SawDust_Junkie Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 I have been looking around locally to see if I can find some suitable Mahogany to use when I start a future project. I want to try tackling a Les Paul copy. From everything I have seen I will need either 8/4 Mahogany or I could possibly get by with 6/4. So far, I have only found one hardwood dealer in my area that has any 8/4 in stock. This wood would be perfect as it is also app. 15" to 16" wide. A true one piece solid body blank. Unfortunately they will not cut their stock. So I would have to purcahse the entire board. The ones I looked at were about 16" W by 2" T by 10' L. That works out to about 28 board feet. At that rate, the whole board would run about $280.00. A little pricey for first attempt at a Les Paul. One of my local woodworking shops has some 15" W 4/4 Mahogany. But that is going to be too thin, even with a 3/4" Maple top plate. They also had some Bloodwood, which brings me back to my topic. Have any of you ever used Bloodwood or seen it it used in solid body construction. It is a beautiful wood that looks much like Mahogany, but with a little redder tint and a closer grain pattern. It seems suitable and the pieces I looked at had good tonal quality when tapped on the floor. So I was just wondering how this wood would perform. It also seems a little lighter than Mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted October 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 As a side note. I also wondered if anyone has ever made their own nuts using bone. I have seen someone here talking about using cattle bones from a local butcher. I helped a friend skin and butcher a deer yesterday and I saved a few of the larger leg bones. I wanted to try and see if I could fashion a nut from these. I don't really know how "cure" or "treat" the bones though. I figured the best thing was just to scrape as much meat off of them as I could and let them dry out naturally. I figured if I tried to boil the meat away, it might weaken the bones or make them otherwise unsuitable for use as a nut material. I also did not know if I would need to bleach the bones to get a nice white material or what. Any suggestions ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 I got a piece of quartersawn bloodwood off the net for a neck a while back. It has a little 'kink' in it so its been sitting in my room for 6 months. I don't know how to fix it. I was just gonna use it to make my finger planes if the blades ever arrive Anyway, bloodwood is a really pretty wood! The thing that I noticed right away however was the weight! My piece is damn heavy. Granted I dont have a ton of experience with different woods but I thought it was pretty hefty. Ill try to weigh it against some maple, padauk, and mahogany blanks I have when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 It's sure pretty stuff, but it also causes serious allergies in a lot of people. When I called up one company about buying some, they said they would have to send it to me rough because the guy who ran the planer was too allergic to work it. Wear a dust mask and long sleeves when working with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted October 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 I appreciate the input guys ! Nobody has any ideas on the deer bone nut material ? frenzy ? drak ? wes ? brian ? Nobody ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdog Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 (edited) Fender4me....What part of the world are you in?.....I can hook you up with a blank of Honduras Mahogany for a decent price without having to buy the entire board. I'm not a dealer, but have a ton of great wood and from time to time sell some of my stash to either thin the lumber racks or offset my costs. Shoot me an e-mail, if you are interested, and give me minimum dimensions. I have Hon Mahog in 8/4 @ 22in wide, but I'll rip it to your specs. I also have some nice BM flame and quilt maple. ........Why not use Corian or Ivory.....I have deer antler,...I'm not sure if it would be dense enough, though. tdog@nauticom.net Edited October 25, 2004 by tdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 I've used bone before (from a cow). It was bleached, but bone for nut material also comes unbleached (more yellow in color). I'm sure deer bone would work fine for nuts and saddles. I used my bench grinder to shape it (wear a repirator). I don't know if the fumes are harmful, but the smell is terrible. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted October 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Thanks for the reply www ! I am not too concerned if iyt works or not. If not, Iwill buy a bone or tusk or corian blank and use that, but the opportunity presented itself with the deer bone and I thought, hey what the heck why not try it ? I just was unsure if there a particular way to cure the bone or clean it or bleach it or whatever you know ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeR Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Hi, I have read that you boil the bone for a few hours in diluted vinigar. That was for a sitar's Jawrai (please excuse the spelling). Hope thats of some use ... skinning deers...guitars... you arent Ted Nugent, are you? Cheers, luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted October 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 LOL Luke ! No, I would not say that I am Ted Nugent by any stretch of the imagination. I am nowhere near as accomplished a guitarist as he is (although there are those