Melodeon.net Forums
Discussions => Instrument Design, Construction and Repair => Topic started by: emrock on July 16, 2009, 10:02:34 PM
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Silly question maybe, but where can I buy high quality hard wood for building a box from scratch? I am looking for birds eye maple or lime and need a block from which I can make an open key board, and some suitable for the box itself, I'm also looking for veneer.
Also has anyone experimented with tone wood used for other instruments? I was wondering if finishing the inside of the box so that it was very smooth (even shiny) would help reflect the sound?
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If I remember correctly, you said you were moving to Norwich in another thread. There's a really good place, North Heigham Sawmill, on the outskirts of the town centre that I have personal experience of. They have an onsite retail section selling small boards of all kinds, veneers and lime carving blocks that would be perfect.
One of the places I use regularly for my guitars is David Dyke Luthiers Supplies in East Sussex, which is very strings orientated although they could probably accommodate your needs but if you're not known to them both the service you receive and the quality of the timber they send is very hit or miss so it would be better to go in person. The other is Timberline in Kent, http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/ (http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/) , who are just brilliant, they're very flexible and extremely knowledgeable and have a huge selection of timber and veneer.
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Offcuts of maple flooring are excellent. Simon W of this parish found some on FreeCycle. I've used it to build several complete melodeons, including Simon's own.
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Birdseye Maple? You'll be wanting Sam Oglethwaite, it's his monoPOly. Where, you ask? A place you'll 'ave heard of called Bury; you know, where black puddings are made.
I once got a right telling off over the phone from the man at Timberline when I suggested that a wood he didn't stock might have interesting tonal properties. He calmed down in the end though.
My 200th post! I'm impressed by my great restraint.
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Birdseye Maple? You'll be wanting Sam Oglethwaite, it's his monoPOly. Where, you ask? A place you'll 'ave heard of called Bury; you know, where black puddings are made.
I once got a right telling off over the phone from the man at Timberline when I suggested that a wood he didn't stock might have interesting tonal properties. He calmed down in the end though.
My 200th post! I'm impressed by my great restraint.
My Oakwood's veneered with bird's eye maple, it matches the sides of my bunk :-)
Ian
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Birdseye Maple? You'll be wanting Sam Oglethwaite, it's his monoPOly. Where, you ask? A place you'll 'ave heard of called Bury; you know, where black puddings are made.
I once got a right telling off over the phone from the man at Timberline when I suggested that a wood he didn't stock might have interesting tonal properties. He calmed down in the end though.
My 200th post! I'm impressed by my great restraint.
My Oakwood's veneered with bird's eye maple, it matches the sides of my bunk :-)
Ian
My Oakwood's veneered with welsh slate, it matches the sides of my bank ???
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??? Surely an Oakwood should be made from oakwood - no need for a veneer
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Oakwood is a district in Leeds (where Oakwood Instruments are), there are a few oaks around but there isn't a wood. It backs onto 'Soldier's Field' and Roundhay Park but there aren't any soldier's there, the park isn't round and there isn't a haystack to be seen. Oakwood is next to the district of Harehills which is peculiarly unpopulated by hares and there no major hills apart from Shepherd's Lane where there are no shepherds... need I go on? >:E
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Sounds typically Yorkshire to me >:E
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But there is wood in all Oakwood boxes, so what's to worry about?
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??? Surely an Oakwood should be made from oakwood - no need for a veneer
Most Oakwoods (including mine) were made using panels of pre-veneered aircraft ply inserted into a wooden frame which formed the corners, this method of construction being lighter and probably stronger than solid wood.
So the answer is -- surely not :-)
Ian
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I have done some melodeons of the aircraft plywood.
Structure is more rigid, when compared with the solid wood structure.
There is one photo. This box is made the plywood and sound is very strong and loud.
Sorry, the picture is not good because it is take a cell phone camera.
http://www.f-aw.net/images/ply.jpg
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Got some lovely maple from the local timber company, should be good!