Prostheta Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Heh. We bought a tree from a neighbouring hölö ukko in Isojoki for a bottle of Cognac. Our next job is to figure out how to make it fall down (there's a task in of itself), then we're going to have to de-branch, de-bark and chop it for drying. Tree in the centre....roughly 20m to the diverging branches at the top, approximately 70-80cm diameter :-) The information I have found on Aspen (which we believe it is, anyway) is that it can be silicon-ish and therefore requiring much sharpening of tools. The main use for our tree is going to be for furniture, but I'm considering keeping some to one side if it has any use in guitars - even tops as a natural white wood! Will update this thread with tree felling pics and all that of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mender Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Aspen is a member of the poplar family, with most of the same characteristics. It is a light weight hardwood, easily worked (and easily dented), and doesn't blunt tools any more than poplar. It is easy to put a finish on it, being very tight grained, and doesn't really need grain filling. The biggest difference between aspen and poplar is that aspen normally isn't afflicted by the green/grey/purple mineral stain that you often see in poplar. It can split at the ends whilst drying, but that applies to many woods. I think I know why it is believed to blunt tools quickly, it is because one of its constituents is salicin, which some people have interpreted/misread as silicon, but the two words are not related. So, it should be good to build a complete guitar body for a light weight guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Fantastic. I'll make sure that I cut the best of the base for body stock. Should be interesting to try out! I've seen pics of figured Aspen on Google image search, although it isn't apparent as to whether it appears more on the quarter or the flat. Would the potential for figure be revealed on the trunk when we de-bark it? First time taking a tree apart :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 (edited) There is a Finnish builder (can't remember his name right now) that uses Aspen quite much. So is is definetly good for that. Ill try to remember who that guy was. He builds acoustic instruments so its not Roukangas <edit: *cough* I saw you do that ;-)> Edited August 29, 2010 by Prostheta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Awesome. I have been throwing the idea of exploring acoustic instruments around for a while but never had opportunity to take the plunge. Not like this will happen anytime in the next year or two (plus the wood won't be usable for a length of time either). The other idea I had was attempting to spalt some of the wood for use in tops. Again, time is available. I'll do some searching for this Finnish luthier....off to watch our "People Are Strange: A film about The Doors" DVD... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.