument, but can only play on the old school ply 1/2s. So its just me thinking about making a fractional bass, but nothing started yet though. And there are plenty of reasons NOT to do it.

james condino · #15 05-14-2009, 07:46 PM

I use port orford cedar all of the time for linings on smaller instruments; western red works well also and is easier to get. As soon as you open up the case, you are surrounded by that beautiful smell.

I used the red on my bass last year and was very pleased by it.

j.
www.condino.com

simonwilmer · #16 05-14-2009, 08:23 PM

Hey Mathew , Your new top looks very nice , I am doing a top for my Ply bass , I found a 5 metre plank of Western Red Cedar, and I will more than likely ask you for a few tips along the way .

Paul Warburton · #17 05-14-2009, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Wow, you get around, Paul

Pretty clever, huh Matthew? I get 'em busy carvin' away, and run in the other room and do some real ruination.

MR PC · #18 05-15-2009, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

This wood is so nice to touch, I reckon I'm going to have to try a huon pine neck and scroll, too. But it'll have to be a laminated one. Hmmm. I'm thinking a single ebony stripe down the back ...

Possibly, the ultimate stable and lightweight bass neck!

M Ramsey · #19 05-15-2009, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Mike, I've been itching to start another build, but busy with other projects such as repairs for other people, and carving a new top for my old ply bass:

Matthew,

In this pic, I suppose the brighter spots at either end of the F holes are linen strips glued to help strengthen these weaker areas, right?

If that's so, have you ever seen a carved top that had linen strips that were glued to the top that completely surrounded the entire circumference of the F holes, to give it even more strength?

When I built my son's first mandolin, that's what the plans called for. I'm just curious and wondering if something similar has ever been seen in bass construction?

**Matthew Tucker** · #20 05-15-2009, 09:09 AM

One of the places tops can split easily is the tops and bottoms of the FFs. The grain runs directly into these areas. There is no need to strengthen the sides of the ffs because splits never occur across the grain.

You have to build light and strong. So, the less reinforcement, the better for sound. Its a matter of balancing what you think is important. It'll be a hybrid bass, a jazzer no doubt, and get its fair share of knock. So on this top, I think its worth reinforcing with linen as I have done, and cleating the long joints.

If you look carefully you'll see that I have also inlaid cross-grain wood into the tabs of the FFs. This is because the cedar is soft and the points of the tabs near the "eyes" can easily break off if knocked. So by doubling with 2-3mm of cedar running at 90 degrees, I protect these little corners from snapping off.