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Introduction and West African Wood questions
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Author:  MikeyW [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:25 am ]
Post subject:  Introduction and West African Wood questions
I came across this great forum a couple days and have spent a lot of time just reading old posts and learning. I am a 29 and American, living in West Africa; The Gambia specifically. I go back to the states once a year around November/December. This last year I started working on a baritone Ukulele. I learn LOTS and really didn’t know what I was doing but ended up with a neck and a bunch of broken sides as I practiced bending on scrap wood my dad had ripped for me. Since then I have learned a lot from reading online and have a better game plan this trip.

An advantage of living in a place like W. Africa is there is some amazing hardwoods here and you can get them incredible cheap, pennies on the dollar cheap. last trip home I took 80lbs of rough cut lumber home with me. Unfortunately I wasn’t privy on quarter sawn wood and dimensions I would need to build instruments. This next trip I have a better idea and a better game plan.

Some of the woods I have taken or can get are as following:

Kyaya Senegalensis (we call it African Mahogany)
Gmelina Arborea (this is in the teak family I believe a white hardwood)
Pterocarpus Erinaceus (we call this African rosewood, it a beautiful wood probably my favorite)
Diospyros Mespiliformis (this is West African ebony)
Daniella Oliveri ( this is West African Copal, it’s very similar to K. Senegalensis and is very fragrant like cedar)
Prosopis Africana (we call this Ironwood, it’s probably one of the hardest woods I have come across)

My plan for getting wood is pick up 1 or 2 inch by 6-8 boards that are quarter sawn for future uses. Most of the wood that is cut is cut very green so I know it will have to dry. The ebony and P. Africana I can only get in rough log form.

Any advice on picking wood or anything else I may need to know I am open to suggestions. I will try and get some pictures up next time I go wonder around a lumber yard looking for treasures.
Thanks Mikey
Author:  Goodin [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 8:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
Wow, how cool that you live near all of these fine tonewoods.

Kyaya is becoming a well accepted substitute for Honduran mahogany for neck blanks. It's cheaper and you get better yield and better quality cuts in my experience. African rosewood is also another name for bubinga but the scientific name you listed doesn't match bubinga.

I'm not familiar with the other woods (besides the ebony). I'm sure some others here are. Might be nice to show us some pictures of these woods.

Sounds like your dimensions are about right for back/sides sets. If the wood is green be sure to seal the ends with something like Anchor Seal 2 to prevent checking. Let the wood dry out one year per inch since it has been cut, before you slice it up (that is if you plan to resaw). You should get two sets per inch with a good resaw. Allow 22" or so for body lengths and 33-35" for side lengths. 8+" width for backs and 5 1/4+" width for sides for a dread size guitar. I like a little extra material to cut out any defects, checks or warpage that inevitably shows up.
Author:  James Ringelspaugh [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 12:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
Personally I would focus on suitable woods you can't get in America. Khaya is readily available and cheap here. Padauk is Pterocarpus soyauxii which is a wonderful wood for musical instruments, but is also readily available and cheap here and may be very close to the Pterocarpus species you have locally. Ebony is very difficult to dry and green lumber will check and split in all but the most humid environments unless great care is taken... I would avoid it unless you know what you're doing. I am unfamiliar with the other woods you have listed except that Prosopis Africana is used to make djembe drums.

That said, the best wood for you is probably whatever you personally prefer. Part of the joy of instrument building is in working fine woods that uniquely speak to the builder.
Author:  Michael.N. [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 1:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
The Khaya that I bought from Madinter was nasty stuff - grain run out in all sorts of directions. I simply won't use it.
It's kind of put me off the stuff for life!! Still, I should have known. It really was a bit too cheap to be any good.
Author:  B. Howard [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 3:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
Gmelina Arborea (this is in the teak family I believe a white hardwood)
Actually a mint, a distant relative of teak. Strength and densities similar to Butternut or Aspen, Think I would pass as a tonewood.
Pterocarpus Erinaceus (we call this African rosewood, it a beautiful wood probably my favorite)
Have no info on this timber but it appears to be some type of Padauk

Daniella Oliveri ( this is West African Copal, it’s very similar to K. Senegalensis and is very fragrant like cedar)
Copal resin is a main ingredient of most old fashioned varnishes, don't know anything about the wood

Prosopis Africana (we call this Ironwood, it’s probably one of the hardest woods I have come across)
A relative of Mesquite, this could be interesting.....
Author:  MikeyW [ Thu Sep 19, 2013 4:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
Thanks for the replies. I think I will try and get thinner wood around the 1" so it will dry a little faster. So a 1"X 6" board would in theory woudl take around a year to dry properly? I also will get some Anchor Seal for the wood when I get back to the states.

I looked at Padauk and yes the Pterocarpus that is here is very similar looking to that. It is also my favorite wood here, I agree it is a beautiful wood. The Gmelina sometimes has purple running in the grain but to find a piece with that is tough.
Author:  James Ringelspaugh [ Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
FYI, wood will dry much much faster once resawn into thin plates. If properly stickered, all but the densest, most oily 4mm plates should be plenty dry within a month or so in a constant 50% humidity environment.
Author:  MikeyW [ Wed Sep 25, 2013 4:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
I went to a lumber yard yesterday. I picked up a couple more pieces of Rosewood, It’s difficult to see the end grain to really tell if it has been quarter sawn. The Mills leave it really rough cut. I did find a large pile of 10" Diameter and about 4-6' long ebony logs but the ends are checked from drying. My question is if those checks would damage the log say a foot from the end? Could I just cut the ends of the logs and still use the wood in the middle of the logs?
Author:  Goodin [ Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
MikeyW wrote:
So a 1"X 6" board would in theory woudl take around a year to dry properly?


Yes that's the theory anyways.

MikeyW wrote:
I went to a lumber yard yesterday. I picked up a couple more pieces of Rosewood, It’s difficult to see the end grain to really tell if it has been quarter sawn. The Mills leave it really rough cut.


Use a sharp hand plane (jack plane or whatever) to smooth out the end of the boards to reveal the end grain. Also note that on some woods the saw blade marks can easily be mistaken for grain lines.

MikeyW wrote:
I did find a large pile of 10" Diameter and about 4-6' long ebony logs but the ends are checked from drying. My question is if those checks would damage the log say a foot from the end? Could I just cut the ends of the logs and still use the wood in the middle of the logs?


You will be able to see where the end checks stop as the cracks go inward. Go a few inches past that for good measure and that's your usable wood.
Author:  Tai Fu [ Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Introduction and West African Wood questions
I found a supplier in Taiwan that has W. Africa ebony but they are as you said, the logs are checked and I have no idea if any wood from them is usable.

Africa seems to be dangerous to live in now, seems like terrorist attacks happens every day.
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