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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:29 am 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:27 am
Posts: 2
Location: Australia
G'day all,
 
A friend of myne has said that he has a few big pieces and a stump of a Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia Glyplostrobaides) tree at his house, and asked if I wanted any for luthery work. I've been trying to work out if the wood is any good for a soundboard, and was wondering if anyone knows anything about it. I've done some searching on the net, and can only find that Californian Redwood is commonly used as a soundboard material, but no specific info about the use of Dawn Redwood.
 
The two different Redwood species seem a fair bit different. The Dawn Redwood is very very light (density of about 260 kg/m3 or 16 lb/ft3) and has a Modulus of Elasticity of 5500 Mpa or 798000 psi. It appears like a very tight grained pine but lighter, with quarter sawn grain spacing of about 10 grains per inch.
 
Does anyone have any ideas or experience with this timber as a tonewood?
 
Thanks,
Matt


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:06 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo
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Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:39 am
Posts: 130
Location: United States
Welcome Matt,

Don't know anything about it as a tonewood, but it's one of my favorite trees. Here's the story of the one I walked by every day while attending the University of Oregon:

UO Dawn Redwood

I suspect it could work out nicely as a tonewood. If there is any chance of buying or trading for a piece to try as tonewood, I would LOVE the opportunity!

Cheers,
-Dave


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:10 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 5:46 am
Posts: 2968
Location: United States
Aren't dawn redwoods kinda small in diameter?

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:46 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo
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Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:39 am
Posts: 130
Location: United States
Yeah Jim, I think they tend to be skinny, especially since they have only been reintroduced to the rest of the world in the last 60 years or so. By my math the tree here at the University, being 10 feet in circumference and 55 years old, should have growth rings at an average of about 2.89 per inch. Not great, even if it's not a good measure of tonewood quality. Regardless, I'd be interested in trying it out, if for no other reason, just for sentimentality.

-Dave


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