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SBO 23 - The Long Black

#261
I've had to do some hard googling from time to time to find any details on timber performance. Wood Database is a good quick check, and they happen to now have a page on gidgee: Gidgee | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

They don't for everything though. :) One of my methods is to find the scientific name, then google that with 'modulus of elasticity' - any page that lists the MOE is bound to also have the Janka hardness. :thumbsup:

This is probably elementary for you at this point, but it may be of use to newer builders, or those who are interested in seeing how everything comes together when planning the engineering of a wood structure: World's Strongest Woods | The Wood Database
 
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#263
Beej said:
I've had to do some hard googling from time to time to find any details on timber performance. Wood Database is a good quick check, and they happen to now have a page on gidgee: Gidgee | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

They don't for everything though. :) One of my methods is to find the scientific name, then google that with 'modulus of elasticity' - any page that lists the MOE is bound to also have the Janka hardness. :thumbsup:

This is probably elementary for you at this point, but it may be of use to newer builders, or those who are interested in seeing how everything comes together when planning the engineering of a wood structure: World's Strongest Woods | The Wood Database
Click to expand...

I remember looking for a page on Gidgee on the wood database before. Either my searching skills weren't up to the task, or the page is new(ish). I'm not surprised that they rank it as the third hardest wood in the world, but I would have thought it may have been stiffer.


Beej said:
Can I also just say for the record that I'm supremely jealous of the woods you have at your disposal! :jawdrop::wideyed:
Click to expand...

One of the cool things about Australia is that being an island, a long way from lost places, most Australian things are uniquely Australian, be they flora or fauna. If it's any consolation, the Rose mahogany that I have become quite enamoured with, seems to be getting harder and harder to find.
 
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#264
Beej said:
I've had to do some hard googling from time to time to find any details on timber performance. Wood Database is a good quick check, and they happen to now have a page on gidgee: Gidgee | The Wood Database (Hardwood)

They don't for everything though. :) One of my methods is to find the scientific name, then google that with 'modulus of elasticity' - any page that lists the MOE is bound to also have the Janka hardness. :thumbsup:

This is probably elementary for you at this point, but it may be of use to newer builders, or those who are interested in seeing how everything comes together when planning the engineering of a wood structure: World's Strongest Woods | The Wood Database
Click to expand...

"Notes: Heartwood fluoresces under blacklight." That could be a fun thing to exploit.

Beej said:
Can I also just say for the record that I'm supremely jealous of the woods you have at your disposal! :jawdrop::wideyed:
Click to expand...

Yep. Not that the US has a lack of diversity in wood, we primarily don't have much in the way of woods with high hardness values that would be good for fingerboards.

Just looked up what gidgee might be available for sale in the US. It looks like any raw cuts large enough to use as a fingerboard will start at $200. Plus shipping. Ow. No wonder the stuff's primarily sold to knifemakers and turners.
 
#265
ardgedee said:
"Notes: Heartwood fluoresces under blacklight." That could be a fun thing to exploit.



Yep. Not that the US has a lack of diversity in wood, we primarily don't have much in the way of woods with high hardness values that would be good for fingerboards.

Just looked up what gidgee might be available for sale in the US. It looks like any raw cuts large enough to use as a fingerboard will start at $200. Plus shipping. Ow. No wonder the stuff's primarily sold to knifemakers and turners.
Click to expand...

Now I have to find me a blacklight. I really love this gidgee, but damn, is it hard to work with!

Frets are in, crowned and polished.

3ADBF006-AB5E-4D84-9B47-3AB666B6D60E.jpeg


This ironbark fretboard has a bit of black epoxy holding it together, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Stainless frets are just about as hard to work with as gidgee.

A friend dropped in some pieces of ironbark he chainsawed from a long dead tree. This required a lot of work to get to this point, and it's going to need epoxy to stabilise it, but I think this will make a very nice top for a future long black. Pictures don't really do it justice. It's got a good bit of curl and will be a nice, rich red/brown when finished.

E4A46748-C91E-47E3-99D7-634B4C1BE05F.jpeg
 
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#266
I’ve been struggling with a hardware/pickup colour scheme.

The initial options were as follows

A white EMG with some white epoxy in the sound holes

5889FD5C-2B54-416D-9F55-C20A7ED6AE1B.jpeg


Chrome hardware with an Alumitone pickup

B493BB3E-68CE-4839-9A19-77ADE098D253.jpeg


I’ve been trying to work out which of these two options for the last week, at least.

I’m the end, I did something very boring and made a wooden cover for the white EMG from the same wood as used in the top.

646461F3-D3FE-46B6-8B94-5F7F95AA40FB.jpeg


I’m starting to think that the white was the best option, but extracting the pickup from the shell would be impossible. It was certainly a flashy option, however the wooden cover is undeniably classier.


Next up, routing out the neck pocket and carving the neck. I’m fairly confident that the gidgee against cedar is going to make it hard to create a uniform cross section as well me wood succumbs to sandpaper and with sandpaper succumbs to the other wood!

Wish me luck.
 
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#274
Well, one thing I'm not over-fond of with white is turning yellow or grubby. The bass just above shows drastic contrast from the "still quite white" logo to the not nearly so white pickup and volume knob. And yes, I know some folks deliberately go there.

Then there's the croc looking out of the upper corner... :thumbsup:
 
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#275
T_Bone_TL said:
Well, one thing I'm not over-fond of with white is turning yellow or grubby. The bass just above shows drastic contrast from the "still quite white" logo to the not nearly so white pickup and volume knob. And yes, I know some folks deliberately go there.

Then there's the croc looking out of the upper corner... :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
What are you -- oh... there is a croc in the upper corner.
 
#276
T_Bone_TL said:
Well, one thing I'm not over-fond of with white is turning yellow or grubby. The bass just above shows drastic contrast from the "still quite white" logo to the not nearly so white pickup and volume knob. And yes, I know some folks deliberately go there.

Then there's the croc looking out of the upper corner... :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

MarkA said:
What are you -- oh... there is a croc in the upper corner.
Click to expand...

I can’t see it, but I am hopeless at hidden images!
 
#277
The more basses I build, the surer I am that 90% of building a nice guitar (while still gaining experience) is making mistakes and then working out how to cover them up.

Exhibit A - a neck sitting firmly in a neck pocket, 5mm to the right of where I really wanted it.
8EE0B40A-D6E5-4B99-9D5A-DDCBD2E270C9.jpeg


It was as probably the sort of thing someone would only notice after I pointed it out to them, but it was really eating at me.

Moving the route to the left presented a few problems, namely what to do with this little gap.
BF35EF24-94D4-4029-9B7C-C4D388AC6D03.jpeg


The solution was to glue in a small piece of gidgee sapwood before re-routing the neck pocket.

509ACB7A-0968-4DB2-9CBD-F77E78F537E0.jpeg


It’s far from a perfect fix, but it’s a small enough detail (about 4mm) that it will take a very keen eye to spot it. With some creative application of sharpie prior to finishing, I think I can make it all but disappear.

The end result is a neck in the right place.

066B3554-46BA-498D-8CBD-EA275C3E78A8.jpeg


I have a faint memory of an old adage about measuring twice and cutting once, or words to the effect!

More mistakes to follow :laugh:
 
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