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I just love this wood
http://www-.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=5780		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  John How [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:22 pm ]
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I got this from the man last summer in Maryland at ASIA and have been saving it for that special guitar. Well I just bought and posted pics a few days ago, of a little ladder braced Stella from the 1920's and this is working into my version of that guitar. This is a set of English brown Oak. I have never seen another guitar made from it but it is soooo cool looking and I think it'll not fall far from the mahogany tree except maybe a little harder, maybe like walnut or something. Anyway Bob, you came thru again and I'm very glad I got a set. If you ever get anymore be sure to let me know. It'll be topped with a set of RC Carpathian Spruce as well. Thanks for looking and stay tuned for more pics as ot developes.
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:28 pm ]
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Looking good, John. How thin is that baby? Can't wait to see the back once you have it glued up. Keep us posted.
Author:  Anthony Z [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:29 pm ]
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John, I remember you showing that set of oak! Lookin forward to seeing more pictures.
Author:  John How [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:31 pm ]
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Hi JJ, it's a wee little guy. Only 13.5" across and 4" deep at the butt.
Author:  John How [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:34 pm ]
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Hi Anthony, I'm really excited about this guitar. I think it'll be my coolest guitar to date.
Author:  Anthony Z [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:45 pm ]
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John for a laid back, low key, modest fellow such as yourself -- it's great to see you express excitement!

Should be a beaut!

I can hardly wait to see how you pore fill as I'd think oak would be the grand canyon of pore filling
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:46 pm ]
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Yes John, this wood looks great and i'd love to learn more about it also!
Author:  John Mayes [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:59 pm ]
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I actually have a largish board of english brown oak, but the stuff I have is
not that hard. It has a spaltish sort of feel which I can't use. I LOVE the
look of it though, and I'd love to get my hands on some hard stuff, which
sounds like what you got! I'm envious!
Author:  John How [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:09 pm ]
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Yeah I was a little unsure when Bob said he had some oak but once I saw it, I had to have it. I figured I'd never be able to sell a guitar made of oak and as it turns out, I'm not gonna. I doubt I'll ever see another piece like this so I'm keeping it for myself, just like the nice piece of that curly mahogany I stashed away. Selfish huh!!!

Anthony, This wood has pores but I don't think they are exceptionally large. I may do some sort of matt finish on it anyway in which case I won't worry too much about the pores. I want it to have a vintage sort of vibe.
Author:  Colin S [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:11 pm ]
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We have a couple of English Oaks, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea, plus the Holm Oak, Quercus ilex. English Brown Oak is not a name used here but sounds more like a woodmerchants name. So, do you know the species?

ColinColin S38799.2631481482
Author:  Dave White [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:56 pm ]
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[QUOTE=Colin S] We have a couple of English Oaks, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea, plus the Holm Oak, Quercus ilex. English Brown Oak is not a name used here but sounds more like a woodmerchants name. So, do you know the species?

Colin[/QUOTE]

Colin,

This website would suggest that it is Quercus petrea that has been got at by Fungus The Bogeyman, turning white oak brown.

Brown Oak
Author:  Bobc [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:25 pm ]
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Hi John
I had forgot about that set. If I remember right the back was gorgeous. Lots of medulary rays. I think Steve Spadorak bought a set too. Can't wait to see more of it.

Dave I believe your description is accurate.
Author:  Colin S [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:32 am ]
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[QUOTE=Dave White] [QUOTE=Colin S] We have a couple of English Oaks, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea, plus the Holm Oak, Quercus ilex. English Brown Oak is not a name used here but sounds more like a woodmerchants name. So, do you know the species?

Colin[/QUOTE]

Colin,

This website would suggest that it is Quercus petrea that has been got at by Fungus The Bogeyman, turning white oak brown.

Brown Oak[/QUOTE]


Quercus petraea, the Sessile Oak, makes sense as it tends to have longer straighter trunks before branching, than the English Oak (Quercus robur). So really it's Brown Sessile Oak, not Brown English oak.

Colin
Author:  John How [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:14 am ]
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Here is another shot of the rims and the back.


Author:  Bobc [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:49 am ]
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Her's a link with a bit more info
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/Inventory/englishbrownoak.htm l
Author:  ATaylor [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:06 am ]
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That back is beautiful John. Can't wait to see it all done up!
Author:  Colin S [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:19 am ]
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Heh, I've got 600 year old oak beams in my house, I wonder if they are seasoned enough yet, they sure are hard now, you can't hammer a nail into them.

Colin
Author:  John How [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:36 am ]
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Well, just a bit from this one and just a bit from that one and you have a guitar Colin. No big deal!!

Colin, the funny figure in this wood (Cross grain stuff) do you think that is just medulliary rays or is it caused by the fungus?John How38799.5285185185
Author:  RussellR [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:52 am ]
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The oak I've come across is a joy to work when young, but by 600 years old is rock hard, some years ago we had to replace some joists on a listed building the new wood was easy to work, but cleaning out the old tennon pockets, sure took its toll on the chisel.RussellR38799.5366666667
Author:  Colin S [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:21 am ]
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John, they are definitely medullary rays, it is diagnostic of the English oaks. The beams in my house (built in the 15th century) probably mainly came from Quercus robur as they wanted beams that had natural bends to form the cruck joints, much like they did when building ships. Quercus robar for the ribs and Quercus petraea for the keel and planking.

Yours would be Q. petraea properly known as Sessile Oak rather than English Oak. See what a problem common names and wood cutters names can cause. It's the same in my work (geology) where quarrymen have completely different names for rocks to those that the scientific geologist uses.

Still looks to be a great guitar in the making, I've got to get me a plan for the Stella, you know how much I love them.

ColinColin S38799.5576273148
Author:  John How [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:27 am ]
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I can make you a copy of the shape and braces on mine if you'd like as the back is off for repairs. It's a 1920's concert model 13.5" across. I think the scale is right at 25". I believe you can still get the purfing trim from Gurian.John How38799.5625231481
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:37 am ]
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[QUOTE=Colin S] Heh, I've got 600 year old oak beams in my house, I wonder if they are seasoned enough yet, they sure are hard now, you can't hammer a nail into them.

Colin[/QUOTE]

Colin, it's redemption time! Since the Cuban mahog. bench wood fell through, perhaps you could recompense by tearing down your home and resawing it into guitar sets.
Well, perhaps it would be wise to run that by your wife first?

Let us know,

Steve
Author:  Colin S [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:00 pm ]
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Steve, I asked Penny and she thought for about 2 seconds and said no. I must say I'm not too unhappy as I don't think that my 5hp bandsaw would cut it. When we bought the house some years ago and had a survey done I was worried that the main roof beam (half a tree trunk) felt a little soft. The surveyor, obviously used to this, took a six inch nail and hammer from his bag and invited me to drive it into the beam. After 1/4" the nail just bent! This main beam would be Sessile Oak, same as John's using.

Colin
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Fri Mar 24, 2006 4:20 am ]
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[QUOTE=Colin S] Steve, I asked Penny and she thought for about 2 seconds and said no. [/QUOTE]

Women just don't get it, do they?

[QUOTE=Colin S] This main beam would be Sessile Oak, same as John's using. [/QUOTE]

I wonder if John's has a cool history behind it like yours does?
Hey John, any exploratory nail holes in your oak?

Steve
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