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Peruvian Walnut Juglans Neotropica

Does anyone have any experience working with this wood? I was wondering how it bends and if it splinters. Is it more like our walnut or more like Wenge?

Thanks.

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Aoibeann

I picked up a set from uncle bob a few months back. Haven't done anything with it yet. His description on his site seems accurate. Feels like other walnuts but a bit heavier. Definitely doesn't seem splintery like Wenge. Has a nice tap, I can dance to it, I'd give it a 92.

Zach

Is that 92 bpm? Must be a waltz

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

LOL Thanks Zach. That's want I wanted to know.

Is Dick Clark still with us?

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Aoibeann

Once did an experimental upright bass with it (just the sides). Was easy enough to bend, just keep it a bit damp (my pipe was a tad hot so it scorched a little) and work carefully. Smells pretty nice when heated. The dust is a little rough on the sinuses [insert another strong argument for better shop dust control here].

-Matthew

Right now, it's my #1 favorite working wood.

The stuff I got was soft. Much softer than Black walnut and worked like butter.
Sooooo easy to machine, plane, carve, shape, sand, etc.

I used it for bindings on my Ditson.

Bends like a dream.. It even bent nicely across knots when I got it wet and hot... Treat it like North American Hardwood wood when bending.. meaning wet and hot.... not dry.

Good luck

John

I did an OM with it about 2 years ago.

I back everything truckjohn said about it. It's probably the softest of hardwoods I've worked with.

And it's beautiful when finished! It has some golden reflexions in it that makes it real classy.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Thanks Matthew. I'll keep that in mind. One more reminder to get the dust collection system together and working.

John, that's great info. I want to use it for bindings as well. I think it will go nicely with a lot of other woods, nice dark and chocolaty. I just didn't want to get a board and find out that it behaves like wenge. Wenge reminds me of cholla cactus. Even dead and dried it will toss spines at you if you get close enough.

Thanks Alain. I'm looking forward to use it now.

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Aoibeann

I've got a beautiful set that I'm about to build with. I was figuring on treating it just like any other walnut. Generally everything goes pretty easily with walnut. As far as tap tone, I have to say I've gotten the best tap tone by far from plain well quartered black walnut. I brought a guitar to Montreal made from all NY state woods including well quartered black walnut and it got great reviews from some of the pro players.

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Randy Muth
RS Muth Guitars Website
RS Muth Guitars Blog
Facebook Fan Page

Thanks Randy. Took a look at your site. Nicely done, guitars and website.

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Aoibeann

Lillian, I've used it for some necks when I want a dark wood. The pieces I got were softer than any walnut I have used before. The heels were a little difficult to carve and and the sheer strength of the fibers was a little weak so I had to use more than the usual amount of CA on the inserts for the bolt on neck. It seems to dent a little easily also. But it is beautiful under a finish and resists bending well. It's also light weight so it makes a nice neck. It's not unlike spanish cedar in that way.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Thanks Lillian.

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Randy Muth
RS Muth Guitars Website
RS Muth Guitars Blog
Facebook Fan Page

Lillian -

As well as the others, I recommend it. I've used it for two different laminated necks. A bit heavier than Mahogany, but it works easily, is beautiful under finish, and seems to be plenty stiff for necks. No experience in bending, but sounds good according to other accounts here.

I experienced no splintering at all - Enjoy.

It's a walnut, alright. It's softer and less dense than most of the Black walnut I've worked with; more like a soft mahogany. It carves pretty well; being soft it needs sharp tools to avoid crushing when you cut across the grain. It's stable, and finishes well; it's darker than most of the Black I've worked with. Sometimes you find it with a stripe figure. I've used a bit myself, and one of my students just finished up a guitar with it for the neck, back and sides. looks good, works well, and sounds good.

Alan, Corky, thanks for adding to the thumbs up column.

Now to track down some boards to make into bindings and whatnot.

Thanks again gentlemen. Much appreciated.

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Aoibeann