who would not agree that he is accomplished, but he is way more talented than I) I also do not share many of his political leanings. But I am not going to get into politics on this forum ! It seems like I read something about boiling the bones too, but I could not remember exactly what it was. I did not know if boiling them would weaken them or not. As for skinning deer, my dad took me hunting as a little guy and I always loved it. I haven't gotten to do much of it in the last few years, but a friend called me up and asked for some help, so whatta gonna do ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted October 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Just curious if anyone else has any suggestions about using deer bone for a homemade nut. LukeR said he had read about boiling the bones in diluted vinegar for a few hours. Is that general consensus or does someone know a more specific method or have a link to site with more info on this ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Librero Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 i have a strat here with a nut made of deer bone. but someone else cut it for me, so i wouldn't know how to go about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 (edited) If you do a google search for "european mount", there are several websites that discuss how to prepare animal bones. A european mount is where instead of mounting the animals head with the hide, you just mount the bare skull and antlers. Edited October 28, 2004 by jer7440 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted October 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Thanks jer ! I read through some of the links you suggested and learned a few things, but I also found the following at http://zeppmusic.com/banjo/nuts.htm "The process is easy but involved: obtain a cow "knuckle" or leg bone from the butcher, saw off and discard the ends, extract and discard the marrow, scrape as much soft tissue from the bone as possible, simmer the bone in hot (200 degree F) water with a little detergent added for 60-80 minutes, air-dry the bone, bandsaw into rough nut and saddle blanks, degrease for a couple of weeks or longer in household ammonia or white gas (heavy duty fire hazard), rinse in detergent-water, air-dry, bleach in 3% hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 minutes. Whew. Degreasing is absolutely critical because grease will otherwise seep eventually from the bone into the nearby wood, and cause finish and wood to part company, glue joints to fail, and in general make a permanent, indelible mess. " I think this is what I was looking for. A complete method of how to prepare the bone for use as a nut material. I have found other sites and books with information on how to actaully make the nut once you have decided on the material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 I think this is what I was looking for. A complete method of how to prepare the bone for use as a nut material. I have found other sites and books with information on how to actaully make the nut once you have decided on the material. ← Hey Fender, did you ever use that piece of bone? Did it work out? The kids and I found some bones the other day walking in the woods...some kind of small animal, fox maybe. There are a couple of bones there large enough to make something ( I want to make a bridge saddle, maybe a nut). I'm thinking that since these bones were exposed outside for a long time, maybe they've already been 'degreased'? Anyone have any ideas on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 Hey Fender, did you ever use that piece of bone? Did it work out? The kids and I found some bones the other day walking in the woods...some kind of small animal, fox maybe. There are a couple of bones there large enough to make something ( I want to make a bridge saddle, maybe a nut). I'm thinking that since these bones were exposed outside for a long time, maybe they've already been 'degreased'? Anyone have any ideas on this? ← That depends on how long they've been out. If they were bleached white and looked clean enough that you didn't hesitate to pick them up, and if there's no marrow when you cut them open, you're probably fine. I've used a bit of found bone in other projects, but never in a guitar - but those rules seemed to work fine for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 I havent reatd the entire post so forgive me if this has already been adressed but I would just buy the board. You can never have enough mahogany. bodies, necks, everything. You will never regret having mahogany laying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDust_Junkie Posted March 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I haven't actually finished the nut yet idch. I have done all of the preperation except for bleaching it in peroxide. I have shaped a couple of blanks, and they have been soaked in ammonia to de-grease them. It turned out very well. I think they will make fine nut material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Wow, that sounds like a bit of work. If you are ever looking for other types of nut blanks (pearl, ivory,buffalo horn). This is where I get my supply Nut Stuff Peace, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Wow, that sounds like a bit of work. If you are ever looking for other types of nut blanks (pearl, ivory,buffalo horn). This is where I get my supply Nut Stuff Peace, Rich ← Hah! Point taken! Thanks for the link... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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